Improved leg loops for treehopper recon

[BK_special]

Hi everyone,

I bought a Treehopper Recon at the beginning of last season and have been really happy with it so far. Within about 10 mins of unboxing, I removed (and promptly lost) the original leg loops. I was happy without leg loops all last season since I pretty much exclusively climbed with sticks. This season I've been using 2TC most of the time and have noticed my saddle doesn't want to stay put on my butt when I'm advancing my upper tether. On Tuesday I was climbing and my saddle slipped up nearly to my armpits and I had to fiddle a bit to get it positioned back over my butt. I don't think I was ever in any danger of falling, but I certainly made a bit of noise and got quite sweaty during the whole process.

So, I decided I should give leg loops another shot. I was originally poking around amazon looking for 3/4" webbing and g hooks to sew something myself, but my searching found these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JPPW2WN?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

They arrived today, and after about 10 mins of positioning and trimming, I've got leg loops again! I'm thinking that the g-hooks will be easier to take on and off than the original buckles.

Note: these are NOT straps I would be comfortable using in a load bearing application. These are solely for keeping the load bearing part of the saddle correctly positioned on my body. To my knowledge the original treehopper leg loops are not rated for load bearing either.

 

[Iron_llama]

I did something similar but a bit more involved. And much heavier. I'll have to get some pictures.

Ordered 2x Cobra buckles and 2x rated tri-glides, instead of G-hooks and sewn webbing. This worked but was so heavy they pulled the whole shebang down. So I took some paracord and made dropper loops from the first half-MOLLE loop behind the LB loop, to keep the buckle about 2" below the plate. This works, and has the added benefit of keeping the hardware in a fixed location on the outside of my leg so it can't clank into anything. While I was at it I made paracord droppers to hang the bottom panel from the top and hopefully prevent it from getting so dang tangled up.

 

[Iron_llama]

Hi everyone,

I bought a Treehopper Recon at the beginning of last season and have been really happy with it so far. Within about 10 mins of unboxing, I removed (and promptly lost) the original leg loops. I was happy without leg loops all last season since I pretty much exclusively climbed with sticks. This season I've been using 2TC most of the time and have noticed my saddle doesn't want to stay put on my butt when I'm advancing my upper tether. On Tuesday I was climbing and my saddle slipped up nearly to my armpits and I had to fiddle a bit to get it positioned back over my butt. I don't think I was ever in any danger of falling, but I certainly made a bit of noise and got quite sweaty during the whole process.

So, I decided I should give leg loops another shot. I was originally poking around amazon looking for 3/4" webbing and g hooks to sew something myself, but my searching found these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JPPW2WN?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

They arrived today, and after about 10 mins of positioning and trimming, I've got leg loops again! I'm thinking that the g-hooks will be easier to take on and off than the original buckles.

Note: these are NOT straps I would be comfortable using in a load bearing application. These are solely for keeping the load bearing part of the saddle correctly positioned on my body. To my knowledge the original treehopper leg loops are not rated for load bearing either.View attachment 93107

Also... those tag ends on your bridge... I bought mine used, without a bridge, so I cut a piece of webbing about 4' longer than usual so I could tie the ends together to make a second bridge. They are adjustable, kind of, in that I can make one longer and the other shorter, but the total length is (naturally) fixed. Also, 'kind of', because I have to be on the ground and basically fish the webbing through the plates to adjust it so while it's adjustable, it's not something I can do in the tree, as might be implied by discussing an adjustable bridge.

 

[BK_special]

Also... those tag ends on your bridge... I bought mine used, without a bridge, so I cut a piece of webbing about 4' longer than usual so I could tie the ends together to make a second bridge. They are adjustable, kind of, in that I can make one longer and the other shorter, but the total length is (naturally) fixed. Also, 'kind of', because I have to be on the ground and basically fish the webbing through the plates to adjust it so while it's adjustable, it's not something I can do in the tree, as might be implied by discussing an adjustable bridge.

Yeah, I prefer the bridge a bit short. Honestly I have been considering replacing the bridge with amsteel and a prusik because I don’t like how it’s not super adjustable. I just haven’t gotten irritated enough to actually do it.

 

[Wirrex]

I use paracord that I tie like a shoelace around each of my thighs.

 

[krub6b]

I use paracord that I tie like a shoelace around each of my thighs.

Just tried this last night with actual shoe laces, seems to do everything I need it to without being a nuisance

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