Best Tree Stand Harnesses in 2024

Are you looking for the best hunting harness to use with your tree stand?

Well you've come to the right place!

We have all of the top tree stand harnesses tested, rated and reviewed by real hunters!

Tree stands give you the advantage of having increased visibility, allowing you to take a safe shot at your target. The platform also puts you fifteen to twenty feet in the air, where game animals won't detect you as quickly.

Despite the benefits of tree stands, hunting safety is of the utmost importance, so hunting safety harnesses become a crucial part of your hunting gear.

Unfortunately, not all harnesses are equal. We have tested and rated all of the top tree stand harnesses below.

Our Top Picks

Best Tree Stand Harnesses At A Glance

Why Should You Trust Us?

We are a team made up of real hunters. We are outdoor writers, contributors, field testers and pro staff that use these hunting safety harnesses all the time and then rate and review them based on our findings.

Below you will find our top picks for the best tree stand harness along with links to the best prices that you will find on the internet. 

Best Tree Stand Harnesses: Reviews And Recommendations

Best For Bow Hunting: Hunter Safety System Ultra-Lite

The Hunter Safety System Ultra-Lite offers a harness that hunters can wear during any season. It's one of the most popular models available, particularly among bowhunters.

The harness consists of compact material that creates exceptional durability and strength without sacrificing flexibility. The lightweight harness weighs in at just under 2 pounds. You do not need to worry about a bulky design with the Hunter Safety System Ultra-Lite, so you can wear it over other hunting gear without feeling restricted or uncomfortable.

The Hunter Safety System Ultra-Lite doesn't have unnecessary loose straps or excessive buckles. It's a reasonably barebones tree stand harness with careful engineering.

Some of its other features include:

• Combination deer drag/suspension relief strap
• Primary tree strap
• Instruction manual
  
  

If we had to choose one tree stand harness to use all the time, it would be the Ultra-Lite.

Here's a video showing the features of the HSS X-1 Bowhunter.

Best Rated: Summit Treestands Pro Safety Harness

Summit is known for making the best climbing tree stands, but they also make one of the best tree stand safety harnesses available today.

This high-performance harness has much to offer a seasoned hunter. The Summit Pro Harness comes in three sizes (small, medium, and large) with a weight capacity of 300 pounds.

It features a military-inspired design with the MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) webbing attachment system for hunters to customize their accessory load.

Other standout features of the Pro Harness include:

• Padded shoulder straps
• 8 ft. lineman's rope with a prussic knot
• Quick-lock buckles

This full-body harness is safe and easy to wear. Its design allows for quiet use, including the ultra-quiet prussic knot and rubberized quick-lock buckles, so you won't have to worry about making unnecessary noise while in your tree stand. It also passes the Treestand Manufacturers Association's (TMA) standards for quality and safety.

Many hunters find this tree stand harness incredibly useful, thanks to the lightweight material and easily adjustable straps. With its comfortable chest adjustment strap, you can expect to move around freely while wearing the tree stand harness over or under your hunting garments.

Here's a video showing the features of the Summit Pro Harness.

Best For Big Guys: Hunter Safety System Hybrid Flex Safety Harness

Another excellent tree stand harness option from Hunter Safety System is the Hybrid Flex. It has a more streamlined look than other harness models, but it offers superior safety, and it is available up to 3X for big guys.

One reason why this harness remains popular among hunters stems from its comfort. All of the upper straps have webbing and padding within the flexible material. When a shoulder strap allows for a wide range of motion, you can draw your bow more effectively.

The Hunter Safety System Hybrid Flex offers a comfort level so high that the harness itself is shock absorbing. Even if you fall, the tug from the abrupt stop in descent is less likely to produce discomfort or injury.

Besides comfort and flexibility, you can expect the following features with this Hunter Safety System device:

• Super lightweight
• Primary tree strap
• Combination deer drag/suspension relief strap
• Pocket for cell phone
• ElimiShield Hunt Scent Control Technology 
• Patented HSS design eliminates dangerous dangling straps and weave-through buckles
  
  

The HSS Hybrid Flex is perfect for the hunter that wants the minimum from a tree stand harness in terms of weight and intrusiveness.

Check out the video below for more information on the HSS Hybrid Flex.

Best Lightweight Tree Stand Harness: Muddy The Safeguard Harness

Look to Muddy The Safeguard for an affordable and reliable harness that offers exceptional comfort and ease of movement. It's incredibly lightweight at only 1.9 pounds. but durable enough to hold 300 pounds.

RELATED: Lightest Hang On Tree Stand

One great attribute of this harness includes its non-restrictiveness compared to other full-body tree stand harnesses. Its leg straps won't restrict blood flow so that you can remain in your stand all day without discomfort.

Other notable features are:

• Integrated straps for hunting accessories like rangefinders and binoculars
• Flexible Tether for 360° Movement
• Lineman's climbing rope
• Suspension relief strap
• Binocular strap

Here's an awesome video that shows you all of the features of The Safeguard Harness from Muddy.

