Tree Gear Equipment

Tree climbers, especially when climbing tall trees with twisting and even inter-woven branches, would definitely welcome a harness giving them freedom of movement and flexibility. This is precisely what the TreeMotion Tree Climbing Saddle provides.

This climbing saddle has an innovative design that took over five years to develop from the drawing board to the trees by a three-man team of tree climbers headed by seven-time ITCC world champion climber Beddes Strasser.

Instead of the usual wide web for the lumbar support, TreeMotion uses a flexible back pad that incorporates several narrow webbed straps that are individually adjustable. This is also true for the leg loops. In addition to being flexible, this multiple webbing design also helps distribute loads over a wider area.

The suspension bridge is user-adjustable as well as versatile. The length may be shortened or extended simply by untying and retying the rope bridge at the desired length. For this reason, it is easy to add to or remove an aluminum ring from the bridge. If you do not want to use an aluminum ring for suspension, you can also attach a swivel to the bridge and connect it with a carabiner. Another alternative is to directly attach a carabiner to the bridge and insert your climbing line into it.

Utility loops for the suspension of gear and tools are included in both the lumbar and leg supports. Their placement is highly customizable according to your preferences. Apart from the fixed chainsaw and first aid kit attachments, you can hang your stuff high or low, or sloping inside or outside anywhere on the harness. Additional lightweight build-it-yourself loops even come with the TreeMotion Tree Climbing Saddle that you can install where you want.

The Ergovation Fall Arrest Y-Harness is a chest harness that is intended for climbers who need fall arrest attachment for the sternum or the upper back. With this harness, the strain on the lower back region is eased. This is because the weight of the saddle is dispersed. Also, some of the tools and other equipment needed by a climber can be transferred from the saddle or sit string harness to the chest harness thus distributing their weight to the upper torso.

When climbers want or need to stay vertical during a climb using a Single Rope Technique or SRT, the Ergovation Y-harness can be very useful. The sternal and dorsal attachments provide exactly that.

The harness is made of a combination of polyester, nylon, Kevlar, and nomex. Its webbing includes over half a centimeter of closed cell foam thus providing comfort and improving hygiene. These are stitched to the webbing to prevent shifting. The D-ring attachment points both at the front and back are made of aluminum to reduce their weight. For easy adjustment of the fit of the webbing, Y2 friction buckles are included.

The Ergovation Y-Harness is compatible with all Ergovation sit harnesses manufactured after May 2009 though not with those from earlier dates. Connecting the two is accomplished in either of two ways. These are the web and carabiner attachment methods. In the former method, the webbing of the dorsal adjustment strap of the Y-Harness is slid through the rear buckle of the sit harness. In the carabiner method, on the other hand, a carabiner is inserted through a web loop in the sit harness and then attached to the Y-harness.

The Quartz CR3 is an all-around climbing harness that can be used for rock climbing, general mountaineering, alpinism, and tree climbing.

It is constructed of a 3-D honeycomb mesh. This is enveloped with an EVA perforated foam that is 4 mm thick. The foam is attached to the mesh with a minimum of internal stitching.

On the waist belt, the foam padding folds over the top, providing extra comfort around your abdomen, hips, and back. Its Sliding Waist Belt System allows the padding to slide along the honeycomb mesh. This makes it easy to center the padding and the tie-in point.

On the leg loops, the entire surface of the padding absorbs the force of your weight, thus eliminating pressure points. This is made possible by the Edge-Load Construction of the loops.

Both the waist belt and leg loops feature patented Sicura buckles. These allow the stripping of the harness without having to remove your boots or skis. The leg loop buckles also allow full adjustment to accommodate different layers.

At the front of the harness is a No Twist belay loop that keeps you belays, descenders, or rappel devices in their proper position. There are also four gear loops where you can attach carabiners, cams, quick draws, or nuts for easy access. At the back is a rear haul loop that is rated at 12kN.

Regardless of whether you use traditional or single rope climbing styles, the Petzl Sequoia SRT Arborist Saddle is a safe and comfortable harness.

Safety is assured by the wide waist belt of the Sequoia. The leg straps are also wide. Together, these guarantee solid support and convenience while hanging from a tree even for extended periods. Excellent support comes from the stiffeners that are incorporated in the twin web construction of the waist belt. A perforated padding and mesh fabric, also in the web of the belt, provide a soft and smooth feel and breathability. The front portion of the belt narrows to eliminate the possibility of constraining the lower ribs.

Waist connection points are included if front of the harness, while a connection point for a shoulder strap is at the back. A descent control or a belay device can also be connected to the waist connection point. On the other hand, the shoulder strap connection point can accommodate a chest ascender assembly.

Positioning rings are gated allowing the quick change of suspension bridges, insertion of swivels, and adjustment of the triangulation of these rings. Buckles at the waist belt and leg straps that connect quickly are guaranteed to provide a secure clasp.

There are also plenty of tool attachment points included in the waist belt. There are gear loops, plastic rings, webbing slots, and tool holders.

Climbing harnesses should fit, otherwise they become uncomfortable to wear. They should perform their primary function of supporting and keeping a climber safe at all times. And they should include features that make climbing more efficient. The Singing Rock Balance II Climbing Harness is an attempt to balance these demands and it does seem to have done a good job of it.

You can fix the waist belt strap’s free end according to your waist size with a minimum movement of the padding using the slotted adjustment system. Leg loops are also adjustable allowing the use of additional layers of clothing for cold weather climbing. Rock and Lock buckles that are pre-threaded both at the waist and leg loops allow quick adjustment. Both are also padded with thick breathable foam for increased comfort.

