Kids in a Saddle/Full Body Harness?

Climber429

Climber429

New member
Location
NY
Who dangles their kids in the trees??

Gonna attempt to start my son rec climbing with me starting next spring/summer. A quick search of saddles / body harnesses on different sites seem to turn up with an 80lb or less rating.

My son is almost 7 years old, 85lbs (and counting / need to get him exercising) & tall. I can get his hip measurements next time he's over if needed and i've got all winter to find something but was hoping maybe find something for xmas or fit him when the time comes.

I would prefer a full body harness so belay is possible, with room to adjust as he grows. Safety absolutely first with my boy! Anyone have any recommendations? Other tips? I would assume one wouldn't just go with a small adult harness over 80lbs, would they?

Appreciate any help or suggestions!

~Climber429
 
New Tribe makes great kids stuff, not full body. edelrid has an inexpensive one. none of those are full body. I have had my son and daughter climbing since they were each four. started full body, but at seven I would think your boy would be ready for a tree harness. I have never really bothered with belaying them. but I do climb along with them a lot. the important bit is that they understand how the hitch works. help them with ascent, then walk them thru working the hitch to come down. that is my method. now my near nine year old boy can head up a tree on a doubled rope system solo. and he even does a little bit of srt here and there.
 
I guess i would go for a saddle if possible, maybe i'm just being overly cautious. At first thought i wanted to make sure i had as many safety back-ups as i could in case he froze-up or freaked out as he's never climbed before. But i'd really start him low & slow.

I suppose i'll have to measure him up first, then i'll definitely checkout NT to see what they offer. Am i going about it wrong by looking at the normal arborist supply sites? As i said, most show up to 80lbs only, there has to be saddles between 80lbs & small adult mens. He's pretty stocky and doesnt get much exercise during the school week at home with his mother so i figured getting him climbing would be a fun way for him to get into better shape (myself too).
 
Guess i should have shopped around more prior to posting. I'm a TreeStuff guy except for RopeBoss line bags through Sherrill. I appreciated the advice, i'll search more for New Tribe & see what i can come up with.

Thanks bud,

~Climber429
 
My 8 year old daughter started climbing in a sequoia harness with the two gold rings closed together by a maillon. This worked ok but I eventually bought her this kids rock harness because I feared she might slip out of she inverted. http://fernooutlet.com.au/102-kids-climbing-sit-harness/
It has no side D rings, only the front attachment, but it's a nice fit and she loves it. My four year old son gets into that one now too. I'll belay him from the ground, he has no fear

You do want to install your own line first, I've had to go up and rescue a couple of times from jelly legs, it does happen definitely
 
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DdRT with a hitch climber works really well for kids, if you make sure they know not to put their fingers in the pulley. When I was teaching them, I would stand below them holding the fall of their rope. I can help them advance and most importantly keep them from locking up on the decent and pulling too much on the hitch and free falling. Now they have it pretty well figured out. I have a Petzl Macchu...'cause my son is obsessed with orange. And I have a Edelrid Fraggle II. Both are nice and work well, but I kind of wish I had invested in a harness with side Ds so I could get them using a lanyard and all.
 
I use old cars seat straps and buckles for a chest harness connected to our new tribe twist. It helps the younger ones stay in the saddle if they let go of the system. Not technically life support, but it works.
 
My seven year old climbs with a modified rock climbing harness. I made some leg pads that Velcro onto the existing straps. She can sit in it for ages comfortably with her legs and bum supported, no chance of her falling out due to the tight fit of the rock harness. My only dilemma is trying to get her out of the tree!! She's quite happy to sit up there swinging in the breeze. .....
 
