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My Franken-Saddle Reveal

Hailey_Phillips

Hailey_Phillips

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Messages
803
Location
Wesson, MS
Ok guys, been workin on this concoction for a couple days now, and I’m finally ready to reveal it. This idea started last year when I used my summit seat cushion as a “try before you buy” method of saddle hunting before I bought anything. I had cut the back cushion off already, so as I was looking at sit drags, I thought, hey I got just the thing. Well I liked it a lot, just a RC harness and this cushion. So I bought a sit drag and have been somewhat happy with it, but maybe I’m too fat or something but the sit drag bunches up underneath me and feels like I’m sitting on a 1” ratchet strap. I just kept thinking about the comfort from the summit seat. So I put it into play. I have a couple of the cheap harnesses that come with cheap hang ons. I knew I wanted something to act as “suspenders” without buying any, so I chopped the leg straps and back tether off the harness. Then attached the cushion to the harness with a couple nylon webbing straps. The middle strap has a ladder lock on it so I can tighten it and keep the seat further up towards my back if I feel the need. I folded and stitched the seat straps with a speedy stitcher just like my sitdrag, then used electrical tape to tape the straps together, making one attachment point for my bridge biner on each side instead of 2. Then stitched in a strap that came with my summit so that I can flip it up on my butt/lowerback, fasten it i front of me, and walk with it on. When I get to hunting height, just release the buckle, flip the seat down, similar to turkey seat, and connect my bridge. Easy peasy! Is it ultralight like the sit drag? Nope, but it’s not heavy at all. In fact I cut the cushion open and removed the big hard foam pad to make it lighter and bit more flexible. Is fashionable? Nope. Is comfy? Oh sweet Jesus yes! I ended making my bridge about 40” long since the attachment points were so far down and it works great! I’ll be tinkering with it more but I really like it a lot! No hip pinch like my sit drag did, and won’t bunch up under my fatness. Let me know what you guys think. And I should add, I’ll still be wearing my RC harness since there are no leg straps on this setup.
fc2213a6c0828cf07a7ff8c7762b516a.jpg
52f73117478dde75148b44246da26312.jpg
1e297c402cb003493436ee037d46bedc.jpg
098fc4a965e4b46890e6be3cd8e2d7a2.jpg
e46a5f36252b4fb0d8709326a02dc509.jpg



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Pxt said:
Looks like a poor man's version of guidos web. Looks comfy! Nice.
Click to expand...

Yeah I guess it really does, don’t it ha. With the harder foam that was in it, if the tree diameter was small enough that I could straddle it with my knees, it would hold me off the tree, similar to a guidos web whale tale thing. I’ll put it on a scale soon and see what the weight is.


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I also plan to rig me up some little pouches on it. I tried with my sit drag but the weight kept getting the sit drag all out of whack.


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Nice job Hailey!!!! I'd buy one of those.
 
Great job! Love it when you can take multiple relatively useless pieces of equipment and put them together into something truly useful. Great ingenuity!

I have to put on my Redsquirrel hat now, however, and preach safety! The straps that are supporting your butt are professionally sewn, right? I don't mean to throw shade on your idea because it's great - just hard to tell from pics and want to make sure you're safe.


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drew13 said:
Great job! Love it when you can take multiple relatively useless pieces of equipment and put them together into something truly useful. Great ingenuity!

I have to put on my Redsquirrel hat now, however, and preach safety! The straps that are supporting your butt are professionally sewn, right? I don't mean to throw shade on your idea because it's great - just hard to tell from pics and want to make sure you're safe.


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Click to expand...

Yes, anything weight bearing is just as it comes from the factory. Meaning, the summit straps are still stock and the same as if I were sitting in a summit stand. The only thing I did to them were fold the 2” webbing over and stitch it so it would be a smaller profile. Then I added some extra stuff to the seat, but I didn’t do anything to affect its strength. With that being said, of course I will still be tied off to my rock harness, in the event of something going wrong, I won’t be in any real danger, well no more than any other point while climbing a tree. Thanks for your input and safety concerns as well!


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I like it. I just started hunting out of my kestrel (which I love), and I've had an Evolution (which I liked), but I can't quit fiddling with stuff and your frankensaddle has me intrigued!
 
Birddog said:
I like it. I just started hunting out of my kestrel (which I love), and I've had an Evolution (which I liked), but I can't quit fiddling with stuff and your frankensaddle has me intrigued!
Click to expand...

That’s my problem, I always tinker with something


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drew13 said:
I have to put on my Redsquirrel hat now, however, and preach safety! The straps that are supporting your butt are professionally sewn, right? I don't mean to throw shade on your idea because it's great - just hard to tell from pics and want to make sure you're safe.


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Click to expand...
Thank you! We push the limits looking for new and better ways a lot on here. While in the end it is up to ever user to evaluate their own stuff for safety, owning and running this site I feel extra responsibility to push safety. All of you guys on here have become like an extended family and I don't want to se anything happen to anyone!
 
Hailey_Phillips said:
Ok guys, been workin on this concoction for a couple days now, and I’m finally ready to reveal it. This idea started last year when I used my summit seat cushion as a “try before you buy” method of saddle hunting before I bought anything. I had cut the back cushion off already, so as I was looking at sit drags, I thought, hey I got just the thing. Well I liked it a lot, just a RC harness and this cushion. So I bought a sit drag and have been somewhat happy with it, but maybe I’m too fat or something but the sit drag bunches up underneath me and feels like I’m sitting on a 1” ratchet strap. I just kept thinking about the comfort from the summit seat. So I put it into play. I have a couple of the cheap harnesses that come with cheap hang ons. I knew I wanted something to act as “suspenders” without buying any, so I chopped the leg straps and back tether off the harness. Then attached the cushion to the harness with a couple nylon webbing straps. The middle strap has a ladder lock on it so I can tighten it and keep the seat further up towards my back if I feel the need. I folded and stitched the seat straps with a speedy stitcher just like my sitdrag, then used electrical tape to tape the straps together, making one attachment point for my bridge biner on each side instead of 2. Then stitched in a strap that came with my summit so that I can flip it up on my butt/lowerback, fasten it i front of me, and walk with it on. When I get to hunting height, just release the buckle, flip the seat down, similar to turkey seat, and connect my bridge. Easy peasy! Is it ultralight like the sit drag? Nope, but it’s not heavy at all. In fact I cut the cushion open and removed the big hard foam pad to make it lighter and bit more flexible. Is fashionable? Nope. Is comfy? Oh sweet Jesus yes! I ended making my bridge about 40” long since the attachment points were so far down and it works great! I’ll be tinkering with it more but I really like it a lot! No hip pinch like my sit drag did, and won’t bunch up under my fatness. Let me know what you guys think. And I should add, I’ll still be wearing my RC harness since there are no leg straps on this setup.
fc2213a6c0828cf07a7ff8c7762b516a.jpg
52f73117478dde75148b44246da26312.jpg
1e297c402cb003493436ee037d46bedc.jpg
098fc4a965e4b46890e6be3cd8e2d7a2.jpg
e46a5f36252b4fb0d8709326a02dc509.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Great job. Looks pretty cool. Reminds me of a cross between a treesuit and Guido's web.
 
I added some pouches to it today for ropes and small items like bow hanger and stuff, I’ll try and get some pics tomorrow morning sometime.


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I got my summit out today figured I needed to use it or sell it. I climbed a tree and sat down and then this
e8ce9f8458ba1ad3049c093def257b9f.jpg

Yep both straps on one side ripped. So be aware. My stand is old and been in the sun.


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