QuoteA harness only stops your fall then proceeds to kill you if you have not formed a plan to get down or summon help.  

Suspension trauma.......the newer harness models like the Muddy should have a strap included to relieve the pressure off your leg straps and assist you with escaping.

+++ on the HSS...I have used the mesh one for a couple of years now and it's great for the heat here in Mississippi.

I wear a climber's seat. Less cumbersome and safer if I were to fall.

QuoteOriginally posted by amar911:
The Rescue One harness that Hitman talks about looks very impressive. The things I don't like about it are the weight, the bulk, and the inability to use it under your outer clothing. I do appreciate that it is safer and therefore better in that respect, but I would personally rather have a harness that I will wear all the time and not have to figure out how to take it off to get outerwear on and off. Also, the way my tree stands are set up, I can always get to the ladder or tree steps to take my weight off the harness. I think the Rescue One harness is brilliant, and probably the safest on the market, although there is the lowering device that will work with ordinary harnesses that would probably be a better solution for me if I went in that direction.

I have the Hunter Safety Systems vest and don't care for it too much. It is heavy, bulky, and needs to be worn on the outside of my clothing. It works, but not as well as some of the other systems. I would much rather use the Rescue One harness that has similar disadvantages but is safer.

Allan

Hello,

I'm Mitchell Wood, Doc Wood's son, and I was wanting introduce myself on this forum. If you have any questions about my fathers Rescue One CDS II feel free to ask me. As far as bulk, weight, and akwardness- there is none. Dad has come out with a new model- the Rescue One CDS II for this years hunting season and it is now actually lighter than the hunter safety system! thats including 30 feet of rope! Its much thinner now also, via the smaller diameter rope than the orignal. Also, Dads harness can be worn under your outer clothes, just as long as you can access the right shoulder strap post fall to get to the brake handle to quickly lower yourself down.

A couple of guys have already mentioned my favorite. Here goes another vote for the Summit "Seat of Pants". It is very lightweight, comfortable, quiet, and easy to adjust.
I wear mine over light clothes when it is warm and under a jacket when cold.

Fasten your tree strap high, with barely enough length to allow you to sit down. That way, you don't fall so far before the strap stops you. That's the way we did it when the waist belt was the only fall restraint available.

OK McDave' now that the safety harness brand debate is in full swing, I noticed that you stated that you have NEVER hunted from a treestand. Well let me tell ya if you are afraid of heights in any way you might want to get your hands on a stand and try it out for yourself and get used to it. I too am primarily a ground hunter but I bought one to try out. I do like it, stands do have there advantages and disatvantages, but most importantly you need to be comfortable sitting, standing and shooting from the stand. I got to admit that I was paranoid to be up in a stand at first and couldn't hardly let go of the seat, let alone standup and move around if needed. My uneasiness went away after just two trips up on it, now I can do just about anything up there and feel comfortable. Just something to think about!!!

Its no sin for a first timer in treestands to put the stand within a foot of the ground. You can learn about putting the stand up- about how things work; and the stability of a given stand....

Great advice from Brian. You cannot be too familiar with the workings and procedures of using a stand and harness. I start each year getting reaquanted with the equipment that protects me.