John_KAYS said:
DdRT with a hitch climber works really well for kids, if you make sure they know not to put their fingers in the pulley. When I was teaching them, I would stand below them holding the fall of their rope. I can help them advance and most importantly keep them from locking up on the decent and pulling too much on the hitch and free falling. Now they have it pretty well figured out. I have a Petzl Macchu...'cause my son is obsessed with orange. And I have a Edelrid Fraggle II. Both are nice and work well, but I kind of wish I had invested in a harness with side Ds so I could get them using a lanyard and all.
Click to expand...
The lack of side ds kills me too.
 
adam.todd.904 said:
My seven year old climbs with a modified rock climbing harness. I made some leg pads that Velcro onto the existing straps. She can sit in it for ages comfortably with her legs and bum supported, no chance of her falling out due to the tight fit of the rock harness. My only dilemma is trying to get her out of the tree!! She's quite happy to sit up there swinging in the breeze. .....
Click to expand...

Any chance of a pic of the saddle and the leg pads? I'm thinking of a kids saddle for Christmas and this might be a goer, but I'm not sure how you did this. I'm reasonably handy and think I could make something.

My kids use a rock harness, but complain when sitting. The older ones can climb for a longer time and need to sit. I tried it and my legs were about cut off. A kids saddle is expensive to import down this way.
 
WaitakKauri said:
Any chance of a pic of the saddle and the leg pads? I'm thinking of a kids saddle for Christmas and this might be a goer, but I'm not sure how you did this. I'm reasonably handy and think I could make something.

My kids use a rock harness, but complain when sitting. The older ones can climb for a longer time and need to sit. I tried it and my legs were about cut off. A kids saddle is expensive to import down this way.
Click to expand...
I've thought about it too, my Arb-mart has the tree motion pads, $50 for the back one and $50 for the pair of leg ones. They'd make a great mod to any kids rock harness. But I've found a 25kg child needs the padding a lot less than their fat old dads you know..
 
Humm, might have to check out replacement leg pads. My oldest is getting small adult size so I've gotta sort something.

I'm keen to see what Adam has constructed, but I only just posted that.

Climber429... Great thread. I'm climbing with the kids. DdRT with a hitch climber seems to work well. Self tends with a prusik foot loop.
 
Sorry for the photos they aren't the best hence in not a photographer.
I used my wife's yoga mate ( she's still not sure what happened to it lol) and cut out the basic shape similar to new tribes kids saddle, I then covered and reinforced with webbing, added Velcro strips to hold it in place. Stitched webbing buckles to the back of the harness evenly spaced to support the rear end and low and behold it worked.
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Not the greatest shot of us but you should get the idea, the walnut tree is small but great for practicing my double lanyard and re-pitching to other limbs. Still trying to find a knot that is not too bulky to use with the hitch climber pulley as I don't have a tight eye on my rope, I have been using the anchor knot but still affects the hitch when the ropes are crossed. Figure 8 is too big for trying to re-pitch the rope, the "O" rig works a treat but I don't like retrying knots while up in the tree that often. Anyway, sorry about that I got sidetracked.
If your down Rotorua way drop in for a brew.
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I hope they help otherwise I will try and help out in any way I can.
By the way the courier fee from NewTribe was worth it, I bought the NewTribe tree fox a couple of years ago. If Isobel takes more of an interest then I will save and import her a proper saddle from NewTribe.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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adam.todd.904 said:
Sorry for the photos they aren't the best hence in not a photographer.
I used my wife's yoga.....
Click to expand...

Adam, that is awesome! I'm going to have a go at this. I climb a NewTribe Onyx so I'll have a good look at that too. I can see now what you've done. Thanks so much for posting.

I picked up a short rope/long lanyard for the kids, just 13m with a sewn eye. That's pretty good for small stuff in the yard. For bigger climbs we've just started, I have to put a figure8 on to clear the hitch. I don't like that as much as it doesn't cinch, but it goess well.

I'll have to look you up for a climb. I come down to rotovegas to mtn bike, and have been eying up possible rec climbs.
cheers mate
 
We called work off for rain this morning, and it stopped barely after I would have left. Normally I would pace the floor and drive my wife nuts, or we would drive to town, but she's due any day so that was out. So I finally got to set up a controlled zip line for the kids, something I've wanted to do for some time. They're 4, 3, and 20 months, necessitating the control line. I was so excited to send them all down. The youngest went slow with Momma spotting her, but she still got to ride. The bad part- I left my phone at the house, so no pictures this time.
 
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