Safety belt for climbing tree stand

A method of facilitating a human safely ascending or descending a tree using a tree stand having upper and lower frames each with side supports and a tree gripping element, and a safety belt connectable to the human, and the safety belt comprising a belt body comprising a flexible web of cloth like material and having first and second ends and a stiffening element at a central portion of said belt body between said first and second ends that stiffens the web, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing the tree stand in association with a tree so that the side supports of the upper and lower frames straddle the tree and the tree gripping elements are positioned to engage the tree;
• (b) placing the stiffening-element-having central portion of the safety belt around the tree;
• (c) releasably connecting the safety belt to at least one side support or the tree gripping element of the upper frame of the tree stand;
• (d) operatively attaching the safety belt to the human using the tree stand;
• and
• (e) climbing up or down the tree using the tree stand while the safety belt is operatively attached to the human using the tree stand;
• and
• wherein steps (b) and (c) are practiced so as to facilitate climbing of the tree with the tree stand without the safety belt significantly interfering with climbing movement of the tree stand.

A safety belt for use with a tree stand, comprising:

• a belt body of polyester, nylon, cotton, or aramid webbing having a width of between about 1.5-4 inches, first and second ends, a central portion between the first and second ends, and a length said length long enough to pass around a tree and to be operatively attached to a human user so as to act as a tree stand safety belt;
• a chain stiffening element having a length less than about half of said belt body length and a width less than the width of said belt body;
• a strip of polyester, nylon, cotton, or aramid webbing having an effective width of between about 1.5-4 inches and a length greater than said chain length and less than said belt body length;
• and
• said strip of webbing fixed to said belt body at said central portion of said belt body so that said chain stiffening element is sandwiched between said belt body and said strip of webbing.

A tree stand safety belt for use by a human user in combination with a climbing tree stand having an upper frame with side supports and a tree engaging element, comprising:

• a belt body comprising a flexible web of cloth like material and having first and second ends, said belt having a length long enough to pass substantially completely around a tree and to be operatively attached to a human user so as to act as a tree stand safety belt;
• said ends of said belt body attachable to a human tree stand user;
• a stiffening element at a central portion of said belt body between said first and second ends that stiffens said web to facilitate climbing of a tree with a tree stand without significantly interfering with climbing movement of the tree stand, while allowing said belt body to be curled up when not in use;
• and
• means for releasably attaching said belt body to at least one of said side supports or said tree engaging element, said means comprising at least one spring clamp separable and distinct from said belt body and said upper frame.