I ordered a Black Diamond speed vario harness to try out. Anyone else using a rock climbing harness for hunting? If so, any tips or suggestions?

I do and love it. I recommend using the HSS rope tree strap.

Im thinking about buying me another treestand and if I do I will be using a climbing harness.
I've never used one but I'm glad you posted this thread, I'm curious myself.

I think Gomer tried some and found one that
worked well for him. I have never tried one.
Where did you find yours and how did it fit
Size wise compared to a hunting harness?

I've read where a lot of guys like the Vario harness.
I might try it myself.
Here is a good place to get safety lines and treestraps, made from mountain climbing rope.

SAFE TREE HUNT, is the name of the company.

Ive been using one for bout 4 years now. I use an 11mm dyneema static climbing rope for a lanyard. I climb using a single stick and i hang a loc on limit. I attach to the tree at the base and stay attached until i climb back down.

I went with a Petzl Aspir harness.....I'd narrowed it down to the Petzl or the Black Diamond Vario Speed harness, but the Petzl fit me better. Paired with the HSS Tree Strap, it's awesome. If it's not particularly cold, and I'm not layered up, I just wear it over the top of my clothes. On cold days when I'm wearing bibs/coveralls, I wear them under my bibs. My bibs have a double zipper where I can unzip them from the top or bottom, so I unzip them from the bottom just enough to feed the rope through front and across my lap.

https://www.amazon.com/Petzl-Aspir-Climbing-Harness/dp/B002IAMCJC

With a climber, the HSS Tree Strap is all you need - just move it up the tree as you climb. With a ladder/lock-on, you ideally need a lifeline that is already attached to the tree, since you can't attach the HSS tree strap to the tree while on the ground and move it up as you go due to the ladder/climbing sticks.

CarbonClimber1, if I understand correctly, you move the climbing rope up as you climb? Then once you're at the height you want to be you just hang the stand?
Never having to unhook the rope.

Another Petzl Aspir user here. Tried the Black Diamond Vario but the Petzl was more comfortable. Use it with a 75cm Dynaclip and the HSS tree strap. Won't ever go back to a four point. I use a Lone wolf Hand Climber II exclusively, no comment on sticks and hangons; but I would agree lifeline would be my preference with hang on sets.

Sold the Aspir I used last year on the Classifieds since it was too big by the end of the season. Bought another one this spring. Need to find that Black Diamond so I can sell it to another Aldeer member, I think my truck ate it.

I've had mine for a few years now and really like it, I took some webbing strap and inserted a piece of rope, for rigidity, and had an upholster guy sew it for me so I could use it as a lineman's belt also. This way, I can climb and hang my stand and then just hook it up for my safety belt. What you see pictured is all that you need for all of the above.

For carbon climber's method, you don't need the lineman's loops, just hook the rock harness up and go. You will need extra rope, for encountering a limb, hook one up before you unhook the other:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NcroPLbzPc

That's what I was thinking. If you use more than 1 stick you would have to use the linemans rope.
I've never used a hang on, just trying to picture how you could hang the stand the using just the harness without linemans rope.

Damn, wish I would've seen that about 20 years ago. I'm too old and busted up to do that now.

It's not that demanding Shaw, it's definitely easier in the yard in warm weather, but I've used this method actually hunting. It's not my preferred method , but if your heading out to the unknown for a one trip climb, it's a useful technique to know.

Does the tether rope not get in the way being attached to the front?

Not at all, you have more freedom than with the other type of safety harnesses.

no i do have to belt around limbs but all you need is some loops like amb has or the diy sportsman on youtube has a video on making a lineman belt for the rock climbing harness. Then when you get to a limb just belt to the tree and move your lanyard over the limb. My lineman belt is made fromm 8mm static rope and prusic knots and ive got my secondary safety belt from my pole climbing days but i dont care for it due to it bein a little heavier. As for my belt carabiners they are hunter safety system steel lineman belt caribiners and my primary lanyard has a single black diamond climbing caribeaner

lays across the lap, around the side and up to the tree. never been an issue.

It got in my way a lot. I couldn't get use to it.

These are ok to use. but, you guys really need to practice flipping your self back upright. trust me, if you get flipped upside down, sometimes its not easy to get turned back upright.Especially if you are injured!!!