Facing-the-tree treestand safety harness?

I hunt exclusively out of a Tomcat climber. It is super lightweight, easy to climb and very steady up in the tree. No doubt there are some disadvantages (bar between your legs prevents you from turning all the way around). Anyway, the thing that bothers me the most is the use of a safety harness with this or any other face-the-tree type climbing stand. All the hunting safety harness' that I can find are built to attach to your back, which is fine for facing away from the tree, but the long strap required when facing the tree can get in your way while hunting, not to mention that if something unfortunate was to happen, you would fall a couple of feet before the longer strap would catch you. I certainly wear the safety harness, and falling a couple of feet before being caught by the strap is certainly better than hitting the ground, but you would think that somebody would make a safety harness for hunting with the catch-attachment in the front of the vest for hunters that prefer face-the-tree type stands. If they are out there, I can't find them. I have seen several linesman safety harness' that have the attachment in the front, but they look cumbersome and certainly not made for hunting. Anybody have any info on a front-attachment hunting safety harness?

I have the same problem when I climb. I have thought of trying either adding an extra strap once I get set up or a harness like I wear at work. Lots of industrial harnesses have the dead man loop in front. The only problem with them is they are heavier and more bulky than the ones made for hunting.

Yeah I had the same problem so I sold my gunslinger stands.

HSS Makes a shorter lifeline with a Prusik knot (does not go all the way to the ground this is used at stand height). You can adjust the knot along the tag end of the rope to make it shorter or longer and then route it around where you are comfortable. The main Loop around the tree needs to be down closer to the top of the stand instead of above your head. There is plenty of slack in the rope... then attach yourself and adjust the knot to take as much slack out as possible while remaining comfortable. That's the best I have come up with.

Get yourself a rock climbing harness. I’ll make you a safety line with a prusiks if you want. I use a dog n tail on mine so that if I fall I can ease myself down. It’s easy to tie and if it’s under a load it’s easy to release. Prusik is great but if your hanging on it good luck getting it to release.

Go try on a rock climber or repelling harness. Light weight, comfortable, connects in front. Super safe and I don’t care what some say, you will not hang upside down if you fall. It would be very unusual to see that happen. I have used many of these and I’ll be trading in my old style harness for one of these styles. I switched to a stand where I sometimes face the tree and I can’t deal with that blackstrap situation.

Why do you have so much slack in your tether that you would fall a couple of feet? Can you no slide it up the tree far enough above you?
Or, just buy a rock climbing harness and attach it to your waste in front of you and out of your way.

You can slide it up the tree, but when attached to your back and you are facing the tree, the strap comes up behind your neck and along the top of your head, which is quite irritating and in the way. If you don't pull the strap very tight, it just kind of hangs down in your face or your field of vision, which again makes it irritating. I usually run the strap down under my arm and tie it off about even with my chest height, but you have to leave some slack in it, or it gets in the way of left-right movement or moving your weapon into shooting position.

All my climbers face the tree. I removed the strap from behind my head and attached it at the waist in front.

Rock climbing harness

HSS for me,,it’s all personal preference