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I fell... wear your harness

muddy

muddy

Well-Known Member
Public service announcement.

People... check and double check your equipment. If you use 1 strap on your stand then please read this and start using 2.

Yesterday I went in and set up normally, except i only had 1 strap for my stand. 99% of the time I use 2 for safety but yesterday I was 1 short and didnt put much thought into it. A few hours in I was enjoying my morning of seeing 8 bucks when I suddenly felt my stand move slightly. At this point things went into super speed slow motion and the next thing j knew I was dangling from my harness and scrambling to get things straight. A brand new cam strap (used on XOP, LW, LWCG, and Beast stands) had let 12-16" of strap slide thru, tossing me out of the stand. My head hit a branch and the .momentum cartwheeled me and I ended up dangling for many minutes before I was able to pull myself around and get situated.

I climbed down and sat at the bottom of the tree for awhile to calm down before I climbed back up to look at the strap. It appeared totally fine and functioned normally. I dont know what happened but will never use 1 strap again when I can use 2.

Today my head feels like I was hit by a boxer and my neck is stiff and sore from hitting that branch. Side of my face has a nice abrasion and my shoulder and legs both hurt from the dead fall drop stop of the harness.

Don't be an friggin moron, wear a harness. Check and double check your equipment. If you can, use a lineman belt. When it happens, it happens FAST, you will not be able to catch yourself.

I am a careful hunter, yet this is the 2nd time I've been saved by a harness. It's not IF, but WHEN.
 
As I get older, I start to think I need to ground hunt. I’ve beat the odds so far and they might come back to haunt me.

I’m well insured though, somebody might get rich.


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Dude, I'm glad you wore your harness and are alright, but what the heck were you thinking using only 1 strap on your stand? Don't all hangons use at least 2 straps?
 
Yikes!! Glad to hear that you are OK. FWIW, we use two straps on all stands AND then one more ratchet strap for a total of 3 per. I am glad that you were wearing a harness.
 
Obsessed said:
Dude, I'm glad you wore your harness and are alright, but what the heck were you thinking using only 1 strap on your stand? Don't all hangons use at least 2 straps?
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All versa button type stands can be used with 1 or 2 straps.
 
Guys, I was using a Lone Wolf type stand that had 2 versa buttons. I only had 1 strap so only did the top button. Usually I use 2, and from now on will always use 2

On any of my "permanent" stands I have regular strap and a heavy ratchet.

Go about your day.
 
Wow, glad your semi ok Muddy, could have been a lot worse!

I always add a ratchet strap in addition to the one that comes with a hang-on. If your stands have cables for the platform be careful also. Once they age and sit out for months they can break as well. I started removing the cables and using chains covered with shrink tubing on my older hang-ons. Had one snap while my son was in it.
 
It's been a while since I've purchased a new stand. Didn't realize any used just 1 strap. Mine would twist and shift too much with 1 strap.
 
Glad nothing worse happened Muddy. Even with the lower strap attached on a LW, I think there is a good chance of getting tossed off the stand if the top one slips like happened to you.
 
Rjack said:
Glad nothing worse happened Muddy. Even with the lower strap attached on a LW, I think there is a good chance of getting tossed off the stand if the top one slips like happened to you.
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That's always been my thought, I don't think the bottom strap could withstand the shock if the top let go unless you've got a heavy 2" strap down there. Also even if it holds, I'm not convinced the stand won't still pivot too far to stay in. The leverage of the weight is working against a strap that low.
I guess it depends how low the 2nd strap is?
 
  • Deleted by IowaBowHunter1983
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Dang, glad you're ok. I try to replace my straps every couple years, but one year I forgot and my super old LW straps would slip slightly on my climbing sticks, allowing the strap to slowly slide. I started tying the strap in a knot after I attached it to the tree and this stopped it. I haven't done that since I replaced them, but man that's scary business.
 
Rjack said:
Glad nothing worse happened Muddy. Even with the lower strap attached on a LW, I think there is a good chance of getting tossed off the stand if the top one slips like happened to you.
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I tested this on my tear down late morning. While on the sticks, I loosened the top strap on the stand. I put most of my weight on the stand and it held fine. I won't be "live" testing this, but do now believe the bottom strap will hold the stand fine - as long as it is cam locked in well.
 
Wow glad to hear you’re OK man. I never trusted those stands that came with one strap.. Hawk, etc. Even on my LW stands I always use the two and add a third ratchet.

This year I started using Lifelines on all my sets too. Figured it was cheap insurance.

Glad to hear you’re OK though!
 
Glad you just got some bumps and bruises as well, great reminder because I’ve got lazy as well, on public using my millennium m7 microlite with the separate receiver bracket is all I would use for ease of setup and tear down, but I’ll def start packing in a second strap from now on. Thanks for sharing


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