Silent Slide safety belt...

John-W-WI

Administrator
I saw a sticker on a pickup the other day and wondered what it was, so I looked it up online. Anyone ever heard of them? Used them? Turns out they are located about 45 minutes away from me, have been in business for 30 years. I was very surprised I've never heard of them before:

http://silentslide.com/



-John
 
Looks like a better belt than I use. I don't like the harnesses. I'll give them a call. Thanks for posting John.
 
I don’t like harnesses but if I ever fell I think I’d like one better than a single belt.
 
I stopped using climbers when my bottom piece slipped all the way to the ground, and I was stuck sitting in a tree for hours. I dont hunt public land, and on my own land I have several constructed stands to use, or a blind if I want to try different spots. I am also afraid of heights, so that may be another reason I gave up on them.
 
Death Trap! Full body harness only. In addition to a full body harness you need a strap that allows you to take the stress off your legs to allow blood flow.
 
Google using a rock climbing harness for hunting. You’ll never wear a regular harness again
 
There is a reason that all the tree stand manufacturers have all gone to safety harness. If you still use a safety belt and have a fall you have minutes to get yourself back into stand before you will blackout. Do yourself a favor and upgrade to a harness. The guy that manufactures the Silent Slide Safety Belt is at the Deer Expo in Madison every year. Last year there was no one even stopping at his booth to look at the belt.
 
I have one buried away some place, bought it before the harnesses came into play, it works just like the video and is/was a very good product. I had zero issues with it, its quiet, you can spin around just like the video and it works. But alas I do have a background in fall protection and as stated "if" you get hung in one and cant get back to the sticks, ladder or stand you will likely come to a very unpleasant (painful) end and it will take a bit of time for you to expire. The harnesses are better options period, that's not an opinion but a fact; but in the absence of a harness I guess they are better than nothing - maybe? But your also talking to a guy that does have a bad habit of not using anything at times.

So I will leave it at that - It was a very good product -- if you are inclined to use only a belt, I think you would like it. I just assumed the company went out of business years ago. I find it hard to believe they can still sell them, likely they are calling it a fall restraint versus fall protection.
 
I like it, might have to get one. Harnesses are a huge pain in the backside! I don't wear mine most of the time because it is such a pain. I'd be much more apt to wear this. I personally don't and won't hunt 20-30' up in a tree. 15-17' is plenty for me. This will catch me if I fall then I can quickly release it.
 
Its a good belt and even worked with bulky clothes... If you like belts you will like it.
 
I hunt from a saddle, so I’ve got my safety harness built in!
This looks like a basic rigger’s belt. If it can catch a guy that fell from a plane or helicopter, it will work for me. I use a rigger’s belt some times when prepping trees in the off season.


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Just ordered one. A little pricey for a tree stand safety belt but the one I’ve used for + 20 years is getting a bit frayed and doesn’t have the sliding attachment or quick release. I realize a harness is better but I just don’t want to bother with putting one on and off. I’ve heard reports of people getting hurt with safety belts but personally know of none.
 
I think the biggest safety factor when it comes to belts, harnesses, or saddles is maintaining AS LITTLE slack in the system as possible. The further you fall before the system catches you, the greater the shock load. TMA certified harnesses have ridiculously low shock ratings for a life saving device, and they are only rated for a SINGLE fall event. They literally need to be thrown away if they have caught a fall.

Falls of only 24” on static rope create shock loads as high as 1,600lbs for an average weight “rock climber”. Most of us are not built like a rock climbers, so we can assume closer to 2,000lbs of force in a fall restraint. And remember, your fall is AT LEAST DOUBLE the length of how high above your tie in you are. In the above 24” fall, that is assuming you were only 12” above the tie in. You fall the 12” back down to the tie in, and then you fall the extra 12” of rope you had to have to to get 12” inches above it in the first place. If you had 12” of slack in the system, you fall 36” instead of 24”.

With my saddle or riggers belt, I always maintain tension in my system. That means I don’t ever get a true free fall, but my system more swings me a few inches into the tree instead. The G-force difference between swinging into the tree vs a rope cold stopping a free fall are tremendous.


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