Question for Hammer4reel

[hammer4reel]

1 hour ago, mazzgolf said:

@Lunatic - one thing to remember when you go to purchase any of these climbing harnesses - measure your waist size with the hunting clothes you plan to wear and buy the size according to that. If you plan on wearing the harness outside of all your winter outerwear (over even your parka and bibs, for example) you'll probably want to go larger than normal.

I'm usually a medium in most clothes I buy (it is rare I buy large in anything) - but I bought a black diamond in size *XL* and it fits fine   All those heavy cold-weather cloths and it swells your waist size  

Plus, think about it - there aren't many 250-pound rock climbers out there  so what they consider a L or XL is probably a M in hunting clothing. That's just my impression as to how they size climbing harnesses, but when I got this XL harness, I was surprised I wasn't swimming in it - I can put it over just regular pants and it would still probably work fine

Im 245, I use an XL on normal hunting clothes and a 2X over my heavier stuff and it has enough left to double back the buckle.

they make XL in most of their harnesses, nt too many in 2X ( which is the coulour 

[trapperjake]

I'm a little confused.  The rabbit tether is simply the link to you to the rope around the tree? Any suggestions on what a good rope is to go around the tree.?

[mazzgolf]

1 hour ago, trapperjake said:

I'm a little confused.  The rabbit tether is simply the link to you to the rope around the tree? Any suggestions on what a good rope is to go around the tree.?

I was confused at first, too  See the old thread where I asked about this (see below).

But you are right, just links you to the tree. In short, the rabbit runner has two loops on either end - one is connected to the caribiner which is connected to the harness' belay loop. The other end is connected to the caribiner that is attached to the tree strap above your head. The rabbit runner is essentially the same thing that is attached to the back of your hunting harness but the difference is the hunting harness strap's one end is fixed/sewn to the back of the neck on your harness whereas the rabbit runner's other end has a loop to connect to a caribiner that is hooked to your climbing harness' belay loop. Notice the other difference - now your harness connects you from the lower-front, not your upper-back.

The rabbit runner should be long enough to just hang down and out of the way - but short enough to capture you during a fall and give you a chance to get back in the stand -- figure about 4' long or thereabouts. As I say, I asked that guy on Ebay to make me different lengths - I can't remember exactly - I think I got a 4', 4.5' and 5' - maybe there was a 3.5' in there, I can't remember.

As for what is a good rope around the tree - I currently have set up one of those long 30' HSS safety lines already hung with a ladder stand on a buddy's property. I plan on doing this: I get to the stand and hook up the HSS safety line's caribiner to my harness belay loop. I climb, sliding up the prussik knot where the caribiner is attached. When I get up top, I attach one loop end of my new rabbit runner to the harness belay loop's caribiner, the other end to the safety line's prussik knot caribiner. I then unhook the prussik knot caribiner that was attached to my belay loop (unhook it from the belay loop but keep it attached to the rabbit runner!) and slide the prussik knot to the top at the safety line's loop around the tree that is above my head. Always attached to the tree, but now I have a 4' length of rabbit runner that is out of the way and let's me move and turn around without getting hung up on it and its out of the way so I can draw my bow in any direction. I technically didn't even need the rabbit runner (I could have left the belay loop attached to the safety line's prussik knot/caribiner and just not slide the prussik knot to the top)  but I didn't like how that was going to work - first, I like sliding the prussik knot up to the top to "lock" the safety line's loop in so it doesn't open up or slide down the tree, plus the safety line was pulled toward my body when directly attached to my harness belay loop and when I moved around the entire safety line moved from top to bottom which I'm sure would cause me to get busted when I stand up to take a shot. Having the rabbit runner leaves the main safety line free to droop and not move while I'm in the stand.

When I'm using my climber - that might be a different story. I might not use the rabbit runner - I have one of those 8' HSS tree ropes and there I might be able to just stay attached using a second prussik knot/caribiner that I add on the "tag end" of the rope (after you loop it around the tree, I usually have a long length of rope left over - maybe 3 or 4 feet worth depending on the size of the tree). But a rabbit runner would be helpful even with a climber - especially in those cases where that tag end of the safety rope isn't long enough.

I have no idea if any of that made sense - but.... it makes sense to me  

 

 

 

 

[hammer4reel]

11 hours ago, trapperjake said:

I'm a little confused.  The rabbit tether is simply the link to you to the rope around the tree? Any suggestions on what a good rope is to go around the tree.?

I use the web strap that comes with every stands cheap safety harness on the tree.

I hook a carabiner to it that's attached to the rabbit runner. And the other side is attached to the rock climbing harness with a carabiner.

I will take some pics tonight how it hangs . Some guys use the hunter safty tree rope at the tree.

I found it to be harder than needed

[Lunatic]

So I’m wearing a long winter park with the harness under the Park. How do you get the tether behind you so it’s not in your face while hunting.  Also would this harness restrict access to my pants pockets, including cargo pants pockets on the side of the leg?

