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Eberhart signature saddle customizations?
- Thread starter lawrence
- Start date
1. I hockey taped the D-rings. I had 50 hunts last year and the tape is holding up fine.
2. I girth hitched a piece of shock cord to each of the the D-rings. On one of the shock cords I added a s-biner. When I put the saddle on I separate the panels and put the top panel around my waist and the lower panel to cup my rear. Then I connect the 2 pieces of shock cord using the s-biner. This keeps the panels in place for the walk in. When I get to height and tethered in I disconnect the 2 pieces of shock cord.
3. Removed the leg straps.
Is the saddle comfortable? Really? Looks like it can be wadded up kinda small. I use the cruzr and love it. But really would like to find something I can ball up.
It is a very comfortable saddle with endless positions. If you have time, watch some of John's YouTube videos of him in it. You can go from using the top panel as a back band to sitting on it like a kids swing. As far as wadding into a ball that can be done but when you take it out of your pack you will have to reorganize the panels. Not a big deal once you get to know the saddle.
has anyone changed the webbing bridge to a rope bridge with a ropeman 1 so it was easier to adjust.
The search button should help here. lots of threads and mentions of amsteel / mod bridges.
I have an ESS as a back up to my Recon. Recon is a smaller ball as it just folds without d rings.
I covered ESS D rings with cheap koozies. sometimes I’ll clip the d rings together to walk. Usually I slide on close to tree.
I’m thin and don’t get pressure/ hot spots compared to other options.
They are both comfortable.
if you are considering ESS check out or call Treehopper. They offer two stock bridge options, then look up Recon shock cord belt and you’re set until next off season . If not for your saddle career.
I haven’t cut leg straps but I’ll eventually come up with a low bulk option.
My only gripe is the leg straps should be removable like a latitude or recon.
I have an ESS as a back up to my Recon. Recon is a smaller ball as it just folds without d rings.
I covered ESS D rings with cheap koozies. sometimes I’ll clip the d rings together to walk. Usually I slide on close to tree.
I’m thin and don’t get pressure/ hot spots compared to other options.
They are both comfortable.
if you are considering ESS check out or call Treehopper. They offer two stock bridge options, then look up Recon shock cord belt and you’re set until next off season . If not for your saddle career.
I haven’t cut leg straps but I’ll eventually come up with a low bulk option.
My only gripe is the leg straps should be removable like a latitude or recon.
- cut the leg straps off, they’re worthless
- cut the safety tag off
- removed the bridge and added an adjustable amsteel bridge
- sewed the plastic clips in place so they don’t slide around or fall off
- singed all the loose thread ends with a lighter, they annoyed me
you can also use the belt ran through the d-rings to hold the panel up when you’re walking. I personally use a carabiner and an auto lock ran through the loops to hold the panels up when I walk.
- cut the safety tag off
- removed the bridge and added an adjustable amsteel bridge
- sewed the plastic clips in place so they don’t slide around or fall off
- singed all the loose thread ends with a lighter, they annoyed me
you can also use the belt ran through the d-rings to hold the panel up when you’re walking. I personally use a carabiner and an auto lock ran through the loops to hold the panels up when I walk.
So I was back an forth with it because I saw a lot of guys say how John’s a small guy and it’s designed to his liking so on and so forth. Well I’m 210lbs 5’11” and not an athletic build lol and it’s more than comfortable just takes some playing around with to get it set right for for I think it took me around 6 hours of playing with it and shooting from it to figure everything out
I couldn’t disagree more with what you heard. I’m a 34” waist and although I think it’s a VERY comfortable saddle, I think it’s designed to be a one size fits all and would better suit the larger end of the size spectrum. I’m thinking someone with a 38” waist would have the D rings in the perfect location while walking in.
side note. When I take it off, I lay it flat and put a carabiner through the center section. It keeps it from getting tangled up while taking in and out of pack or totes.
I’m a 36” and it’s a perfect fit all the way around I’m very very pleased with it! Look forward to taking what I’m blessed to see this fall out of it! And I like the Caribbeaner idea!!!
Does the ESS have different sizing? I noticed with these types of saddles you can get away with the “d loops” very close to your hips and still not have any discomfort which leaves you with a longer bridge to rotate in. I like that a lot.
I have a solution for this, if you go back and look at post #2 , item 2. The shock cord keeps the panels in place and will hold the D rings tight to your thighs for the walk in. Alot of guys are using a bungee belt mod on the recon and that is where I got this from.
The Recon comes in different sizes and its basically the same as the ESS.
I changed a number of things on my ESS. Replaced the bridge with an adjustable length of AmSteel. Replaced the buckle with a nicer Cobra buckle I found on Etsy. It slides together much nicer and smoother and doesn’t make the metal on metal screech like the original did. Added paracord loops on both hips to carry up a beast stick on each hip as I’m climbing. Then finally added D ring things on the back so I can hook the other panel into them while walking with it. Works awesome. With these mods, I went from liking to loving this saddle.
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I loved the comfort of the ESS and only got rid of it because of panel management. Hunted last season out of a diy webbing saddle. This year I made my own ESS but flipped the panels. I would rather just drop the outside panel under my butt and hunt. The ESS design has you slide the whole saddle under your butt and then pull up the inside panel.
I'm a 34 " waist and have the belt belt almost all the way tight. Too keep the D rings from dangling during the walk in I just clip my bridge into a carabiner and pull tight. The carabineer stays attached to the outside of my left hip pouch (holds lineman's, haul rope, gear strap,spare carabiner). My bridge is amsteel with a prusik on one end. When I pull tight I get a long tail end that I just tuck into my pants pocket.
Not yet. I just cut the tag off and run the belt through the d rings and pull it tight for the walk in.