Best Cheap Harness: Muddy Magnum Elite Safety Harness

A quality tree stand harness doesn't have to be expensive to offer exceptional protection in a tree stand. The Muddy Magnum Elite Harness rates as one of the most affordable options available while also providing a wide range of features, such as:

• Padded waist and shoulder straps
• High-performance tether strap
• Adjustable chest straps
• Quick-release metal buckles for leg straps

The Muddy Magnum harness weighs 2 pounds. and has a weight rating of 300 pounds. It consists of highly durable yet lightweight nylon with fiber padding and mesh for maximum breathability and comfort.

While a stripped-down tree stand harness, it still allows hunters to maneuver unrestricted on the ground or in a tree.

All of the buckles have a quick-release feature. Though it doesn't come with a carabiner for the tether, the Muddy Magnum Elite remains an excellent option for anyone seeking a simple but effective tree stand harness.

If you are looking for an affordable treestand harness that gets the job done, then the Muddy Magnum Elite harness is for you.

Best For Women: Hunter Safety System Lady Hybrid With ElimiShield Scent Control

Hunter Safety System also has a high-quality harness for women. The Lady Hybrid Tree Stand Harness includes everything a woman needs to hunt game from a tree, including:

• A cell phone pocket
• Dual bino clips
• USB charging port for battery packs (not included)

This Hunter Safety System device also has an adjustable tree strap along with a lineman's climbing strap. Though the climbing strap is not the best, it gets the job done without requiring a carabiner for tethering to the tree.

Like the Hunter Safety System Pro-Series harness, the Lady Hybrid variety includes ElimiShield scent technology within the fabric.

Simply wearing the lightweight hunting harness with upper-body webbing is enough to block human odor from animals.

When you look at all of the features of the Lady Hybrid, it is easy to see why it is our pick for best treestand harness for women.

Runner Up - Best For Women: Hunter Safety System Contour

Consider the Hunter Safety Systems Contour as another favorite harness for women. This harness looks more like a vest designed with curves to fit a woman's physique. It's stylish and functional, making it our runner-up for the best women's hunting harness.

The vest includes the brand's trademarked Right-Fit stretch panels to maximize comfort and range of motion. The panels have a turquoise trim to prevent women from mixing their harnesses with their male partners' devices. It includes two zippered pockets with lining for storage and hand-warming pockets for cold weather hunting.

On this harness' upper webbing on the back, you'll find a shock-absorbing tether and a waist buckle in the front. The signature Hunter Safety System design eliminates potentially dangerous dangling straps with weave-through buckles.

Other notable features of the Contour harness include:

• Scent control
• Primary tree strap
• Combination deer drag/suspension relief strap
  
  

Here's an awesome video showing the features of the HSS Contour.

Best For Kids: Hunter Safety System Lil' Tree Stalker

Many consider young hunters especially vulnerable to tree stand accidents, but the Hunter Safety System Lil' Tree Stalker harness does an excellent job of preventing severe injury from falls while hunting.

It's suitable for children weighing between 50 to 100 pounds. Like the adult versions of Hunter Safety System harnesses, the Lil' Tree Stalker has exceptional safety designs with solid attention to detail for keeping young hunters safe on high platforms.

This lightweight harness weighs only 1.5 pounds. Yet, it fits snuggly over bulky clothing, so it's ideal for wearing with jackets or coats.

However, it's fully adjustable. Children will remain comfortable and secure no matter when they participate in a hunt.

With this device, dangling straps do not cause a safety issue as the design includes weave-through buckles.

A child could move about easily with stealth. They'll also have access to all their gear, thanks to the two front pockets.

If you hunt with your kids out of a 2 man ladder stand, you need this harness.

Here's a great video showing you the features of the HSS Lil' Tree Stalker

Start your kids off right when they are a beginner bow hunter getting them this harness and making sure that they wear it.

How To Use Your Tree Stand Harness Safely

When tree stand hunting, whether from a hang on, climbing stand or ladder tree stand, adhering to the best safety harness practices stands as the only way to ensure that you have a successful and injury-free hunting experience. Even on a secure tree stand platform, safety becomes crucial because you're still 15 to 25 feet in the air, leaving you vulnerable to serious injuries if you fall.

You should wear your harness anytime that your feet leave the ground, even when you are setting up your climbing sticks.

RELATED: How To Hang A Hang On Tree Stand

Purchasing a proper hunting safety harness and correctly wearing it can help prevent crippling falls so that you can enjoy bow hunting or any other wilderness expedition you like.

Ideally, you should always wear a full-body harness anytime you go up a tree and remain connected to either the tree or a lifeline with a tree tether until you put your feet back on the ground.

A lifeline, also called a safe line, is an extension of rope tied to the top and bottom of a tree. By attaching the tether to the harness below the neck with the lifeline using a carabiner, you can safely move along the rope. With correct usage, the harness and tether system will keep you connected between your tree stand and the ground below to prevent you from falling more than 18 inches.

