Ten Rules for Saddle Hunting Climbing Safety 

My wife and I have shared our locations with each other via smartphone for several years, for several reasons. It has been a solid option for letting her know where I am exactly (well, within a few tens of meters, thanks GPS sats) and how long I've been there.

John, I'm impressed. While I'm already fully knowledgeable regarding every aspect of safety you discussed, I enjoyed the video and felt it was a very well organized and thoughtful discussion about risk and proper protocols. Off the top of my head, I honestly can't think of anything to add. One of the most important items you discussed is having a minimum of a 10:1 strength/load ratio (ideally higher). I saw a terrifying comment on one of August Hunicke's latest videos where a guy said he was climbing on a Home Depot rope "rated for 300lbs" and ask August if he had any suggestions for a rope and whether he could put a kit together for him. Somehow nobody else noticed or cared, but I told that guy to stop climbing IMMEDIATELY until he gets an arborist rope rated for at least 23kN. Some people simply don't understand what they're doing and the amount of risk they are taking by not spending the money on proper, rated equipment. Almost nothing I climb on is weaker than 23kN. That's sort of my personal rule. One suggestion, but not a rule, that I might add to your list is to avoid screw gate carabiners and to spend a little extra on auto locking carabiners; ideally triple action, but double action is still a stark improvement from a screw gate because it makes it impossible to forget to lock the gate and reduces the likelihood of the gate opening inadvertently. Even a quadruple action DMM carabiner can be opened accidently if loaded improperly and if the tree gods decide it's your time for a quick drop with a sudden stop. But the odds are exponentially less than with a screw gate! If you do use screw gate, make sure to keep the screw action facing down. The old saying is "screw down so you don't screw up!" This will reduce the odds of the gate rolling open as you climb. I laughed a little when you mentioned that people ask you to tie their friction hitches for you. Even most professional arborists, from my experience, fail to disassemble and inspect and then reorient their hitch cords on a sufficiently frequent basis. They'll leave them on their ropes or lanyards, especially, for months and months. As low as the odds of aramid fibers getting damaged by the friction from typical applications may be, it's just good practice and it will help your hitches run better by not having them gliding along the rope in the same spots. It will also make you more skilled at tying hitches. If someone happens to be using full polyester cord for hitch cord (let's say they only use them for ascents), then inspection should be even more frequent and stringent. Friction hitches need to be adjusted sometimes while tied and during climbs also, and if someone never takes the time to learn how to properly tie, dress and set a hitch, then they can never truly ever be able to use one properly or safely. Sorry for always writing dissertation and essay length comments! haha Just trying to have a conversation while I can since I know you're a very busy guy with work, family, your business ventures, and your channel/website!

Spoken like a true engineer! Very well done

great analysis and video, thank you John!

Saving this video to watch periodically as a great reminder!

What an invaluable video. Thank you, John.

Great video John

Rule #10 (Murphy’s Law) is so important! Over the years I’ve dropped everything possible while at height. If it can go wrong, it will!

Just starting my adventures into saddle hunting/tree climbing. I'm so happy to have come across your channel. I won't say my age, but most people will probably say, Are you frickin' crazy? Nonetheless, for me, better late than never... Thank you for sharing your knowledge! I will now add a helmet to my saddle equipment - makes sense since I wear a brain bucket whenever I ski...

Another well thought out video John. I consider myself to be up to snuff on being as safe as I can possibly be, which is why I'm here. Thanks again for all your hard work on providing us all with the latest and greatest safety information on Saddle hunting in trees. Kevin...PS, I'm giving a helmet a try. I am a Mt biker, hardcore, and we as a community have worked hard to educate riders on how helmets can save your life. I get it. I'm ordering one now. Might help me stay warm come winter too! OK, going out to practice some more on my system!

Hey Jon I love your channel my dude did you ever see this guys channel aerial traveller he not only climbs up the tree but then uses a grappling hook to go between several trees would love to see a video of you doing something similar and hear what you have to say about it. He must have well over 1000 dollars worth of metal on his belt and I love how you are able to be so minimalistic.

Breakthrough on what I’ve been working on- speaking of safety- I have modified the two tether climbing method to become the double JRB cinch method, with four JRB ascender hitches, two on each tether, each tether with the JRB cinch; one tether with a foot loop and the redundant Second shorter bridge(that’s my big break through!) and the other tether with a leg/thigh loop and the main upper bridge, each on a JRB ascender hitch, making two hitches on each tether. So I’m always cinched in , while moving the other tether up or down. With two hitches on each tether, one for a bridge the other my advancement connection whether foot or thigh, I can make quick and easy adjustments as the tree diameter changes,. I keep an extra tether with cinch and two hitches( one for a bridge and one with a foot or thigh loop ) handy to bypass any limb or just swap out if there’s a knot problem. Been practicing basic JRB climbing with static double rope and ascender hitches 5-2-3 , garda and munter hitches and my double JRB cinch method looking for problems . Basic JRB Is so efficient and safe, especially larger trees with a good crotch for setting at rope, double cinch method is good on smaller Trees with no good crotch for setting rope, and unknown area but more difficult,

So what are the advantages/disadvantages to wearing or not wearing leg straps? Currently I and working out the kinks of saddle hunting. I’m still working on getting comfortable in my system. I haven’t actually climbed high in a tree yet. I haven’t been wearing my leg straps because I wear a latitude classic saddle and the straps are removable. Should I put them back on and get used to wearing them? I really appreciate your channel and all the information that you put out there!

Awesome videos!! Was wondering if I could use a scaffold knot on the end of my tree tether and pull the end with the stopper knot through then loop end before cinching down?

hello john😃 saya suka sekali menonton di channel ini, i'm from indonesia😁pasti akan saya pratekan, thanks

You mentioned that a linemans belt isn't really a tie in to the tree. I agree. Given that, I use screw in and strap on steps. I prefer having my feet on solid steps. What method of tying in would use in place of a linemans belt for ascending with steps?

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do you hunt with a helmet on?