I think that we can all agree on the importance of wearing a safety harness when in a tree stand (although many hunters still do not wear one).

However, I was wondering whether something simpler than a 4 point harness may suffice in certain situations.

For example, I typically hunt at 15-20 feet. The only foreseeable scenario requiring a safety harness involves falling asleep or stand failure. In either case, I need something to arrest my fall long enough for me to turn and hug the tree, release the safety harness, and slide down the tree to the ground.

Would a simple chest strap (perhaps with a harness that would gradually arrest the fall rather than an abrupt stop) be sufficient? Is there some other simple harness that would function adequately?

I suspect that there are hunters presently not using any harness who would do so if they did not need to deal with the complicated four point configuration.

A chest style harness can suffocate you if you hang from it for more than about an hour , and falls from as little as 15" can easily cripple or even kill . If a four point is too complicated then get a vest style , they're much easier to manage and lately they're nearly as cheap as four points . Safety has no overkill setting .