I think that most of us can agree: it is foolish to climb without a safety harness. However, is a 4 point harness really necessary or is there some simpler type that will be easier to use and will suffice for a typical hunting situation.

The two scenarios that I can imagine during my own hunting involve either falling asleep while in the stand or having the stand break/fall beneath me. In either case, I need something to arrest my fall long enough for me to hug the tree, release the harness, and slide to the ground.

Would the harness type with a single strap around the chest (perhaps with a "stretch" tether to avoid an abrupt stop) be adequate? I realize that you would not want to hang like this for an extended period of time or be unconscious, but I am assuming these conditions are extremely unlikely.

Are there other designs out there that would perform the necessary function and be significantly simpler than the 4 point?

Any thoughts or, better still, informed opinions are welcome.

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1708369&mpage=1&key=��,
Here's your other post, same topic. Page 3.

All I can say is I used to use a waist type belt stylea very long time ago until I heard of an individual falling out of the tree, ended up hanging upsidedown, slipped out of the belt, and landed face first on the ground. [:@]

Five point harness for me. I do have an idiot proof one though that has "Left Side" and "Right Side" printed on it.

A chest belt can break ribs on the fall and possibly puncture a lung. It will also make it very hard to breath. A waist belt can do more damage then good. You have the risk of injuring some internal organs that could be very serious. A 4 point is the safest way to go as well as the hunters safety vest. The more support you have the better off you will be if you fall.

I was one of those who used to wear a single waist belt too. Then I heard about a number of hunters who fell and the belt slid up over their chests and they suffocated before they could extricate themselves. I've used a harness ever since I heard that.

If you are looking for someone to say that a single strap is the way to go, you probably aren't going to get it. If you are just suspended by the chest, that is a major jolt to your spine because all of your weight going down (legs, abdomen) is going to have to support that entire weight with just your spine. Also, a belt around the chest is not very comfortable, so the tendency is to push it down more closer to your waist, which poses a second problem, and that is that your weight is going tobe top heavy, causing you to flip over, and that is about as bad a position as your can be in, especially unconcious. The four-point may be a bit of a pain to put on, but that little extra effort is all worth it when you aren't going on disabled hunts because you fell and broke your back.

Actually, both scenerios combined are the least of how a majority of falls happen.

2/3rd's of falls happen getting in or out of your stand.
And it's estimated thatone out of three tree stand hunters will fall in their lifetime.