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Sitdrag vs Kestral
- Thread starter Andrew Reimus
- Start date
This is my first year saddle hunting and I’m so glad I found this site and new tribe , I have been going hard all season with the kestrel and Evo ... they both have their own application. I guess im lucky after reading everyones discomfort problems as I spent about 8 months getting used to the Evo so the kestrel was easy to figure out what was right for me. I have hunted from before sunrise to sunset in each .. both are extremely comfortable but the Evo wins the comfort category , the kestrel shines when it comes to warmer and colder weather ,for clothing ( a jacket is a little bit of a pain with the Evo ). I really hope New Tribe has a version II of the kestrel with D loops moved up a bit and the mole loops moved up as well. I have thought more than a few times while in my kestrel how I would feel like I was sliding out of it if I did not have leg straps. Does the sit drag conform to your body better so you do not feel like you are going to slide out of it ?
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Answer to does it feel like your sliding out is for me yes. Especially when climbing with my XOP climber top. When using it to climb as you ascend the tree gets smaller so you have to hang in saddle and pull platform up and adjust it smaller. While hanging leg straps in Kestrel and EVO help to keep you in saddle. Kind of like one stick method. That’s one of the reasons I like the Kestrel. I have an Evo also and 2 Sitdrags. If you want to try a Sitdrag I’ll send you one when I get home late January. If you like it we may be able to make an arraignment if not send it back. Sitdrag has waist belt sewn in with fixed Amsteel bridge. If interested PM me your details.
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Thats good to know , thank you for the offer but im going to stick with my new tribes , when I first started with the Evo , I hated the leg straps but thats because I didn’t have it dialed in.... now I don’t even know the leg straps are there
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Same here on leg straps. Now I’ve ordered the Kestrel S2.
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I have never felt like I was sliding out of the SitDrag and I have a few hundred hours in it. I sew a belt to mine, that may be the big difference. I've never hunted a SD without a belt.
ImThere
Well-Known Member
my sit drag is bone stock the only change i have made is the bridge. i have never felt like i was sliding out of mine
I have just watched your Illinois hunt on you tube and you seem very comfortable , was your brother using a sit drag as well ? What broke on your platform ?
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He used one of my custom sitdrags. It was his first time ever hunting from it. He never even saw one before we met in Illinois. He had used a Trophyline tree saddle once or twice before the IL hunt, but he was more or less a saddle virgin. I have never been uncomfortable in my SitDrag and I've logged hundreds of hours.
I broke the top Muddy tree bracket attached to the tube. I had the LW strap too tight when I cammed the seat over. Surprisingly, the aluminum bracket broke before the strap slipped in the LW buckle.
Im curious to see how many other Kestrel saddlers after figuring out their bridge length decided to tie direct to the loops and omit carabiners ... the halyard knot instructions that came with kestrel works perfect
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The advantage of the carabiner bridge is eliminating stepping through it to put on your saddle. I'm not bothered by stepping through the bridge, so I definitely wouldn't use that carabiner.
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Sent from my Galaxy S8.
hickstick
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2016
- Messages
- 294
I'm 5'7" 210# with 36 waist. Have a size 1 kestrel and my longest sit was 5 hours (woulda been longer but it got dark, lol). Def think you're wearing it too high. I have the waist belt right in between the point of my femur & the top of the hip bone (iliac crest). I find it super comfy.
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ImThere
Well-Known Member
sounds awful low does it feel like your falling out?
I thought I would like a carabiner bridge but stepping through doesn’t bother me at all and having the bridge ready and attached is one less step when I get to my tree. This is my first year saddle hunting and I’m still working out what I like and what I don’t like.. you are a machine with that hobie kayak in that heat with huge dinosaurs swimming below you , your videos are great keep them coming !
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The Kestrel is great. I recommend everyone buy one. I wouldn't recommend a SitDrag to someone new to saddle hunting.
hickstick
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2016
- Messages
- 294
not at all. feels rock solid to me.
hickstick
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2016
- Messages
- 294
ImThere
Well-Known Member
Did you buy one and forsake the sitdrag?
or have you just spent time in someone elses?
ImThere
Well-Known Member
its hard to tell where your belt line is? but it looks like where your upper black strap is, that is the area that hurt meHere us a photo of that very hunt.
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