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Pioneer Saddle, high quality at a GREAT price

J

John RB

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
854
Location
Fort Washington, PA
Friends,
If you're thinking about getting into Saddle Hunting or if you're in the market for a Saddle upgrade, the Pioneer, from Ape Canyon Outfitters, (part of RockNArbor) is a high-quality saddle, listed at $189, or $171 using the JRB10 coupon code.

I didn't feel comfortable doing a review on a Saddle until after I had hunted in it for a while, and only if I loved it. I also wanted to make sure that I could get y'all a discount.

I used both models, and I like the FABRIC version better than the mesh... I just feel it provides more uniform support, and I feel the straps less.

My page:

Saddles - JrbTreeClimbing.com

I am regularly asked what saddle I recommend. I have tried on quite a few, and for 12 years before I ever heard of "Saddle Hunting", I was building my own DIY models. I learned that it requires many hours in a saddle to really know how it fits and feels. For that reason, I
jrbtreeclimbing.com

Ape Canyon Saddle page:

Hunting Saddles - Rock-N-Arbor

www.rocknarbor.com www.rocknarbor.com

My video:



JrbTreeClimbing.com, affiliated with RockNArbor.com
 
Nice review John. I swear I looked at this before and it didn't come with the Austri Alpine buckles. Great to see them on there (referring to their page you linked).

Love that there's no Amsteel on it. I'm not a fan of Amsteel in climbing gear and quite frankly have no idea why it's become so prevalent on hunting apparatus. I've only known it to be used for winches etc
 
TreeRecon said:
Nice review John. I swear I looked at this before and it didn't come with the Austri Alpine buckles. Great to see them on there (referring to their page you linked).

Love that there's no Amsteel on it. I'm not a fan of Amsteel in climbing gear and quite frankly have no idea why it's become so prevalent on hunting apparatus. I've only known it to be used for winches etc
Click to expand...
I am not sure I saw your comment when it came in. Apologies for the delay in responding. As for your comment about Amsteel, I have researched it and can't find any other industries that are using or recommending it for climbing applications. It doesn't take conventional knots well and is slippery. Even when coated for abrasion resistance, it doesn't age well with friction, like when it passes over a bridge carabiner. I have examined the saddles of others after 2 yrs of use and the Amsteel bridge is tattered and frayed. The only thing I can figure is that the companies selling it stand to benefit when you need a new saddle every couple of years. Yes, it's light... but our bridge is not where we wanna cut weight. But here's the greatest and most dangerous irony: most climbers aren't even using their bridge when they climb. What good is an incredibly strong bridge if it's not connected to the tree when we experience a stick kickout of collapse? None. So let's not take our eye off the ball: no matter what saddle ya got and no matter what the bridge is made of, pls make sure that the bridge is connected to the tree the ENTIRE TIME.

JrbTreeClimbing.com, affiliated with RockNArbor.com
 
I will also add to Johns comments to please pay attention to your tether/ bridge slack as well when you advance your climb keep it to a minimum.
 
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