The wide front belay loop is colored red orange to make it more visible and to catch your concentration when tying in. It has been strengthened for increased durability. Tie-in points are likewise reinforced.

The Singing Rock Balance II features four gear loops for the storage of racks, carabiners, or draws. It also has a haul loop at the rear for haul line attachment.

This harness is available only in a black and orange combination. It weighs 480 grams and fits waists sized from 27.5 inches for small up to 37.5 for large sizes.

Your tree-climbing need not be limited to spring and summer. You can still enjoy your sport even in the colder months. You will, however, have to don additional layers of clothing to keep you warm. The easily adjustable leg loops of the Black Diamond Momentum AL harness will help you find the perfect fit regardless of how many layers you add.

The Momentum features a unique bullhorn waist belt that is made of dual density closed-cell foam. This padding ensures comfort even while hanging at awkward angles. To ensure breathability, it is lined with the proprietary BD-Lux. The waist belt is anatomically contoured and, along with the Y-shaped adjustable leg loops, allows unrestricted movement. A full-strength haul loop rated at 15kN is at the back of the belt where you can attach a trail rope.

Also attached to the waist belt are four pressure-molded gear loops. This allows you to carry a huge number of draws, cam, carabiners, or other gear that you can use while getting to the top of the tree.

A harness that took almost ten years to make can be assumed to have undergone extensive and exhaustive testing and trial runs. This is true with the Metolius Safe Tech All-Around Harness. The end product is claimed to be one of the safest and most comfortable harnesses available.

The Safe Tech features the patented 3-D buckle system. This system increases the adjustability of the harness’s components, particularly the riser length or the distance between the leg loops and the waist belt, as well as the size of the leg. With this adjustment, you can fine tune the gear’s fit to your specifications.

All components are ergonomically shaped leading to more freedom of movement. The waistband is wide enough to offer excellent support and, with the Safe Tech Buckle, carry a force of 10 kilonewtons even if the buckle is not double-passed. The leg risers, Spectra gear loops that are attached along the length of the waistband, and the front belay loop are also capable of supporting loads of up to 10 kilonewtons. The rear haul loop is even stronger easily taking in a force of 16 kilonewtons. The tough tie-in points are non-directional. This means that their strength is maintained even if the ropes are incorrectly routed. The outer layer of the Safe Tech Harness is made of polyester.

For comfort, the waistband and the leg loops are all padded. And as an added safety feature, the pattern of the webbing of the waist belt changes when it is correctly double-passed, otherwise, it displays the word “DANGER”.

The Metolius Safe Tech All-Around Harness is available in small, medium, large, and extra large. Waist sizes range from 28 to 42.5 inches, while leg loops start at 18 up to 31 inches.

The EKN Kolibri Multi Slide Harness is designed and manufactured by Skylotec GmbH, a German company that has been making and selling safety belts and harnesses since 1948. The Kolibri is intended especially for tree conservation work. Its design is distinctively “Euro-Style”.

The harness has a very low center of gravity, which minimizes the possibility of turning upside down while hanging from a tree branch. This also provides excellent weight distribution as well as balance. It features a patented 3D sliding technology that provides great freedom of movement, allowing a turning radius of as much as 180°.

A D-ring slides along a support bridge that is replaceable. The bridge can pivot up and down allowing you to adjust the angle of your approach to the line. The leg support and straps also pivot to follow the natural movements of your legs. Thick padding keeps the rigid thigh braces comfortable.

A wide back pad provides superior lower back support. It also has plenty of built-in attachment points. Since it is itself lightweight, you can carry more accessories with you.

The Black Widow Saddle, manufactured by Buckingham Manufacturing Company, Inc., of Binghamton, New York, is one of the company’s hottest products for arborists. It is designed for those who have to work for long periods suspended from a tree branch.

The Black Widow is a lightweight harness, weighing in at only 3 pounds and 14 ounces. Thus, it is a comfort to wear and you never feel weighted down by it. In spite of this, however, it is tough, rugged, and can take punishment.

Its back pad includes soft cushioning protecting your lower back. The leg straps are also padded. They are wide enough helping reduce pain in the upper leg area. They are sewn in a fixed position to keep them in place.

For its waist strap buckle, Black Widow uses Buckingham’s patented Quick Connect. This virtually eliminates any interference in your abdomen when bending. And, as its name implies, it is also easily fastened and adjusted to its proper position. It also features two loops and rings for hooking up accessories you want or need to bring along during your climb. A heavy-duty suspension bridge at the front of the harness allows maximum lateral movement. It is made of three layers of Spectra web, giving it extra durability and strength.

The features most often desired in a harness are safety, strength, freedom of movement, and comfort. Safety Technology Ltd., a company based in Wales, claims that its TreeFlex Safety Harness provides all of these.

The harness is ergonomically designed to allow the maximum range of motion possible. You can sit, stand, lean forwards or backwards, and even twist yourself in the TreeFlex and not feel any restrictions.

The back pad follows the contours of the pelvic girdle leading to the distribution of weight over the sacrum. This results to more flexibility and also lessens potential injury to the lower spine. The sacrum pad itself is raised for more comfort and stability. The anatomically designed leg loops are independently articulated which allows the maximum range of leg movement. The Hexafoam padding provides further comfort.

At the front of the harness is a sliding bridge that facilitates movement along a tree branch, although you may opt for a fixed bridge. You can also carry up to four carabiners on the bridge.

Waist adjustments for centralizing and securing the harness are simple and secure with the use of color-coded straps. The chest ascender center attachment is also easily centralized with easy grip and pull friction buckles.

Slots have also been incorporated in the webbing where you can attach first aid kit pouches, carabiners, and other accessories.