• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

My review of Ken's sling/saddle

D

DaveT1963

Well-Known Member
Vendor Rep
Joined
Dec 2, 2014
Messages
3,511
I was able to sit in and use Ken's new Saddle all day yesterday prepping some trees. Here are my thoughts:

Overall the saddlee is very well made and was super comfortable. The buckle on the waist belt is A+. The fit is great and I felt very safe and comfortable using it as a lineman's belt and as a saddle hanging from my tether.

I do have a few recommendations for second run:

The loops need to be folded and doubled over and sewn up completely to facilitate ease of use when connecting and disconnecting the carabineer with the lineman's belt. In the dark it would be easier.

I would also move those loops closer to saddle. I could not use even a 24" runner as a bridge with a eye level hookup. I want to have a little adjustability with my ropeman1 and tether. I personally like a fixed bridge but if you use an adjustable one that's a mute point.

Last, definitely need some loops to hang gear from off back and sides.

Overall a good saddle and if a second run is made with the above recommendations this might be my goto and save me trouble of sewing my own.
 
Re: RE: My review of Ken's sling/saddle

DaveT1963 said:
I was able to sit in and use Ken's new Saddle all day yesterday prepping some trees. Here are my thoughts:

Overall the saddlee is very well made and was super comfortable. The buckle on the waist belt is A+. The fit is great and I felt very safe and comfortable using it as a lineman's belt and as a saddle hanging from my tether.

I do have a few recommendations for second run:

The loops need to be folded and doubled over and sewn up completely to facilitate ease of use when connecting and disconnecting the carabineer with the lineman's belt. In the dark it would be easier.

I would also move those loops closer to saddle. I could not use even a 24" runner as a bridge with a eye level hookup. I want to have a little adjustability with my ropeman1 and tether. I personally like a fixed bridge but if you use an adjustable one that's a mute point.

Last, definitely need some loops to hang gear from off back and sides.

Overall a good saddle and if a second run is made with the above recommendations this might be my goto and save me trouble of sewing my own.
Click to expand...
Looks like you think mostly the same thing I thought about it. It is really quite well made and with those couple of minor tweaks, it'll be even better. I had trouble using my fixed length bridge too, but I've been experimenting with dyneema sling bridge based largely off the demonstration on your videos, so I'm just making do with it the way it is until I add the other loops.

Shaun
 
Thanks for the review Dave. I dont see the ability to move the loops back, since it is the triangulation of the 3 webs that puts relatively even pressure on all 3 and resisting the urge to bunch up and or cause pressure point. The ability to place a secondary loop back further just for lineman belt loops could be feasible, but keep in mind that currently this is a one side fits all so to speak. The distance around your back vs mine, vs Shauns, etc can vary. I purposely put those loops out front so the seat could wrap around to whatever angle the bridge created. Placing a hook up to close to your hip could cause pinch. Not being able to use a 24" bridge intrigues me, since I can use a 36" one albeit the ropeman1 is right up snug to the tree.
If I could get a measurement from the short cross strap(edge closes to loop) to where you think a loop would be good for a lineman, Ill look at mine and see.
 
How far you put the loops in front will have no effect on pinching. The width of your back does. Once the loops are in front of you they are not the pivot points. While I would not put them on your hips, there is considerable ways they can come back. I'm a pretty big boy, i doubt either of you are to much bigger across then I am if at all? It also made it harder to get the carbineer on/off as it was sometimes on the side of the tree (smaller trees)

The molle style loops, or something to hang gear from is also needed to hang your sticks from.

Do you think there will be a second run?
 
34 or 36 depending on how loose I need em for moving around. I'm thick n chunky and have big legs and a belly. Kinda like that dwarf on Lord of the Rings

Shaun
 
You guys are skinny. :shock: Im bustin out of 38" dress pants, and have a tire above that. Gotta see pics of you guys in the saddle to see where the loops are. Look at my pics, they are just in front of my hips. Dave the 3 straps come together and thats where the loop is. To move the loop back would mean taking material out of the but area, not shortening the V where they merge.
Look at the pic I tried to mark up. The yellow shows the zone that the saddle touches in the hip area. This is designed to be 3 wide like shown. To move the loop back there are 2 ways. Ive shown changing the V or merge angles and thats not going to happen. The other way is to keep the angles and shorten the saddle. That would not give you the 3 belt wide area in the hips.



 
Why not do away with making a v? Have the top 2 straps connect in a U to hook up to and right behind the U have a vertical strap over all 3 , tying them together stitched down to the saddle.
 
swampsnyper said:
Why not do away with making a v? Have the top 2 straps connect in a U to hook up to and right behind the U have a vertical strap over all 3 , tying them together stitched down to the saddle.
Click to expand...

I believe a U will turn into a V when tension is applied, causing it to bunch up. The sit-drags do this based on the pics Ive seen.
 
I agree, a "U"
Will ALWAYS turn into a V under tension.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Don't move where the loops connect. Move his far the stock out past you.
 
Re: RE: Re: My review of Ken's sling/saddle

DaveT1963 said:
Don't move where the loops connect. Move his far the stock out past you.
Click to expand...
I think I agree. Move how far they stick out past you. The saddle itself is great in the fit. But the loops pull way too far to the inside when you hang from them. I've decided to add loops onto mine so I'll do that this week and give you guys a demo/review once that is done

Shaun
 
kenn1320 said:
swampsnyper said:
Why not do away with making a v? Have the top 2 straps connect in a U to hook up to and right behind the U have a vertical strap over all 3 , tying them together stitched down to the saddle.
Click to expand...

I believe a U will turn into a V when tension is applied, causing it to bunch up. The sit-drags do this based on the pics Ive seen.
Click to expand...
Gotcha!
 
Dave I think auto correct got you again, I cant understand what you posted.

Shaun I will be curious what you come up with, cause I dont understand how you can move the loop and not change the way it works.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top