Tree Gear Equipment

An improved version of the earlier Butterfly model, the Komet Butterfly II Tree Saddle features an upgraded front anchor. It is fitted with a rope cover that allows the ring to glide more smoothly. The ring is made of aluminum thus helping to keep the weight of the harness down to a comfortable and less taxing level. The entire front anchor or bridge is removable and may be replaced in case of an accidental damage, or in the unlikely event that it is worn out due to usage.

Both the belt and leg strap buckles are also made of lightweight aluminum, which are sturdier than the plastic buckles often found on other harnesses. Release of these buckles is smooth and quick. An anti-sliding system is also incorporated into them.

The belt is equipped with a wide and thick pad that results in the distribution of your weight across its surface. This makes the saddle comfortable to wear. It also reduces the possibility of backaches after prolonged use.

On both sides of the belt are fold-away D-rings for lanyard positioning. At the back are three nylon gear loops and two small steel rings for your carabiners, ascenders, descenders, or other climbing gear.

The leg loops, like the front anchor, are removable and can be replaced with the optional batten seat transforming the saddle from a Butterfly to Dragonfly harness. A webbing strap is added to the leg straps for the attachment of additional tools.

The Komet Butterfly II Tree Saddle is available in two sizes –Size 1 for those with a waist size of 28 – 34 inches and leg measurements of 19 – 25 inches, and Size 2 for waist sizes from 34 – 40 with leg measurements of 24 – 30 inches.

Designed to be an extremely versatile saddle, the Petzl Gym Harness, in spite of is name, can be used far beyond the gym for mountaineering, ice climbing, and tree climbing. It is also meant to fit climbers of all sizes as it is fully adjustable. Given this adjustability, you can start off the day with a single layer of clothing, gradually adding more as the weather turns colder, and still have your Petzl fitting perfectly.

The Petzl Gym is a minimalist harness yet it is extremely strong and durable. The belt and the leg loops are made of tough nylon webbing, while the tie-in point consists of polyester reinforced with Dyneema guaranteeing a secure attachment and resistance to abrasion.

It is lightweight and compact making it suitable for both novice and seasoned climbers. It has neither haul nor gear loops. The pre-threaded double-back buckles on both the waist belt and leg loops enable quick yet safe and secure adjustment by simply pulling on the straps. The tie-in point is clearly labeled and identified to help the novice clip it on properly.

The tapered non-padded leg loops allow freedom of movement. They are color-coded also for the benefit of beginners. These are droppable and the elastic straps connecting them to the back of the waist belt are detachable.

The wide webbing of the both the waist belt and the leg loops help in distributing weight over a wide area thus assuring a comfortable wear.

The Petzl Gym Harness weighs approximately 13 ounces or less than 400 grams. It fits waists from 23 to 40 inches, and legs smaller than 26 inches.

The woven high-strength polyester mesh of the padding of the waist belt and leg loops of the Petzl Adjama Sit Harness, and the easy adjustability of the latter make it an all-season harness. The polyester wicks easily keeping you dry and comfortable. The legs loops are easily adjusted with their pre-threaded DoubleBack buckles to accommodate bulkier clothing when climbing in cold weather. Also, a polyethylene/EVA perforated closed cell foam on both waist belt and leg loops promotes breathability.

With a frame construction and breathable monofilament mesh, the harness distributes pressure evenly thus assuring support and comfort. On its exterior, the mesh aids in weight distribution and abrasion resistance. Webbing tape is used along both waist belt and leg loops for added strength. Proper closure is assured by DoubleBack buckles that are pre-threaded and are quickly adjusted with only a single pull.

The belay loop linking the waist belt and the leg loops is colored green. Against the backdrop of the glacier blue and gray of the Adjama harness, it is quickly indentified for a proper tie-in. Tie-in points are reinforced for increased durability. In order not to interfere in the belay are, the wait belt buckle is offset to the left.

There are four gear loops and Petlz Caritool slots on the waist belt for your climbing gear. These are flexible and are of low bulk to prevent them from getting in the way of a pack should you need to carry one. A trail line loop is also included.

The leg loops are droppable in case you need to answer nature’s call.

