Saddles & Harnesses

Picking the Right Tree Climbing Gear Makes a Difference

You're going to spend a lot of time in your tree climbing harness (often called a saddle) so you should be careful to get one that's right for you. Basic cotton or leather tree climbing harnesses have been the workhorse saddles in the industry for decades and are good for tight budgets. More advanced saddles incorporate features like heat-molded padding and adjustable buckles for increased comfort for long days in the tree. A step up from 4-Dee harnesses, a saddle with a rope bridge, or webbing bridge, will allow for greater freedom of movement in the tree, allowing you to pivot your body as your connection slides along the bridge. Gear storage is another important thing to consider when shopping for a saddle. Gear loops and webbing tunnels for gear carabiners like the Petzl Caritool, Rock Exotica Transporter, or the DMM Vault can make work in the tree much more organized and convenient

We offer a number of fall-arrest harnesses, including one-piece harnesses or traditional work positioning harnesses with rated connections for an add-on shoulder harness. Be sure that your full body or shoulder harness has a dorsal connection rated for fall arrest - some shoulder harnesses are only intended as suspenders to help with the weight of a harness fully loaded with gear and a chainsaw.

Do you climb SRT? Grab a shoulder harness add-on or a chest harness to help tend your climbing system.

What's the Difference Between Tree Climbing Harnesses and a Rock Climbing Harnesses?

You might see that some of the most popular tree climbing harnesses are made by brands that also offer rock climbing harnesses. The two should not be used interchangeably. Just like with arborist rope, tree climbing saddles differ from those meant for rock climbing. A tree care seat/harness is meant to keep you comfortable for hours on end. Rock climbing saddles are designed to take impacts and falls, and they don't provide all of the attachment points that tree climbing saddles do. Even the most well-designed rock climbing harness won't allow for the comfort that the tree climbing counterpart will, and hard work requires comfort on the job!