Keeping you safe and comfortable is the name of the game when hunting from a treestand. Come along as we explore some of the treestand gear bowhunters in the know will be using in 2016.
Hunter Safety System
Hunter Safety Systems (www.hssvest.com) can be largely credited with bringing tree-stand safety to the forefront of bowhunter consciousness. The company’s four-point safety harnesses quickly became an industry benchmark. They are straight forward and easy to put on, verses the tangled messes often presented by freebee harnesses most often accompanying new tree-stand purchases. They are quite comfortable, streamlined designs with padded/contoured shoulder and leg straps that come to feel like an added layer of clothing instead of a restricting system that hinders free range of motion and interferes with clean bow shots. Bowhunters can also choose from deluxe models including convenient pockets to help store common hunting gear, or more Spartan versions for those who live by the KISS approach. There are also models designed for the unique physiques of the female bowhunter. Despite model, they are carefully designed to keep you upright, reduce kinetic shock and minimize restriction of circulation in the event of a fall.
The newest addition to the HSS lineup is especially designed for the growing segment of bowhunters who shoot crossbows. The new HSS Crossbow Harness (MSRP $129.99) answers the unique challenges of crossbow hunting in an affordable and comfortable model. The harness is equipped with a special Tether Stow Strap that safely secures the harness tether while cocking the weapon from an elevated position, eliminating potential tangling with the crossbow or scope. A deep, zippered pocket is specially designed to accommodate a crossbow cocking rope, eliminating the need to stash it in a daypack where it can become tangled or lost amongst other gear. A Range Finder Rip Cord keeps your rangefinder handy yet out of the way, making it impossible to drop it accidently. Designed around the popular Hybrid Flex chassis, the Crossbow Harness includes identical 1.25-inch upper-body webbing, shock-absorbing tether and waist buckle. Individual, padded hexagonal shoulder straps provide maximum comfort and flexibility, multiple pockets keeping gear organized and handy, including a secure mesh pocket designed specifically for cell phones. The Crossbow Harness is covered in Realtree Xtra camouflage and comes with lineman’s climbing strap, adjustable tree anchor, suspension-relief/drag strap and instructions. The harness weighs 2.5 pounds and meets or exceeds all TMA standards. It will appear in retail outlets in the spring of 2016.
Now, the best harness in the business does you little good if you fall before clipping in while climbing into or after unclipping while exiting your stand—as I discovered the hard way this past fall. Enter the LifeLine (MSRP $39.95, $99.95 3-pack), improved to include a rubber Recon Carabineer Cow Bell Cover to eliminate clicks and clanks on gear or stands while maneuvering into your favorite stand. Eighty-six percent of tree-stand accidents occur while climbing in and out of stands. The LifeLine can bring those numbers closer to zero. The LifeLine, made of heavy-duty mountain-climbing rope (now with woven-in reflective strip to help locate stand sites in the dark with use of a flashlight), is attached to the tree base and above your stand, your harness clipped in at the base of the tree, a simple Prussic knot slid freely along the rope while coming and going. Should you fall along any inch of your ascent or descent the Prussic knot cinches down and instantly catches you. Thirty- and 42-foot versions are offered, the carabineer and rope rated to 3,500 pounds. The LifeLine is just one more step toward 110-percent tree-stand safety.
Gorilla Gear
Nothing really new to report at Gorilla Gear (www.gogorillagear.com) this year, but if G-TAC AIR
Harnesses have somehow escaped your attention you really owe it to yourself to take a closer look. G-TAC Harnesses (MSRP $89.99 black, women, youth; $99.99 camouflage) prove some of the most comfortable around, while the 30-inch proprietary tether allows you to react to shots 360-degree around your stand, without being brought up short by a shorter tether. This special tether also provides 40 percent less shock in the event of a fall due to a unique tether webbing system. There is also a patented Integrated Suspension Relief System not found on other harnesses. G-TAC AIR Harnesses weigh only 2.6 pounds with included hardware, the tapered comfort-strap system and ergonomic design creating maximum comfort while walking or sitting, without sacrificing safety. They are offered in black and camouflage versions, and special cuts tailored just for women.
Hawk
Hawk (www.hawkhunting.com) has emerged as a company offering innovative products to make the tree-stand hunting experience safer and more convenient. The Sportsman’s Toolbox is one such development. The Toolbox is an organizing tray that easily attaches to most stands, stand seats, ladder rails or pop-up blind support struts with Quik-Twist Rubber Ties. The handy gear tray is equipped with four dividers that can be adjusted to hold binoculars, rangefinders, game calls, wind checker, gloves, release, ammo, cell phones, drink mugs and other essential tree-stand-hunting gear. Screw holes and ratchet-strap slots are also provided, allowing the Toolbox to be attached to hard-side blinds or to the tree itself, keeping gear handy but out of the way.
The Hookster 360 SilentGrip is also made for gear organization, a silent, non-slip hook 
attaching to nearly anything with the use of an industrial-strength GearTie Technology “twisty” connector, eliminating the need to screw a lag bolt into a hard tree trunk. It makes the perfect weapon or daypack hanger.
For the hardcore crossbow hunter Hawk offers the MEGA Xtendible Crossbow Tree Arm. The telescoping Tree Arm packs down tightly but can be extended to lengths between 11 and 25 inches to position your crossbow perfectly and make it available for instant response to game appearances. This version is designed to be stronger and hold today’s popular crossbow models. The Pivoting Dual Silent-Grip Hook is designed to securely hold crossbows by the foot stirrup and keep hands free while sitting. Ultra-sharp AugerTip threads make instillation fast and easy for years to come, Anti-Spin TreeCam locking the arm into place for rock-solid performance.
Summit Treestands Pro Harness
Summit calls their new Pro and Sport Safety Harnesses (MSRP $99.99 and $69.99, respectively)
the “Smartest life insurance you can get.” Summit is no Johnny-come-lately to the safety-harness trade. Their Seat-O-The-Pants harnesses are one of the originals in the industry. The newest versions meet industry standards recognized by the Treestand Manufacturer’s Association to assure you remain safe while waiting for that big buck. Both the Pro and Sport Harness lines have been engineered for utmost safety and a high degree of comfort. Both the Pro and Sport harnesses feature a high-performance tether, quick-release buckles, padded shoulder straps and come with a line-man’s climbing belt. Each line also includes a Women’s Pro and Women’s Sport version to cater to the fit of women bowhunters. All includes a maximum weight rating of 300 pounds, the Pro Harness line including a bungee tether line and a military-inspired “Molly” attachment system for complete accessory customization.
www.summitstands.com