The Petzl Adjama Sit Harness is available in three sizes that fit waists with a girth starting from 27.5 to 39.5 inches. These three sizes weigh 420, 435, and 460 grams.

Versatility, safety, and comfort are primary considerations in the design and manufacture of Buckingham Glide Lite Tee-Climbing Saddle. It is of a modular construction allowing you to change worn parts easily instead of discarding the entire harness when only one section is no longer serviceable.

The Glide Lite weighs only 3.9 pounds, making it one of the lightest harnesses available in the market. Notwithstanding its light weight, it has a durable and heavy-duty construction.

The wide webbing of its back pad distributes weight over a larger surface of your back, thus helping reduce the possibility of back aches. It has as many as 12 loops, dee-rings, and snaps for your gear. It also has two slots for carabiners and a soft belay loop. Provisions for the attachment of a shoulder harness are also incorporated.

A suspension bridge with an aluminum o-ring provides improved lateral movement. It is attached to both the waist belt and the leg loops via o-rings and straps. Aluminum buckles on both the waist belt and leg loops can be released easily and quickly, which means that getting into or out of the saddle is a breeze. They also allow full adjustment for a truly comfortable fit and suspension even when wearing thick and padded clothes when climbing in cold weather.

Man began having back pains ever since he started walking upright. Among adults today, nine out of ten have complained of back pain at least once. To minimize the possibility of back aches when climbing trees, Buckingham Manufacturing designed the Ergovation Tree Climbing Saddle with ample back support.

The wide lumbar support is ergonomically designed with a thick closed-cell foam padding that contours to your lower back and pelvis. This assures optimal posture thus helping prevent back pains. If you have a doctor-prescribed therapeutic pad, whether hot or cold, you can even insert it into the lumbar support through a hidden opening. Its width is intended to distribute loads rather than concentrating them on a small area of your back and pelvis. To keep the padding clean and hygienic, it can be removed from the harness for washing.

The Ergovation is highly modular. As many as 22 of its parts are replaceable, which results in a fully customized gear. It is also extremely adjustable. Work positioning dee rings can be moved forward or backward. Buckle placement in the leg straps is also customizable. You can have them either inside or outside your thighs. A waist tensioner also improves fit as well as abdominal stability.

The saddle weighs 6 pounds and 3 ounces. It is available for waist sizes from 24 to 44 inches.

Featuring a floating bridge design, the Weaver Cougar Tree Saddle allows a climber’s torso full freedom of movement. You can reach up, down, or sideways more freely with this suspension strap that is connected to the leg straps. Both the bridge and leg straps are fully adjustable. The means that whatever is your body size and shape, the saddle can be fine-tuned for a comfortable to wear.

The Cougar Tree Saddle’s waist belt has an extra-wide back measuring seven inches. It is padded with memory foam which moulds to your back within minutes of putting the saddle on thus reducing pressure and increasing comfort. It also wicks moisture keeping you dry, and it quickly dissipates heat for a cool wear.

The waist belt is tightened with a buckle equipped with a roller to reduce wear and tear as well as to make putting it on easier. Two d-rings with a two-bar design are fixed on either side of the belt. At the back are nylon loops for accessories, and two nylon straps where chrome brass snaps and nickel-plated rings are attached. These can carry your climbing tools and keep them within easy reach. Attachment rings for suspenders are also built in. Additional d-rings at the back of the waist can also carry a ditty bag or medical kit.

Rope-style micro pulleys can be mated with the rope bridge. It also features rubber bumpers. It is connected to a ring that also holds the leg strap, and is adjusted by a strap that is also connected to the same ring on one end, and the waist belt on the other.

The back of the leg straps or loops are four inches wide and, like the waist belt, are also padded with memory foam assuring a comfortable, dry, and cool performance. These are fitted with quick-connect buckles for easy fitting.

The Cougar is available in small size at 30″ – 34″; medium, 34″ – 40″; large, 40″ – 44″; and extra large, 44″ – 48″.

If you are a hard core tree climber and you would like your children to literally follow your footsteps even when you are stepping on air, you might want to start them young. That way they will experience the excitement and pleasure of hanging, standing, or sitting on a tall tree and looking at the world from the point of view of a bird. As all parents must, you will have to provide your children with fail-safe protection –a helmet, safety glasses, gloves, and a safety harness.

