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Question for experinced saddlers

Seals72

Active Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2017
Messages
168
Location
Northeast Mississippi
Ok I snuck away from work for a few to get my Kestrel from the mail lady and try it out. SHHHHH! I climbed up one stick high about 7' was adjusting it getting the feel of it.. Everything was GREAT! until..... I was turning in different positions and when I rotated for a straight down shot I got a fall shock! ( Note: you cant fall out of it ) I'm using the back strap (because years of manual labor has taken it toll on my back) the back strap is connected to the bridge by persiks and s beaners as I rotated the back strap persik went through the tether beaner and the s clip broke.. I didn't have much pressure on it just enough that it made me fall back a little thus giving the feel of falling. Question is has anyone done a mod to keep the back rest off the bridge and if so how? I have something in mind and I'm going to try in just a bit when I get back home but would like all the ideals I can get.... Also the bridge seems a little long to me does a shorter bridge create pinch? other than that it feels great very comfortable and light Love It!
 
shorter bridge tends to cause pinch....I don't have a kestrel, but that is a general rule. Sorry to hear that you are having problems with yours. I did a very similar mod to my sit drag using the idea I got from the kestrel. Seems to work great!
 
25-28" bridge is popular. The kestrel bridge was long out of the box.
 
6825675922d4bad74c41f14f1103b5fa.jpg


Think I fixed my problem I upgraded my s biner to this


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When you move into shooting position you should have slid the back support prussics down so they and it is out of the way. As for the tether I am liking the length so far. I left it the way it came


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Oops I’m not an experienced saddle hunter :) but I’m working on it!


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Ive looked at it and wondered what the advantage of using the prusiks on the bridge for the backstrap was anyways?

I plan on using a sitdrag for a backstrap with a small diameter amsteel whoopie sling bridge and clipping it right into my tether carabiner. (easily packable and pulled out for those long sits)

I can see where those backstrap prusiks can cause issues for you though if you turn far enough. Imo they shouldn't be there
 
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I upgraded my s binders to the heavy duty model. They are metal not plastic. It has helped


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You guys should just imagine your backband as another saddle and create another bridge. Doesn't have to be heavy rope....7/64th amsteel/paracord all good. Hook up your back saddle in the same carabiner your butt saddle is hooked up to. That way every thing works together and nothing gets in the way.
The more I look at that full-kit picture with the prussiks...."what were they thinking there?" Still awesome looking saddle ;) cant wait for mine....but ill let everyone know if I don't like it ;);)
 
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Slide out of way and drop backrest before rotating. Should be your first move if you hear or see deer. I don't think they intended it to be used during extreme rotation. Most guys are swapping those plastic nite ize for something stronger-few threads on that
 
I’ve swapped them out for a heavier biner. Slid them all the way down and adjusted back support all the way up. And it works fine now I had them to high and the s biner is to small to hold any kind of weight at all. I was going to hook it to my tether biner but when you do that it doesn’t rotate with you. If I adjust it to fall down below buttocks I lean back to far. My buttocks is to big I guess. But with the new biners it’s perfect! It fall to my waist and turns with me. Got it all adjusted shorten the bridge thank @redsquirrel (gave me more swing for moving around the tree) Now for field trial. Leaving for Missouri in the morning!


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The more I look at that full-kit picture with the prussiks...."what were they thinking there?"
Very simple, we were thinking about adjustably. By having the prussik knots it allows you to adjust where the back rest is for each user. I like mine very high, right under my arms. This way when I go to shoot, I can lower my prussiks and my back band now slides down my back to the top of my saddle as not to interfere with my shot.
If I was to attach a back band the way you are suggesting (through the carabiner, like a second bridge) I would have no way to lower my back band out of the way. It would always be in the way, I could not lean back, or away from the tree to shoot a shot like the drop shot. This is because the distance from my carabiner to my arm pits is a fixed distance, having it clipped in like a bridge, that stays a fixed distance always. So my underarms would always have to stay that fixed distance from the carabiner.

