My review of Ken's sling/saddle

[kenn1320]

So I tried my loops today. I have to say that you were right, Kenn. It did seem to change the way the saddle distributed my weight ( But it did feel good rotating, so I confirmed my belief that I can move more easily when I'm attached closer to my hips). I'm not sure if this is because i can more comfortably tether at a lower height and still use a longer bridge or if it's because of where I'm attached at the sides. So I am gonna use these two as accessory loops and am gonna try one more loop modification (moving the forward to a spot just behind the existing loops). I know. I know. You tried to tell me. But I'm hard headed and I really think I can add some loops to this thing that will accomplish the thing I set out to do. If not, then I guess I'll have a few extra loops.

Shaun

Shaun are you having fun? Are you doing it in a safe manner? Thats all that matters my friend. Thanks for sharing the results, good or bad we all learn something.

 

[essdub]

Re: RE: Re: My review of Ken's sling/saddle

So I tried my loops today. I have to say that you were right, Kenn. It did seem to change the way the saddle distributed my weight ( But it did feel good rotating, so I confirmed my belief that I can move more easily when I'm attached closer to my hips). I'm not sure if this is because i can more comfortably tether at a lower height and still use a longer bridge or if it's because of where I'm attached at the sides. So I am gonna use these two as accessory loops and am gonna try one more loop modification (moving the forward to a spot just behind the existing loops). I know. I know. You tried to tell me. But I'm hard headed and I really think I can add some loops to this thing that will accomplish the thing I set out to do. If not, then I guess I'll have a few extra loops.

Shaun

Shaun are you having fun? Are you doing it in a safe manner? Thats all that matters my friend. Thanks for sharing the results, good or bad we all learn something.

Haha. Yes I'm having fun and being safe. I don't want to screw up the great saddle you invented. I was just looking back at the post where you drew where you recommend I might try to add loops that would effectively load all three straps. I will use that if I decide to try again. Your saddle is pretty darn sweet as it is. I think I just have the urge to fiddle with stuff. I'll keep posting successful and humiliating failures because it's possible someone could benefit from them. Plus, it helps to laugh at myself because that way you guys can laugh or just shake your heads when I'm doing something that has no chance of working

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[DaveT1963]

Re: RE: Re: My review of Ken's sling/saddle

[quote="BassBoysLLP]Did you have something else made?[/quote]

Not yet I am trying to find someone to tune up this singer 15-91 (I got it for free - the little lady had it hiding in the shop) then I am going to make my own saddles and hunting vest. I know exactly what I want and will make it custom fit to my style of saddle hunting. It will resemble some of Ken's design and then add a few mods that suit my style better. It will have some gear loops, a removable sheath for my hand pruners, a small pocket for my bridge and a few other tweaks. I have so much to do this summer I am beginning to think I wont get much fishing time in

 

[essdub]

I went out after work with the new loops on the Ken sling. They work good as lineman belt attachment, but I just tied tubular webbing as bridge. I might shorten it but it worked well and I was able to shoot from about every angle I tried. Here's a three minute video showing the way the sling handled while attempting different shot angles


https://youtu.be/m6qkqPk1OwM

On two shots You can heara loud thwack. That's me hitting the front legs of the 3d deer target 27-30 yards. Just missed. No excuse

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[BassBoysLLP]

Any difference in comfort Shaun?

- Shawn

 

[essdub]

Yeah. It's comfortable again now. It wasn't bad even when I had the middle loops loaded. But it's better now. I'll post a couple pics tomorrow of the new loops if I remember.
I think the biggest difference for me today was loosening the belt. I always liked to have the belt tight so that the saddle would stay put even if I stood up and had no tension on the tether. But with it loose, I could rotate really easily and the saddle didn't really fall or anything. So I might have to rethink my tight belt policy

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[swampsnyper]

Looking good buddy!

 

[essdub]

You suggested I do the videos close to the ground so that it would show the saddle action more closely. It felt strange being only eight feet up, but hey, whatever works. I got tangled in the dang muscadine vines several times though

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[swampsnyper]

You did good boss! Stay out of the poison ivy!

 

[essdub]

Re: RE: Re: My review of Ken's sling/saddle

You did good boss! Stay out of the poison ivy!

Been crawling around in it my whole life. So far, never been allergic

Shaun

 

[swampsnyper]

Me either. But my brother use to catch it from my clothes when we were younger.

 

[essdub]

My ex would catch it every year at some point, probably from my clothes

Shaun

 

[Lersanyu]

Me either. But my brother use to catch it from my clothes when we were younger.

haha, interesting

 

[Maustypsu]

Re: RE: Re: My review of Ken's sling/saddle


I don't think spreader bars are necessary. I've always been comfortable in my standard saddle with very manageable hip squeeze.

However for the guys that are interested in the spreader bar, my suggestion would only add about 8 oz, take 30 seconds to setup and has already been tested to hold your body weight. Just an idea.

Yeah, I love this. I was working on a PVC type idea. But for $10 and 8 oz, I like the post you sent.

 

[Chad]

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'm very new here and looking forward to building my own saddle. Is there any reason you couldn't use a "D" ring to connect all 3 straps while keeping there separation? I know the steel would add wieght, but certainly not very much.

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[kenn1320]

I'm very new here and looking forward to building my own saddle. Is there any reason you couldn't use a "D" ring to connect all 3 straps while keeping there separation? I know the steel would add wieght, but certainly not very much.

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Initial testing had 3 belts connecting on a carabiner. It just got messy as they bunched on each other. Look at my molle saddle thread in the DIY, likely shows that.

 

[Maustypsu]

I'm very new here and looking forward to building my own saddle. Is there any reason you couldn't use a "D" ring to connect all 3 straps while keeping there separation? I know the steel would add wieght, but certainly not very much.

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I have found that forcing them apart is much more comfortable. When you just let them go where they want, it isn't where you want.
But I'm not a textile designer and certainly no saddle guru. Good luck with your build. Hope to see it in the DIY section, so I can steal your best ideas and work them into my set up!

 

[redsquirrel]

Initial testing had 3 belts connecting on a carabiner. It just got messy as they bunched on each other. Look at my molle saddle thread in the DIY, likely shows that.

I'm very new here and looking forward to building my own saddle. Is there any reason you couldn't use a "D" ring to connect all 3 straps while keeping there separation? I know the steel would add wieght, but certainly not very much.

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I agree with Kenn. Using a carabiner or D ring does work, but the straps can get tangled, out of order and messy.

 

[essdub]

I agree. I tried that too. And it did work, but like Ken and Red say, they get bunched up and it causes one point on each side to be very uncomfortable.
Personally, I found the most comfort and peace of mind in two different types of slings/saddles . One of them is kinda like Ken ' s sling except that mine is uglier, more padded, won't roll up as small, and has huge loops. Plus camo cloth.
The other style I find very comfy and I can sit in for long periods of time is the Anderson sling style. I have a couple of them left that I haven't sold and I love them. I have one that's still mostly unmodified (except that it had no integrated tether , an improved belt, and an integrated bridge. The others are single cradle (half the butt holders) of other Anderson slings. They're only a single cradle and were modeled after the Ken sling, too, in that they are extremely compact, lightweight, and sturdy. These don't have cloth covering them so there's nothing but webbing holDing your hind quarters . Again, they have a Web belt similar to Ken sling and huge loops sewn from a few inches of the original webbing where I cut the other"cradle" out.
I think that everyone's ideas help everyone come up with something that works for that person.I know I borrowed a lot from others ideas and experimented with(and discarded) a lot of slings before I decided I'm pretty happy with the two or three that I use most often.