The lifeline has a prusik knot to allow you to move up and down the tree with ease. 

However, if you descend too fast, the prusik knot will tighten and stop your movement.

Here's a great video showing the proper way to use a lifeline with your harness.

How To Wear a Tree Stand Harness 

The first step in using tree stand harnesses includes learning how to put them on properly, which you should do before heading to the hunting grounds.

Begin by pulling the shoulder straps over your shoulders. Depending on the type of harness you have, you may need to buckle either a chest strap or waist strap.

When the upper portions of the harness feel secure, take the leg straps and fasten them around both thighs with the leg buckles. Take a moment to adjust all straps to ensure that they fit snuggly yet comfortably.

After you have your harness securely fastened to your body, attach it to the tree. To do so, wrap the tree tether around the tree’s trunk. Next, you should loop the strap's loose end through your tether according to your safety harness' instructions.

You'll know your tether has the proper attachment if the rope has about eight inches of slack when you stand on the ground. With that amount of give, the rope should be slightly taut while you're in your tree stand.

What To Do If You Fall 

Even when taking the best precautions, tree stand accidents can still occur. Wearing full-body safety harnesses during every hunting trip can prevent major injuries.

Tree stand falls do happen. If you fall from your platform, the harness and its tree tether will prevent you from hitting the ground. If an incident occurs, you have two options to prevent pressure from building in your legs from the harness. Get back to your tree stand or descend to the ground.

The first thing that you should do is get out your suspension relief strap and attach it to the loops on the side of your harness. Adjust the suspension strap so that you can stand on the it and take the pressure off of your legs straps.

The force from the tether and prussic knot stopping your fall could leave you with bruises, but you should generally be okay, if not a little frightened.

Still, you must act quickly because the straps from the harness could cause further injury if you don't adjust your body correctly after a fall. If you dangle in mid-air for too long, the straps can prevent blood from circulating through your legs.

Remember these tips for what to do if you fall from your stand:

1. Stay calm and pull out your suspension relief strap.
2. Attach the loose end of the strap to the loops on your harness and move into a standing position to relieve pressure on your legs.
3. Use your cellphone to call for help. Be sure to describe your exact location and if you have injuries. Let them know to send help if you do not call them back within five minutes.
4. If hunting with others nearby, have a whistle on hand to signal your team for assistance

Depending on the location of your tree stand and where you fall, you may be within reach of branches, tree steps, or nothing at all. Consider these steps you can use to reach your platform:

• If you fall within reachable climbing steps, reach for the lowest step and stand on it. Continue moving up until you get to your treestand.
• If you have nothing to grab onto, you can include a screw-in tree step from your pockets to help you get back in the tree stand.
• If you fall from a climbing tree stand, turn to face the tree, carefully lift the climber's platform section, and lower it. Continue this action until you can put your feet on your platform and climb into the tree stand.

Once you are no longer hanging, make your second call. Let the person know your status and provide any other instructions you may have.

Related: Tree Stand Hunting Accident Statistics

Here is a video showing how to recover from a tree stand fall. Please watch this! It could save your life!

Essential Safety Tips for Wearing Hunting Safety Harnesses

• Tell someone about your plans. You should never go hunting without letting someone know your whereabouts. If trouble arises, you'll need someone who can get to your location and provide assistance.
• Select a strong tree for your platform. When choosing your treestand location you'll need a tree reliable enough to hold your weight and secure your tree stand. Only choose healthy trees without dying or broken limbs.
• Read the safety harness manual. Your harness will come with an instructional manual detailing the right way to wear and use the device. Prevent unintentional injury and maximize your hunting safety by reading the instructions before your trip.
• Inspect your harness. While it's acceptable to check your hunter safety system before the season begins, it's more beneficial to inspect your harness before each hunting trip. Look for signs of tears, corrosion, or wear that could compromise its effectiveness.
• Practice near the ground. Before you use a harness for the first time, consider practicing using it a foot or two off the ground. This step ensures that you are comfortable wearing the harness, learning how to "fall," and maneuvering with the safety belt.
• Don't hunt from a tree stand in extreme winds. When the wind is blowing hard and the trees are swaying, choose to hunt from the ground or in a protected area.
• Maintain Your Tree Stand Properly. Proper tree stand maintenance is essential to your safety. At least once a year follow these tree stand maintenance tips to insure a safe and successful hunting season.
• TMA Approved. Make sure that your harness is approved by the Treestand Manufacturer's Association.

Final Thoughts

Even when hunting from the best tree stands, accidents can still happen which is why you need the best hunting safety harness that you can afford.

We have reviewed all of the best harnesses on the market today, so that you can make an educated decision as to what is the right harness for you.

Remember, don't just wear your harness for yourself, where it for the ones you love.

Nothing says "I care about you" like giving a tree stand harness as a gift.

Happy hunting!