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!!!

Guess that means I'd like it then.

Yep. Reverse approval. Lol

I'm curious if it's a chance of ending up being upside down if you were to fall.

Well the way they are made itd be hard to get turned upside down on account of the fact that they basically pivot your legs downward. Your leg would have to get caught or something but then that kinda falls under the same circumstances as pretty much any other harness. I dont think its anymore of an issue than anything else. If you sit in one and let it carry your weight youll see what im talkin about.

I've never used a RC harness but from what I can tell, I'd rather be suspended in a RC harness vs a FB harness.
It dont take long to have circulation issues with a FB harness.
No big deal if there's somebody around to rescue you but that's not usually the case in a hunting situation.
I wear a FB harness at work every day...done some experimenting with it and I wouldn't want to be hanging in it very long.

Everyone's first reaction when Rock climbing harnesses comes up is the issue of becoming inverted. it was mine too the first time I heard about it. But if you've ever spent any time in one you'll realize that it's pretty difficult to get inverted in one. I mean, you'd have to actively try to get inverted and then it's going to try to flip you back upright whether you want to or not.

And yes, the suspension trauma was the reason I made the switch. Where I hunt if I fall and cannot self-rescue, it may be hours before someone can get to me. In a traditional harness, suspension trauma can be an issue in a matter of minutes. A RC harness on the other hand was designed for you to be able to hang in it indefinitely. It doesn't put pressure on the femoral arteries.

I ordered it with a 75cm dynaclip. I plan on using that with the hss tree strap with my climber. And I have life lines on all my hangons. I've been reading a lot and watching some videos. It seems that most that try them really like them.

90% of everbody I've read on the internet that switched said they wont go back.

GomerPyle, how are you rigged up as far as attaching the belt to the HSS tree strap?

the tree strap has a carabiner hooked to the end of it, via a prussic knot so you can slide it up/down the rope to adjust the length....hook it straight into the attachment point on the harness.

I'm curious, is it possible to hang climbing sticks with a RC harness using the tree rope instead of a linemans belt?

Possible, but not efficient. All you need is some loops tied or sewn on like what I have pictured on page 1. I use the same rope for both, using the prussic knot to adjust as a linemans rope.

Thanks

Gotcha

I've been using one for a couple of years now. Wish I had switched a long time ago.

I'm curious, with the RC harness are you able to lean forward at all?

My harness has a load bearing loop in the back like the front. I climb with the front loop then switch it when ive settled in my stand. I keep my lanyard at a level on the tree where when i sit it has a slight amount of tension so if something happened id only fall a few inches and when i stand theres about 10 inches of slack. With the lanyard hooked in the back i can lean just over center and if necessary make a near straight down shot all the while having full range of motion and total left to right mobility and still have a very short drop if my stand failed for some reason or i slipped by chance. But id never fall past my platform or my climbing stick. Ive practiced several scenarios including basically jumping off the stand(while attached and only abou 10ft high). If a harness has the loop in the back there should be is a kilanewton rating and i belive mine is 7 i dont think they make them less than 5 and that is plenty. I climb a differnt way than most so ive put alot of time and practice into it to make sure its safe. Its important to note as well i always put my lanyard above my ez hanger so it never slides down thus lengthening my fall distance. Even if you wer to fall the full length of my attached lanyard which is about 26in youd be fine,aggravated and unerved but fine. Itd probly put the squeeze on tha boys as well but all harnesses will do that. Most important thing of all: buy a harness that fits you well, try and find somewhere that sells them and try one on.

Load bearing means the back loop is rated the same as the front belay?

Which harness do you have? I've been wanting to make the switch but I wanted one with the loop in the back. I didn't know if they all had this or only certain ones.

Mine is one of the cheaper black diamonds but 1 step up from their cheapest model. I forget what it was called but it is grey in color and cost about $60. As for the loop id have to look im not sure if they are both the same. Same thickness,stitching, and material front and back tho so i believe they are the same but ill have to confirm that

I was reading up on rock climbing harness and it seems not all of them have weight bearing loops in the back.

I like the idea of a RC harness from the research I've done so far.
Hardly anyone that has switched has gone back to a full body harness.

I've already tried mine out. The lanyard attaching in the front is going to work great. Plenty of slack, not in the way at all, and in case of a fall I will be facing the tree. I think I'm going to like it.

The average rock climbing harness is not made for extended lengths of time suspended or is there any proof otherwise. It is more of a temporary relief to re-position or from falling to the ground. Would you not need the wide under leg straps and a suspension relief for standing up to relieve trama just in case of a long time before rescue?
Just not much test on harnesses it seems to provide time frame before trama with different harnesses.

You can hang/sit in a rock climbing harness indefinitely without worry of suspension trauma. I can put my hand between my leg and the top of the leg straps when sitting in it. It puts Zero pressure on the femoral arteries. That was the entire reason I made the switch to begin with.

My HSS is a little small now and this may be my new choice. Appreciate info.

Not suited very well for fall protection. It's use is for static use. OSHA many years ago after multiple studies made waist belts illegal for fall suppression due to spinal cord injury. Essentially, the shock of the stop was breaking peoples backs, hence the development of the full body harness. some fall protection is better then none, but just be aware that you may end up paralyzed for that small convince. Also, fall restraint must have a 5,000 psi breaking strength. What is the rating on these?

Gomerpyle, is that the Vario Speed harness?

There is no way anyone (and all of my buddies use them and have tried) can convince me something coming out of your crotch is less in your way than mine between my shoulder blades