Bare minimum

[essdub]

It will be difficult for me to make a saddle that's smaller or lighter than this one and still be usable. After many failed attempts, this one is pretty close to being the BARE MINIMUM.

I will need to add a belt. I will possibly sew on a fixed bridge (the webbing sling used as bridge in pictures is way too long).
I might also add one more vertical strap under my butt and possibly a vertical strap on each side (or fold the "loop"ends over and sew them into loops on each side)

Here's my version of bare minimum.
Sewed from 10 yards of 2" black polyester webbing. I doubled up in the back of it from the outside of each vertical strap all the way across the back portion for strength (mostly in case my hand sewing isn't up to par).

Shaun.

 

[swampsnyper]

Yeah, I over lapped mine 6 inches with 2 box x stitches then zig zag stitched all 6 inches over both boxes.

 

[swampsnyper]

I don't know how much support your vertical straps are doing that far forward. I put mine centering each butt cheek. I don't think I'll like one in my butt crack but maybe you are use to wearing thongs. Lol

 

[essdub]

Re: RE: Bare minimum

I don't know how much support your vertical straps are doing that far forward. I put mine centering each butt cheek. I don't think I'll like one in my butt crack but maybe you are use to wearing thongs. Lol

Haha. Not in public.
I left the lower part of the vertical straps unsewn so that I could figure out where I needed them by testing the sling a few times before I sew them.
I actually do like the vertical straps on the outside of my cheeks because it allows the sling to "cup" me a bit better.
I think you're right about the vertical strap in the center though. What I might do is add a horizontal strap between the two vertical straps. That might prevent my back side from pushing through the space quite as far. Even without adding any other straps, the sling is comfy and I've temporarily added a cam buckle strap for a belt until my buckles arrive Monday or Tuesday.
I also Added two vertical straps further to the outside and folded the loops over and sewed them. It's a work in progress

Shaun.

 

[essdub]

I spent some time in this sling today while setting up a couple more trees with bolts/steps.
It works great while climbing and transitions easily once you're ready to sit for a while.
I didn't sit too long (maybe twenty or thirty minutes at each tree).
If I can stiffen it up like Snyper plans to do with his, then I could see using this as my primary this coming season.
Here's a cute pair I saw this morning. There's a lot of doe/fawn activity in this particular section. I was making a pretty good amount of noise but I was downwind for a change. They sneaked around me two or three times during the six hours I was in the woods today.

The pic is from trail cam forty yards from where I noticed them watching me. They walk by that trail cam several times a day and sometimes mama licks it so I have to clean the lens

Shaun.

 

[essdub]

I take that back.
This new sling wins the lightweight category hands down. The modified Anderson sling is seCond place. With the Ken sling third.
The Anderson sling is probably seCond place overall tied with the Ken sling. But I think that the first sling (essdub sling) is the most versatile and comfortable while still being extremely lightweight.
I used all of them today for a while just trying to see which ones did which things best.
The Essdub sling wins while setting up trees.
The modified AnderSon sling is seCond only to the unmodified Anderson sling for comfort once in position.
The Ken sling and my camo sling (essdub sling) are probably the overall winners for doing all things well.
But I think my sling is more comfy even though it's a little bit heavier than Ken sling. The extra padding makes it great once in position.

I'll keep working on these things and I'm sure there'll be many updates before deer season


Shaun.

 

[swampsnyper]

Keep on tinkering. You may stumble across a game changer of design that changes the saddle world.

 

[essdub]

Re: RE: Re: Bare minimum

Keep on tinkering. You may stumble across a game changer of design that changes the saddle world.

I'll settle for having one that is very lightweight, that climbs great, and sits Comfy for hours.
Maybe the camo cloth sling with a removable single seatbelt webbing piece to put under my butt for long sits. ..
And don't worry. I have no life outside of work, garden, shooTing, climbing, hunTing. That's the way I want it. Girlfriend sometimes doesn't understand, but she'll get over it, or me. ..
So I plan to tinker everyday. As inspiration asks.
I have lots of ideas. But I'm just as willing to try the stupid ones as I am the good ones.
And

As a tribute to you, Snyper,
I am considering actually making a coonskin or probably bunny hide saddle cover for my sling


Shaun.

 

[swampsnyper]

Hahaha! Excellent!

 

[Maustypsu]

But I think my sling is more comfy even though it's a little bit heavier than Ken sling. The extra padding makes it great once in position.
Shaun.

