johncarter Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 I saw this harness this guy was advertising and he was making a big deal about suspension trauma.. I didnt know anything about it but his harness looked brilliant so I looked it up.. Evidently Fokes if you hang in your harness it'll kill you pretty quick.. http://www.elcosh.org/docs/d0500/d000568/d000568.pdf i had no idea about this. But I was wondering if anyone had one of these and if it was comfortable sitting down against a tree?? thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 Suspension trauma is a fact and you hardly hear of it. Just as a safety belt would constrict your lungs in a fall the harness constricts blood flow from the major arteries of your legs causing you to pass out. Many probably never heard of it. The product you speak of is quite expensive. $280. If you would use your harness the way it is meant to be used you should never fall more than a few inches from the platform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIwhitetailhunter Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 A safety harness is designed to prevent you from falling to the ground. When you attach it to the tree, you should have the strap taught when you sit down. That way, if you do fall from the stand, you won't "fall" far and you should be able to get back on the stand. Too much slack in the strap, and you might not be able to pull yourself back on. Hang long enough and it will pinch off blood flow. Harnesses are much better than the old "belts" that first came out. During certification for Hunters Ed instructor, we were shown a video put together by a instructor group on how to wear the "belt" properly. The video showed a guy (a big, strong guy) wearing the belt around his waist. He rolled off the stand and the belt rode right up to his rib cage. As he was trying to get back onto the stand, you could tell he was struggling and was having problems breathing and then you could see the panic set in (even though this was all staged). If it hadn't been a demo, and the other 3 guys weren't standing there, he wouldn't have made it! He couldn't get back onto the stand and couldn't breathe. Point being, with the belt, wear it up under your armpits. Wearing it there, your weight is under your arms and not across your diaphram. Given the harnesses they have on the market today, this senario isn't a problem. Your weight is more evenly distributed. There is still a possibility of problems though. Read the instructions that come with the harness and heed them. There are instructions for a reason. One other thing I learned and do is to place a tree step just below the stand platform. In case I would fall, I would have something to step on to help take weight off the harness and help assist me back up. Safety is #1. You can never be too careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 Suspension trauma topic is in the DVD's that came with my harness and climber. This is why they tell you to have a means of getting the weight off the harness in the event of a fall! By having a screw in step or other device! Which is why I carry two folding step screws. Four bucks could save your life, for the second time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted April 11, 2009 Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 This is all good info. never heard of that before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 I have known about this for some time. I work in high places and am almost always wearing a full body harness. I wish the harness we use for work were camouflaged. This professional belt blow away ANYTHING on the hunters market today as far as safety goes. But it is price, weight and convenience that usually rule when making hunting products. Good read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Welcome to the forum by the way...hope you make more posts,lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flintlock1776 Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Suspension Trauma is real. That is why I have this: http://www.summitstands.com/productdetail.aspx?id=83049 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Welcome to the forum by the way...hope you make more posts,lol Does look likre a sales pitch, eh.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskybnd Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 that is how my friend died in tenn. this hunting season he fell and the harness and his weight coused him to sufficated becouse he couldnt get back up into the stand, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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