Thanks,
Boswell
 
Very simple, we were thinking about adjustably. By having the prussik knots it allows you to adjust where the back rest is for each user. I like mine very high, right under my arms. This way when I go to shoot, I can lower my prussiks and my back band now slides down my back to the top of my saddle as not to interfere with my shot.
If I was to attach a back band the way you are suggesting (through the carabiner, like a second bridge) I would have no way to lower my back band out of the way. It would always be in the way, I could not lean back, or away from the tree to shoot a shot like the drop shot. This is because the distance from my carabiner to my arm pits is a fixed distance, having it clipped in like a bridge, that stays a fixed distance always. So my underarms would always have to stay that fixed distance from the carabiner.

Thanks,
Boswell

look at the pic. its a couple inches away from the carabiner ...whats the difference. These guys are talking about rotating and hitting the prussic. Looking at the pic that rotation is very minimal
You can adjust an adjustable (whoopie sling bridge) backstrap just as well and it doesn't impede in rotation

Your design shortens the bridge. I see you like an extra long bridge so it doesn't effect you as much. also your extra long bridge makes for an extra high carabiner....not what most guys are using

Granted I have an adjustable bridge/tether and backstrap, so I can fiddle with everything

...And I only think backstraps are necessary for those all day sits
 
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I’m a bit worried that the prussics will come undone on the bridge while I’m not using the back strap.... what do you think @Boudreaux


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I’m a bit worried that the prussics will come undone on the bridge while I’m not using the back strap.... what do you think @Boudreaux


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I wouldn't worry about it, mine haven't. I wrapped them as tight as they will go. And they are very easy to take off and put back on if you won't use them for an extended time.
 
@Jefferson10940 mine are still on my bridge, I have never lost them.

whats the difference.
These guys are talking about rotating and hitting the prussic.
Your design shortens the bridge.
The difference is the ability to adjust the prussik down, no way to adjust the back band when in a carabiner.

When you pivot at the waist with the kestrel you can get about 9in of movement each side of the carabiner. So you can adjust the prussik below that, so not to come in contact with the carabiner. So our design does not short the bridge or shorten the useable area of the bridge. Again, because it is fully adjustable.

IF I was to use your method, from my carabiner to my back (under my arm, where my back band goes behind my back) is 18 inches. So with a back band that goes through the bridge, my under arms can never be farther than 18 inches from my carabiner (no adjustment) with the prussik on the bridge set all the way up to the carabiner is the same 18 inches, if slide the prussik down the bridge it allows it to slide down my back.

I like longer bridges, we designed the kestrel to work with both longer and shorter bridges. So I spent a lot of time testing it with a short bridge to make sure that it would work for a wide range of saddle hunters.

Thanks,
Boswell
 
@Jefferson10940 mine are still on my bridge, I have never lost them.


The difference is the ability to adjust the prussik down, no way to adjust the back band when in a carabiner.

When you pivot at the waist with the kestrel you can get about 9in of movement each side of the carabiner. So you can adjust the prussik below that, so not to come in contact with the carabiner. So our design does not short the bridge or shorten the useable area of the bridge. Again, because it is fully adjustable.

IF I was to use your method, from my carabiner to my back (under my arm, where my back band goes behind my back) is 18 inches. So with a back band that goes through the bridge, my under arms can never be farther than 18 inches from my carabiner (no adjustment) with the prussik on the bridge set all the way up to the carabiner is the same 18 inches, if slide the prussik down the bridge it allows it to slide down my back.

I like longer bridges, we designed the kestrel to work with both longer and shorter bridges. So I spent a lot of time testing it with a short bridge to make sure that it would work for a wide range of saddle hunters.

Thanks,
Boswell
Cool, tell op what to do
 
I put these on my back band and just clip to paracord prusik
5635fbc01a838bb75c54ed0616375c7d.jpg


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