I missed a step. Your minimalist saddle now has padding? Or are you referring to a different one?

I just ordered some of the heavy duty mesh along with the webbing and buckles that I've put off for weeks. It's going to start getting too hot for me to venture outdoors (yep, even in OH). So I will do some weekend afternoon projects indoors. I have two sit drags plus the mesh and webbing. I'm still not sure I can do any better than the Ken sling... that thing is nice!

 

[essdub]

Re: RE: Re: Bare minimum

But I think my sling is more comfy even though it's a little bit heavier than Ken sling. The extra padding makes it great once in position.
Shaun.

I missed a step. Your minimalist saddle now has padding? Or are you referring to a different one?

I just ordered some of the heavy duty mesh along with the webbing and buckles that I've put off for weeks. It's going to start getting too hot for me to venture outdoors (yep, even in OH). So I will do some weekend afternoon projects indoors. I have two sit drags plus the mesh and webbing. I'm still not sure I can do any better than the Ken sling... that thing is nice!

No the minimalist saddle is only seat belt webbing. The padded one is the "essdub sling". It is my favorite for overall comfort/sit -ability


Shaun.

 

[redsquirrel]

Shaun, as it is, isn't that going to get pretty uncomfortable quickly with the lack of support. Basically like SS said, if you have some sort of fabric across it, it will distribute the pressure across your butt rather than on just the webbing and it should help a lot. That heavy duty mesh fabric I have is pretty light so it won't add much weight at all.

 

[essdub]

Re: RE: Re: Bare minimum

Shaun, as it is, isn't that going to get pretty uncomfortable quickly with the lack of support. Basically like SS said, if you have some sort of fabric across it, it will distribute the pressure across your butt rather than on just the webbing and it should help a lot. That heavy duty mesh fabric I have is pretty light so it won't add much weight at all.

Absolutely. That was the point of my post in which I referred to the other slings. I have already added another horizontal strap in the butt area which helped a lot and will cover the sling with something (I'm seriously considering using a coonskin ) to add rigidity and a little support.I still have Some camo cloth that I used on the essdub sling, but it doesn't add much stiffening

Shaun.

 

[redsquirrel]

Re: RE: Re: Bare minimum

Shaun, as it is, isn't that going to get pretty uncomfortable quickly with the lack of support. Basically like SS said, if you have some sort of fabric across it, it will distribute the pressure across your butt rather than on just the webbing and it should help a lot. That heavy duty mesh fabric I have is pretty light so it won't add much weight at all.

Absolutely. That was the point of my post in which I referred to the other slings. I have already added another horizontal strap in the butt area which helped a lot and will cover the sling with something (I'm seriously considering using a coonskin ) to add rigidity and a little support.I still have Some camo cloth that I used on the essdub sling, but it doesn't add much stiffening

Shaun.

Gotcha. As long as the material is there, I don't think it really needs to add much stiffening to do the job. But let us know how it goes of course.

 

[essdub]

Re: RE: Re: Bare minimum

Hahaha! Excellent!

Well I did try it. And I almost like it. ..
Almost. If I wanna use it, I'll have to split it more, because it causes the minimal saddle to constrict and bunch up. Other than that, though. .. not too bad.
Lol
Can't say that I actually thought I'd do it, but hey, I'm a southern hick. I'll try anything once.

Shaun.

 

[swampsnyper]

The coonass saddle!

 

[essdub]

If I'm wearing a leafy suit or 3d Asat suit, I wonder if the"natural camo"of this saddle skin will help or hurt my chances of being identified as a threat. ..

It seems plausible that it could help and the game just think my ass is a coon making noise or motion.

I'm looking for a reason not to view this as anything other than what it was: just a silly project- a novelty item. Not sure where I stand on this
Shaun.

 

[swampsnyper]

Leave the tail hanging and if a deer locks onto you, just shake the tail! Lmao!!!

 

[essdub]

Re: RE: Re: Bare minimum

Leave the tail hanging and if a deer locks onto you, just shake the tail! Lmao!!!

That's an over exaggerated example of what in talking about.
While I wouldn't recommend that exactly, the saddle cover does look sorta natural. I'm not sold on this saddle skin, but I'm not convinced it will be bad either. Looking for evidence to sway me one direction or another
And I see coons in the same photos as deer at night all the time here.


Shaun.

 

[essdub]

Shaun.