Wear your Harnesses!

[stka]

I bought the expensive HSS vest with all the pockets. I wish I had got the cheap one now. I started wearing the vest under my outer jacket and pants so there's no need for the pockets. Plus there are three pockets on each side but they're all stacked in the same spot, so you can really only use one. I think that instead of a cheap harness they should work out a deal with a quality harness manufacturer and give a $5-10 rebate with each stand. That would help a lot if you've bought 6-8 stands like I have.

[Woods Wise]

To be honest skidda, I've always thought the price they ask for the HSS system is ridiculous. Wouldn't it be more profitable if you truly have a Superior
product to make it affordable so everyone buys it. Seems like it would make you more money in the long run.

Your life isn't worth more then $130? Worth every penny IMO. Most of us have boots that cost more then a HSS harness.

[upstatehunter]

I have harnesses that do just as well at fall restraint at a 1/4 of the cost....Now I've read of recalls on HSS products. So are they three times better?
Yes my life is worth a lot more than 130.00. But if I don't have the means to pay that much, do I have to quit doing what I love to do??
In my opinion they don't have a god like product, which their cost difference would indicate. I'm sure they are easy to use, and maybe the learning curve is
less. That doesn't mean someone elses product at 1/4 of the cost isn't effective and with use and practice can't be just as easy.
Just boils down to the same thing every American company is run by. Make the most money for the least investment. Instead of making a quality product
at a reasonable cost, and sell more of them to get to the same end result. And maybe, just maybe, your product being in a lot more peoples hands,
they act as sales people for you to increase sales in markets that weren't on the company mission at the start.

[stka]

Before harnesses were common place my father used an old NiMo harness. It was huge and uncomfortable, but it did the job. I used one of the old double loop straps for a few years, might break a couple ribs but it was a better alternative to hitting the ground.

[huntny30]

I'm late to chime in but this was my good buddy's brother in law, it was on my buddy's land...he called me while I was a camp the last few days and tonight when I got home I called him back to tell him about the deer I hit and lost and he told me this news, I felt terrible...he said the stand was only 12 feet high and they wear safety belts he just unhooked it to climb down, no-one is sure what happened after that.  He wasn't hunting with him that night because he was having coal delivered at his house so he stayed back...sad news, you just never know...Phil is a Senior Chief in the Navy and covers the Canandaguia area, Great great guy and has been a mentor to me...

[upstatehunter]

That is why I'm a pro safety rope guy. There never needs to be a time when your unhooked. Most of the attachment devices are large enough to have your safety rope as well as the tree strap hooked into them. You can also if you do fall out, use the safety rope in conjunction with the prussic knot let yourself down.
Again condolences to all family and friends of the hunter.

[fatman]

There is two types of people that hunt from treestands.  Those that have fell and those that will fall.  With that being said we as humans become complacent and sometimes forget the important things.  I personally have fell from a ladder stand.  I was taking a ladder stand down.  The ladder was bound up into the tree and when I started to decline, the ladder sprung away from the tree ejecting me.  I fell approx 15'.  I heard and felt the bones in my back break.  I could not breath.  I had no cell phone service where I was. and I did not tell anyone what I was doing that day.  I laid on the forest floor and could not believe this happened to me.  Finally I sucked it up crawled a little, Pulled myself up and pushed as hard as I could against my back and started to walk the 1 mile to my truck.  When I got to my truck I crawled in and  started driving myself to the hospital.  I called my wife in the process and told her what had happened.  She left her work and actually caught me before I made it there.  I was not driving that fast I could not.  End result was I crushed two vertebrate's in my back and missed the rest of the season that year. I was lucky.  I made a full recovery and shot 4 deer from a treestand the next year.  I always take the extra step and never take anything for granted anymore.

[marcus]

I have personally never wore a harness . I have to be honest. I am not a fan of heights so most of time I do not go too high in a tree to begin with, but i do know from my safety training for work that over 6 ft can be fatal. I will be looking into getting one now. I do not worry much about me, but I have 3 kids who need their dad. Thanks for this thread making me think about safety a bit more. Good luck southern guys tomorrow I am ready and pumped

[drobertsinMaryland]

Never leave the ground without one, if you do your foolish.

[gunnerdk]

I also will never hunt without one!