That was helpful, thanks. I guess I will look around to see if I can find one in a store as opposed to ordering online. That way I know what I'm getting. I think the belt is antiquated at this point, but better than nothing. I don't necessarily agree that hanging from a belt is going to leave you without options and just hanging there till someone finds your lifeless, cold body.

Granted hanging there would suck, but I think you would be able to recover somehow. I am sure there are some people out there who wouldn't recover due to being out of shape. Hence, the harness is the way to go.

You literally only have seconds to get yourself out of a hanging position even in a full body harness. And yes, every year they find people dead dangling from their harness, belt or other wise. Best way to save your butt is to not only wear a full body harness, but to also have a plan that will get you out the hanging position and back on your stand or safely climbing back down to terra firma.

Here's a link for ya about hanging from a harness!
http://www.cdc.gov/eLCOSH/docs/d0500...8/d000568.html



You might like the Hunter Safety System for a harness!

I generally wear a belt, and it allows more movement as well as keeps me going to close to the edge, but if you do fall with the belt on, you will likely have some bad internal bruising if not worse.

I agree, just hanging there waiting for your hunting buddies to come around and help you out isn't proper risk management. I should clarify: what I meant was that hanging from a harness as opposed to a belt gives a person more mobility to perhaps recover i.e. grabbing something nearby even if it is the base of the tree itself. If there are limbs or the stand is still intact and adhered to the tree you can grab that and recover.

With the belt you may be hanging upside down and yes, constricting your chest which would impair breathing. That would be very difficultto recover from.

This is untrue, a full body harness or safety vest will support you in an upright position and allow you to breath. It may not be the most comfortable and for most guys it will squeeze the twins some, but it WILL allow you to maneuver around so you cangrab hold of your latter, climbing sticks or even the tree if need be.

I agree with having a plan and I always position my tether line so that the line has little to no slack in it while I'm seated and in a position to where if I do fall itwill not be a long drop and it will swing mein front of my climbing sticks. I've never had to test this theory but I stand a better chance of grabbing the climbing sticks if I'm hanging in front of them rather than on the opposite side of the tree.

If used properly, a safety harness won't let you fall lower than your tree stand. so you should never have a reason for just hanging there. You should be able to just climb back up.

I had a belt but I lost half of it. I started using my harness. But I like the belt alot more I think I'm going to lookin to buying another one.

I wore belts for decades and loved them. One even saved me from a terrible disaster once. I fought the change and hated the change to a harness. It's still a scource of uneasiness for me in a tree. It's not as mobile as a belt. BUT... I never leave home without it now. I decided I'd rather have a good chance of walking out of the woods on my own than being carried in a body bag. They absolutely do work and can be a life saver.... whereas it's been documented a belt can be and has been a KILLER. It's your choice punk.[8D] Go ahead, you decide.

That said, I still use a belt for one thing. When I hang a hang on stand I always put a belt type attachment on the treeso I can climb right up through the loop at the top of my ladder or steps(which ever is on the tree) It just gives me an extra little bit of security in those critical moments of climbing onto or off the stand. I have the loop real big so I can put it right up under my arm pits. I slip out of it once my harness is attached. I slip back in it before I start down. Once I'm down and have a good grip I undo it and finish my descent. I'm leary of leaving $35 descender thingys with prusic knotsin all my trees. Too many crooks around.

Harness everytime for me