Yes, the prusic knot can also work. However, the prusic knot can and sometimes does fail to grip the rope and stop your fall. That is why people that engage in rock climbing and mountain climbing never rely on the prusic knot to prevent serious injury from a fall. The prusic knot also requires attention because it can come partially undone and weakened after repeated usage. The asender is designed and rated specifically for the purpose of stopping a fall.

I will agree that the prusic is better than nothing. However, this is a situation wherein we are repeating a dangerous act (climbing) throughout the season under a variety of conditions, including darkness, rain, etc. We should optimize the safety in any way we can and eliminate all potential failures in the way of gear.


Absolutely excellent advice.

What we need to think about as hunters is that we spend appropriate amounts of time doing what we need to do to be safe around firearms. Doesn't it make sense that we should do whatever possible to prevent serious injury or death from what is probably the second most likely cause of injury or death among hunters (falling from a treestand)?

Big country, thank you for the feedback. Please do me this favor: After you receive your gear and use if a few times send me an email and let me know what you think. Most of all, I'm glad to hear that your okay after your fall. That you are an outfitter and have more experience than most of us with treestands and hanging treestands should and does say a lot.

I particularly like this quote of yours:

That says it all. We need to do what we need to do to protect ourselves while engaging in the precarious business of climbing into and out of trees under what are less than ideal conditions meaning...in the darkness of pre-dawn.

Tim:[&:]

You will be at risk only once...when you hang the stand for the first time, and not even then if you use a harness and climber-type stand to hang your fixed position stand the first time. In other words you hang your stand as per usual (use a climbing stand and a harness). When you have hung your stand you tie a rope above the stand and let it hang to the ground.

You then climb down (using the climber and safety harness and placing your tree steps as you go down). When you get to the ground, you simply take the piece of rope that is hanging down to the ground and tie it around the tree.

Your stand is now hung.

When you go to use the stand...

You place the ascender on the rope. Its takes approximately 2 seconds and it totally silent.

You take the caribiner and clip it onto the ascender.

You clip your harness to the ascender using the caribiner. You are now harnessed to the rope which runs all the way to and above your fixed position treestand.

You begin to climb and the ascender slides up the rope with you. If you were to fall it "bites" the rope and stops your fall. You will fall only the length of the tether on your harness.

When you get to the top and step onto your stand you are already "tied in"...no need to do anything else; no fumbling around in the dark, nothing. Isn't that great! You call actually slide the ascender above your head on the rope so that the tether from your full-body harness is out of your way when shooting in any direction.

When you climb down, you simply use your thumb to hit the release mechanism on the ascender and slide it down as you go. It is extremely easy and completely silent. If you fall, the ascender automatically engages again and your fall is stopped.

Tim, the part you (and I and all of us) worry about the most is virtually eliminated. You literally cannot fall while climbing into or out of your tree and you are tied in the entire time you hunt...from the moment you leave the ground until you "unclip" upon getting back on the ground again...safely!

If you need additional clarification, please say so, or you mail email me or send me a PM.

My son is a serious rock climber. He watched me hang a treestand one day and immediately showed me this system. It has forever changed the way I use fixed position stands. I want to share it with everyone on this board, which is one of the biggest most populated hunting message boards in the world.

The Mind: Please read the above. Fall can be easily eliminated. I respectfully add that I hope you change your mind. You surely have people that love and care about you and they will have the burden of sharing your agony or death if you fall one day. If you are fortunate enough to live but are totally or partially disabled as a result, they will have the burden of caring for you for the rest of your life.

And The Mind, please note this fact: One of every three hunters falls from a treestand. Think about that.

BobCo19-65:

The one that I posted is one of dozens of styles available by Petzl. It you can please post a link to yours for our fellow hunters. If its easier to use, it will help us all.

No matter which model you buy, they are all small and very light and will literally fit in the palm of your hand.

There it is guys...what is your safety worth? How much would you be willing to pay to eliminate the risk of serious injury or death while climbing into a tree in the darkness.

Here are two questions that I hope will make you all think:

1. If you KNEW with certainty that you were going to fall, would you want to have the gear described in this thread?

2. How do you know you won't?


One more thing....the rope that you attach above your stand and again near the ground should be "climbing" rope, which is the rope used by rock/mountain climbers. It is designed to hold up well in the weather and has a little "give" to it if you fall.

I will post a link for it also if anyone wants it.

I recommend that you do NOT use ordinary hemp type rope because it could easily sever under the shock of catching your fall.