Harness preference

[megavites]

13 hours ago, mazzgolf said:

If you go for a climbing harness, pay particular attention to the sizing chart and consider two things:

1) Sizes for climbing harnesses are patterned around the sizes of typical rock climbers. And the typical rock climber is not fat. I'm not saying you all are fat, but I'm fairly confident in saying that the average hunter has more "girth" than a typical rock climber   For example, just take a look at Black Diamond's sizing chart - they consider a 33.5" waist a "large"  To compare, notice Cabela's sizing chart is typically skewed a few inches higher (e.g. Black Diamond's XL range is 36"-39"; Cabela's XL range is 40"-42").

2) You will typically be wearing the harness with thick cold weather clothes on (not shorts and a t-shirt a typical rock climber is wearing).

Those 2 things means you most likely need to buy a size or two larger than you normally would think. For example, I'm usually a "medium" in all my clothes I wear (I rarely buy "large") -and I bought an XL for my climbing harness and it fits good when I'm wearing my cold weather clothes.

so how are you attaching to the safety strap on tree?

[mazzgolf]

7 minutes ago, megavites said:

so how are you attaching to the safety strap on tree?

First, if I'm in a climber, I have one of those HSS rope tree straps. If I'm in a ladder stand, I have one of those HSS lifelines. In either case, there is a prussik/caribiner on that safety rope.

Then I have a "rabbit runner" strap attached to the prussik/caribiner on the lifeline to the caribiner on my harness - that is how I'm connected to the tree.

I bought a three pack of rabbit runners from a guy on EBay (someone here recommended him). You can ask the guy for any length runners you want. I believe I asked for a 3', 4', and 5' from him. I'm using the 3' one, but its up to you what length you are comfortable with and how it works with your setup. Here's the Ebay item: https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-NEW-DRAWS-SLINGS-xx-x-xx-long-YOUR-choice-TYPE-RABBIT-RUNNERS-custoMADE/264900786429

[Lunatic]

4 hours ago, megavites said:

so how are you attaching to the safety strap on tree?

 

[megavites]

5 hours ago, Lunatic said:

 

but with the climbing harness, the d-loops are to the front, right? That's what's got my mind twisted because with harness you hang from the top of the back.

[Lunatic]

4 minutes ago, megavites said:

but with the climbing harness, the d-loops are to the front, right? That's what's got my mind twisted because with harness you hang from the top of the back.

I had the same problem with this before I bought one. The line goes under your arm to the front, you don’t even know it’s there 

[Lunatic]

9 hours ago, mazzgolf said:

First, if I'm in a climber, I have one of those HSS rope tree straps. If I'm in a ladder stand, I have one of those HSS lifelines. In either case, there is a prussik/caribiner on that safety rope.

Then I have a "rabbit runner" strap attached to the prussik/caribiner on the lifeline to the caribiner on my harness - that is how I'm connected to the tree.

I bought a three pack of rabbit runners from a guy on EBay (someone here recommended him). You can ask the guy for any length runners you want. I believe I asked for a 3', 4', and 5' from him. I'm using the 3' one, but its up to you what length you are comfortable with and how it works with your setup. Here's the Ebay item: https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-NEW-DRAWS-SLINGS-xx-x-xx-long-YOUR-choice-TYPE-RABBIT-RUNNERS-custoMADE/264900786429

The best “rabbit runner” is a rope with a prussik on it so you can adjust the length. You adjust the length to what you need. When you climb you can’t always assume the length you have will work. Too much slack is no good. With my set up I can tie to a tree even behind my lower back and adjust my tether length to what it needs to be to be safe 

[Bowhunter458]

19 hours ago, splitrockoutdoors said:

Add the treestand wingman to whatever harness you pick.  It will lower you to the ground!

I just researched that, ordered one. Thanks for the tip!

[splitrockoutdoors]

No problem haha.  Id never have the confidence to use a climber without it

[mazzgolf]

Saw absolutely nothing this morning - so rather than watch the grass grow, I took some pictures of my setup.

In these pics are the 3-foot "rabbit runner" I bought from that guy on EBay. I also got two other different lengths - 4' and 5' - but found the 3' works the best... I can double it over (like you see in the pictures) for a good secure connection that is out of my way (I can slide the prussik knot up or down to give me more or less slack as I need), or I can connect each loop on the runner to each caribiner extending the length to the full 3' if I ever need that extra freedom of movement. I think a 4' runner would work as well. A 5' is probably too long.

[Lunatic]

15 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

Saw absolutely nothing this morning - so rather than watch the grass grow, I took some pictures of my setup.

In these pics are the 3-foot "rabbit runner" I bought from that guy on EBay. I also got two other different lengths - 4' and 5' - but found the 3' works the best... I can double it over (like you see in the pictures) for a good secure connection that is out of my way (I can slide the prussik knot up or down to give me more or less slack as I need), or I can connect each loop on the runner to each caribiner extending the length to the full 3' if I ever need that extra freedom of movement. I think a 4' runner would work as well. A 5' is probably too long.

Looks good.
I don't use fixed length rabbit runner. I use another dope with carabiner at one end, this end attaches to my harness, and another carabiner on the prussik knot. This way I have two adjustment of length, one high and one next to me, so I can adjust as needed with ease. I climb most of the time so I can't always attache the rope to tree where I would need with a fixed length RR. With my set up the tree rope can be behind my lower back and I am still tight to it as need it. 

[hammer4reel]

I use a 4’ fixed rabbit runner , one side is attached to a normal harness strap that comes with every tree stand .

caribiner attaches to it , second carabiner goes to my harness .

setting the tree strap at my head height allows just enough slack to hang down below my bow out of the way .

yet is long enough for me to sit down .

‘you don’t want a lot of slack as shown as if you fall it will snap you hard if drop momentum starts .

‘you want the strap to grab before your airborn so you can plant your feet and get back to Safty .

def don’t want to drop a few feet possibly impaking yourself on a step etc , or if using a climber not being able to get back onto it .

 

[mazzgolf]

6 hours ago, hammer4reel said:

I use a 4’ fixed rabbit runner , one side is attached to a normal harness strap that comes with every tree stand .

caribiner attaches to it , second carabiner goes to my harness .

setting the tree strap at my head height allows just enough slack to hang down below my bow out of the way .

yet is long enough for me to sit down .

‘you don’t want a lot of slack as shown as if you fall it will snap you hard if drop momentum starts .

‘you want the strap to grab before your airborn so you can plant your feet and get back to Safty .

def don’t want to drop a few feet possibly impaking yourself on a step etc , or if using a climber not being able to get back onto it .

 

That's basically my setup as well - but instead of that style of tree strap, I use one of those HSS Rope Style tree straps (when in my climber) or an HSS safety line (when in a fixed stand) - both of those has a prussik knot so rather than have the caribiner fixed at the tree strap, I can slide the caribiner via prussik knot up and down to give me more or less slack as I need it. You definitely want less slack as possible, though, because, as stated above, you don't want to fall far.