Rock climbing harness in the tree?

[Mwelander]

I am helping a friend put together some basic equipment for securing himself in his pine tree. He has a drone and he wants to get up high and see the drone above the treetops =)

He will have steps mounted on the tree for easy climbing, but for security I'm thinking SRT rope with an Petzel ID. He'll stay on the rope until he's back on the ground.

My question is - is there any reason he shouldn't use a rock climbing harness?

When I climb trees for pruning or removal I have a TreeAustria harness, I've noticed that arborist harnesses are generally much more expensive than rock climbing ones. But he will not be using any cutting equipment, just spending leisure time up in the tree.

 

[Jan_]

I am helping a friend put together some basic equipment for securing himself in his pine tree. He has a drone and he wants to get up high and see the drone above the treetops =)

He will have steps mounted on the tree for easy climbing, but for security I'm thinking SRT rope with an Petzel ID. He'll stay on the rope until he's back on the ground.

My question is - is there any reason he shouldn't use a rock climbing harness?

When I climb trees for pruning or removal I have a TreeAustria harness, I've noticed that arborist harnesses are generally much more expensive than rock climbing ones. But he will not be using any cutting equipment, just spending leisure time up in the tree.

A rock climbing harness is not comfortable while you are hanging in it, and it doesn't offer the flexibility that a tree climbing harness has. Still, it's perfectly fine to use one in a tree, I started out using a cheap and uncomfortable one.

 

[Jonny]

A rock climbing harness is not comfortable while you are hanging in it, and it doesn't offer the flexibility that a tree climbing harness has. Still, it's perfectly fine to use one in a tree, I started out using a cheap and uncomfortable one.

Exactly this.
Nothing dangerous about it, but I’d wager even a cheap butt-strap type saddle would be more comfortable to sit in. Notch has a floating D saddle for around 100$ I think. Buckingham and Weaver make some economy saddles for close to the same price.

 

[Reach]

I see no problem with using a rock harness for position and fall prevention. Note that this is “fall prevention”, and not “fall arrest.” A rock harness is not bad to sit in for short periods, and is not uncomfortable to wear unladen if you have a decent one. They also tend to be far lighter than tree saddles.

 

[Brocky]

The rock climbing harnesses used in wall, aid climbing would be more comfortable than a typical one used more for sport climbing, look for wide pads. I would use any type of rock climbing harness rather than the hip crushing butt strap. He could make a simple board seat to hang on the rope once aloft if needed.

 

[moss]

He'll be so much more comfortable in a New Tribe Basic tree climbing harness. It's low priced and very well made, purpose built for long sit times in tree climbing.
New Tribe Basic
-AJ

 

[climbstihl]

He'll be so much more comfortable in a New Tribe Basic tree climbing harness. It's low priced and very well made, purpose built for long sit times in tree climbing.
New Tribe Basic
-AJ

I don't know about that, I think I would prefer a bigwall harness over that. The legloops look like the strap will dig into your leg through the padding, my old saddle was very similar.
If it had side D's that would maybe be an advantage over a bigwall harness, but there are some that also have that (Petzl Falcon mountain is a cheaper one that comes to mind).
This is all just my opinion from looking at it, I have never seen the NT basic myself or used it.
I do have a singing rock dome harness coming in the mail though...

 

[JeffGu]

...prefer a bigwall harness...

I agree.

Nothing against the NT harnesses... I just didn't find them comfortable, at all. But, comfort in a harness varies wildly between body types, so there's never going to be a "one design perfect for everyone" answer. I like a bigwall harness for a lightweight solution, myself. If you wear it out, cut off any hardware you can use, toss it. Just a C-note to replace it. Not what I use on an all-day removal, but still gets more use than my comfy-but-heavy harness.

 

[Jemco]

Different saddles for different types of pruning's logical.

Just cannibalized a rock climbing saddle to make an extremely lightweight tip pruning saddle with no lanyard, the tiny D's are lighter.

I'm an outlaw about lanyards in general until blocking down trunks.

Was the first time I've climbed without Wesco's n motoX braces in thirty years!

Dropped my climbing weight from 200 lbs to 170!

But my sense of exoskeletal invincibility's greatly reduced as well.

Chainsawin n wreckin trees is considerably different than lacing them out by fine pruning them.

Takes me an hour to put on my super demolition man costume.

That's a fifty dollar surcharge!

Jemco

 

[moss]

I don't know about that, I think I would prefer a bigwall harness over that. The legloops look like the strap will dig into your leg through the padding, my old saddle was very similar.
If it had side D's that would maybe be an advantage over a bigwall harness, but there are some that also have that (Petzl Falcon mountain is a cheaper one that comes to mind).
This is all just my opinion from looking at it, I have never seen the NT basic myself or used it.
I do have a singing rock dome harness coming in the mail though...

NT leg pads are as comfortable as any harness I've owned, the waist belt is less comfortable than typical arb harnesses but the goal is to be more comfortable than a rock harness and it is by a long shot..
-AJ

 

[Winchman]

I've been near the tops of several pines, and I've found the view out horizontally is obscured by the limbs and foliage to quite an extent.

From memory, I'd say the view up is even more obscured. You just can't get high enough safely to get a clear view at a wide angle.

I don't want to discourage a prospective climber, but I doubt being up in a tree is going to make flying a drone much more fun. It's more likely he'll forget all about drones if he starts climbing.

 

[climbstihl]

NT leg pads are as comfortable as any harness I've owned, the waist belt is less comfortable than typical arb harnesses but the goal is to be more comfortable than a rock harness and it is by a long shot..
-AJ

To be clear, it's just the basic saddle that looks like it has uncomfortable leg pads, the expensive new tribes like the Onyx and MB look super comfortable. But I trust you if you say they're comfortable.

 

[moss]

To be clear, it's just the basic saddle that looks like it has uncomfortable leg pads, the expensive new tribes like the Onyx and MB look super comfortable. But I trust you if you say they're comfortable.

NT Basic has very comfortable leg pads. As mentioned the waist belt is less supportive than the Onyx or MB but much more than a rock harness.
-AJ