[JerseyJaysTaxidermy]

I guess im too fat for these harnesses :/
I'm a 2xl without winter clothes on.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[kanigie]

1 hour ago, hammer4reel said:

I use the web strap that comes with every stands cheap safety harness on the tree.

I hook a carabiner to it that's attached to the rabbit runner. And the other side is attached to the rock climbing harness with a carabiner.

I will take some pics tonight how it hangs . Some guys use the hunter safty tree rope at the tree.

I found it to be harder than needed

Please post pics, very interested as well. 

I wear my harness under my outer layer and sometimes hang and hunt with sticks and a hang on. I have modified mechanic prusik linesmens belt so I can adjust my linemens tension one handed. Can I still use a rock climbing harness the same way? 

[mazzgolf]

41 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

So I’m wearing a long winter park with the harness under the Park. How do you get the tether behind you so it’s not in your face while hunting.  Also would this harness restrict access to my pants pockets, including cargo pants pockets on the side of the leg?

I don't think you can get it to tether behind you, especially if you wear the harness under your parka. The belay loop is up front, there is no connection point in the back.

This is why I plan on wearing the harness on the outside of my clothing - I want the belay loop on the outside so I can connect and the rabbit runner hangs loose and gets out of the way.

But the rabbit runner isn't in your face while hunting - it seems weird considering its hooked in the front, but it really isn't in the way.  Remember you have some slack. Let it hang off to the side under the arm and up to the tree strap above.

Yes, it is possible the harness might get in the way of some pants pockets.

[hammer4reel]

Luny what mazz posted is spot on .

I will take some pics so you understand what he wrote.

The tie is in the front . If you fall it turns you towards the tree.

The way the carabeaner sits when hunting its off to your side . Loop hangs down enough so when you sit there is just enough slack . When standing it's totally out of the way . You can even pass your bow over it and turn towards the tree without it being in the way

[Lunatic]

2 hours ago, mazzgolf said:

I don't think you can get it to tether behind you, especially if you wear the harness under your parka. The belay loop is up front, there is no connection point in the back.

This is why I plan on wearing the harness on the outside of my clothing - I want the belay loop on the outside so I can connect and the rabbit runner hangs loose and gets out of the way.

But the rabbit runner isn't in your face while hunting - it seems weird considering its hooked in the front, but it really isn't in the way.  Remember you have some slack. Let it hang off to the side under the arm and up to the tree strap above.

Yes, it is possible the harness might get in the way of some pants pockets.

Well how about this idea. Use Velcro to attach the tether to the inside of your jacket collar, behind or to the side of your neck. It would come out in the back or to the side, keeping it clear of your face.   

[Lunatic]

9 minutes ago, hammer4reel said:

Luny what mazz posted is spot on .

I will take some pics so you understand what he wrote.

The tie is in the front . If you fall it turns you towards the tree.

The way the carabeaner sits when hunting its off to your side . Loop hangs down enough so when you sit there is just enough slack . When standing it's totally out of the way . You can even pass your bow over it and turn towards the tree without it being in the way

I can visualize the tether not being in the way if the harness is worn on the outside.

[hammer4reel]

you wear the harness on the outside

[Lunatic]

On ‎7‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 9:20 AM, JHbowhunter said:

My Muddy system I got last year is super light and super easy to put on and take off. It converts to a linesman’s belt for stand hanging. Didn’t break the bank either 

I am checking out this next.

Thanks

[Lunatic]

1 hour ago, hammer4reel said:

you wear the harness on the outside

Once it gets cold I wear Wooltimate Parka and it is long. I am not sure how this harness would work with a long jacket. Also I climb most of the time and even when is cold I walk in and climb with only light clothes on , with my heavy jacket strapped onto my backpack . If I can't wear this think under the jacket I would have to take it of, once in the stand, put the jacket on and then the harness over it... not very safe. I go deep so I get hot. I have to think about this one.

[hammer4reel]

1 hour ago, Lunatic said:

Once it gets cold I wear Wooltimate Parka and it is long. I am not sure how this harness would work with a long jacket. Also I climb most of the time and even when is cold I walk in and climb with only light clothes on , with my heavy jacket strapped onto my backpack . If I can't wear this think under the jacket I would have to take it of, once in the stand, put the jacket on and then the harness over it... not very safe. I go deep so I get hot. I have to think about this one.

too late to get any good pics tonight,

I wear it over my wooltimate bibs, but its underneath the wooltimate parka, it only goes to your waist. The carabiner lays flat against you , you really don't know its there at all as it has ZERO restrictions .

I put mine on at the truck, and slide the tether into my side pocket until I hook in.

It weighs hardly anything, im sure after you try one you will look back at the other safty systems and say WHY didn't I try this sooner .

 

im going to try and search my old thread , as I believe there are pics on it