I actually really like those box style buckles…… once you quiet them up it’s less bulk on the leg straps……. I had one with the buckles & sold it recently
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What's going on at AeroHunter?
- Thread starter Chrighton
- Start date
Yea I know some guys like the lighter square tri buckle set up but once you wrapped them, you basically had to step through them right? I never liked stepping through leg straps (or bridges for that matter) they were definitely lighter than the raptor buckles though and held the webbing tighter too
100% the same. There were design decisions I may not have agreed with, but I never felt unsafe.
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I had the Kestrel but sold it I have a flex in Predator camo with the new material inside that doesn't rub off. I use that saddle when it's cold . I use my ESS early season and when I don't want to use a back band. I use my Cruzr XC when the temperatures are a little more comfortable. I think I will use my Overwatch Transformer just for something different. The problem might be that there are so many saddles out today that their sales declined and it wasn't worth making them anymore. Areo Hunter made good saddles and was a pleasure to buy from . Debbie was awesome anytime I talked to her. It's sad to see this happen if they are truly out of the saddle business.
Ewww… I cut those things off right away and put ghooks on
I just got so used to stepping though the adjustable bridge & legstraps I don’t even think about it. I will say that when I’ve had saddles with leg buckles I’d leave them clipped behind my legs for the walk in & clip correctly at the tree. But I prefer light & simple ……
You had a latitude classic….. gotcha!!!! …lol
Same. I bought a Kite with the buckles and liked it because that’s what I was used to. A buddy had a Kite with the square thingies and he didn’t Ike them. I traded with him and now I prefer the square thingies.
Sorry you are correct. The raptor buckles. Too many reptile names to keep straight.
Either way it is a definite upgrade from the slider pass through style buckles it came with originally.
I have to echo all of your sentiments. AH always treated me like their most important customer when I called. They were a few days behind on building and shipping my Kestrel; emailed, they asked me to call if possible. Called Debbie and within 24 hours she had one of their sewers making me a custom OG Kestrel with the upgraded stitching specs of the Flex and an adjustable webbing bridge, at no extra charge. Her idea in fact. Showed up at my door within a week of being built. It’s so comfortable and never required me to get in “saddle shape”, whatever that must be.
After I hunted out of it a few times Debbie sent me a follow-up email and also called to make sure I was happy with the saddle. Like, what employee EVER does that?
I should have bought three more of them right then. I will be hard-pressed to hunt out of anything else now.
I haven’t had to interact with AH since I bought the saddle in 2019 because their product works perfectly and is built like a brick outhouse, but from those interactions I did have, I think other saddle companies could learn a thing or ten from that kind of customer service.
Agreed. I got so used to stepping through my kite that I still step through all of my saddles whether they have buckles or not.
Everything on the market currently falls short of the original Kite. It was the perfect balance of leaning vs sitting saddle. I haven’t “saddle hunted” for two seasons but still use my kite as a tree stand harness. It is the most comfortable do it all saddle you’ll ever come across. Especially with the “raptor » (not cobra) buckles.
The double row of molle is another thing I really like about the Kite
Perhaps we should all email Debbie and ask her to start making the Kite again...
I'm a Evo guy myself. Sold it once, bought a flex, sold the flex and bought back the Evo. Won't ever let it go. So much adjustment! I thought about the Revolution. But seriously the Evo adjust for every need.
@trailblazer75 ha a TX5 Rayder for sale in the classifieds. It looks very similar to the Kite, I dont know how the dimensions compare though.