The Petzl Simba Full Body Harness for Kids is one of the safety harnesses available in the market. Designed specifically for children 40 kg and below whose hips are as yet undefined, it has an over-the-shoulder pattern. These shoulder straps as well as the leg loops are fully adjustable to fit a wide range of body sizes using four double back buckles. It will fit young fast-growing tree climbers aged 5 to 10. A double tie-point at the chest keeps the child upright in case of a fall.

Since children taking their first outing may not be very familiar with the proper way to wear the harness, you will need to continually check on the little ones. To help you immediately spot if there is a problem with the fitting, the webbing is constructed with a black and a colored side. The colored side should be on the outside, while the black should be inside. Even from a distance you can see if your child has been playing with the harness.

A distinguishing feature of the Arc’Teryx R320 Harness is its ultra-thin waist and legs. Unlike other harnesses, it does not need thick padding to provide comfort while climbing. With its proprietary Warp Strength® Technology, the entire weight of the body is evenly distributed across the entire structure of the harness. This is possible because the belt and legs are closely contoured to the shape of the body.

Four gear loops of injection-molded polyurethane cover webbing loops directly attached to the harness. These allow you to carry all the racks, draws, or other climbing gear you need. These reversible and removable gear loops are flexible even in extreme cold. A haul loop is also included for trailing a second rope.

Wear Safety Markers are included in the thermoformed tie-in points and belay loop. A bright orange appears when the protective ballistic sheath of the structural webbing is worn out. Using the harness in this condition is inadvisable as it could abrade the structure leading to loss of strength. A 7075 T6 aluminum anodized buckle that is self-locking allows adjustments while maintaining a double-back configuration.

The exterior of the Arc’Teryx R320 Harness is made of Schoeller® stretch fabric. This is a lightweight and abrasion-resistant material that allows maximum freedom of movement. The inner part is lined with soft and breathable spacermesh providing comfort and allowing the free flow of air.

A thermoformed waistband fitted with dual-density foam padding makes the Black Diamond Big Gun Climbing Harness a most comfortable and convenient harness. You can hang for hours from a tree branch and not feel any discomfort. At the lumbar region the belt widens to as much as five inches making it look like a bullhorn. This distributes the weight supported by the belt over a wider area. The leg loops are fully adjustable allowing you to wear or remove layers of clothing when climbing in cold weather.

The Big Gun is equipped with seven gear loops that are color-coded to help you classify and organize your climbing gear. Thus, if you need a carabiner or a descending tool quickly, you can easily locate it among the several equipments attached to the gear loops. In addition to these, the harness also features two holster slots and actually comes with a holster for a hammer.

There are two color-coded belay loops that provide separate attachments for ropes, belay devices, and daisy chains. For a secure connection, these are rated at 15 kN. The haul loop also has the same rating of 15 kN.

Climbers, not only of trees but mountains, will always give a premium to safety harness that is lightweight, comfortable, and easy to use. The Mammut Mirage Harness is an attempt to deliver all these.

The structure of the Mammut Mirage consists of Hypalon, a chlorosulfonated polyethylene (CPSE) synthetic rubber manufactured by DuPont Performance Elastomers. This material is stronger than natural rubber and is resistant to most chemicals, oil, and abrasion. It is also unaffected by heat and exposure to the elements. Thus, it can be expected to provide secure support, and to last for long periods.

Rigging with the Mirage is quick and easy with the use of the Slide-Bloc buckle. Mounted on the waist belt, it enables quick adjustments and maintains the double-back configuration. Load on the belt is spread over its entire width by a full-strength edge taping. The leg loops are also adjustable with two thread-back buckles. This means that you can wear layers of clothing when climbing in cold weather. And for a perfect anatomical fit, the leg loops have a trapezoidal design.

Both the waist belt and leg loops are fitted with a soft padding material which provides comfortable wear. A 3-D mesh lining wicks moisture keeping you dry and preventing chafing. On the waist belt are four molded and stiffened gear loops where you can rack your carabiners and other climbing gears.