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Soft seat saddles

Scott F

Scott F

Well-Known Member
Feb 15, 2015
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Tampa, Florida
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Tampa, Florida
Enough is enough. I really wanted to like a pliable, soft-seat saddle but I just don't.
I've made treesaddles, tree slings, and most recently a padded replica of DaveT's but I can't get comfortable in them.

I've moved my lead line hook up point up and down the tree, I've tried short and long bridges, and this last saddle that I made was padded. I just don't like the hip squeeze. It certainly isn't unbearable, but I find myself moving WAY too much in my stand because I can't stay comfortable for too long when wearing one.

So, it is back to my plywood and webbing. I feel almost silly for having tried the other stands, this one is crazy-comfortable (for me).
 
kenn1320

kenn1320

Well-Known Member
Sep 15, 2015
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I cant sit on a bleacher for more than about 30min without moving around from pain. A stadium chair adds 30min to that. How can you sit on a board in a tree for very long?
 
B

bioguy

Active Member
Aug 26, 2015
103
5
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Scott F - I'm actually looking at doing a DIY...would you mind posting pictures of your plywood design? If you have done so already on another forum, where can I find it?
 
rr79

rr79

Active Member
Nov 1, 2014
190
2
0
south jersey
LOCATION
south jersey
I tough it out. Sat today 6hrs. But i cant wait to get my rigid seat/vest done. Its like night and day.
 
Scott F

Scott F

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Feb 15, 2015
766
655
93
Tampa, Florida
LOCATION
Tampa, Florida
I don't wear a safety harness in this seat. I trust the rope, webbing, and carabineer that I use as they are all climbing grade gear and I'm very confident in the basic knots that I use and I verify them every time that I use this system. In this set up I use a figure 8, prussic, and water knot.

If the plywood base ever gave way I would still be captured by the tubular nylon webbing. I doubt that I could have a catastrophic failure of any of these components that would cause a fall. I do use a lineman's belt ever time that I climb, starting when I get to the top of my first LW stick until I have this seat fully attached and in use, then I remove and stow it. This is (admittedly) the first year that I have consistently used a lineman's belt and it makes a difference.
 
D

DaveT1963

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Vendor Rep
Dec 2, 2014
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Sorry it did not work out for you, as I stated in the video it's not for everyone. I think different people have different ideas on what comfortable means. There's just no way a sling style saddle will ever compare to like a huntmore seat or even a hammock seat. Just not going to happen. You kind of have to rack and stack what's most important to yo. For me comfort is a state of mind. I make it work. I rank compactness, quietness, weight, ease of use, and ability to shoot far above I do comfort. But personally I don't find saddles uncomfortable at all, I guess I'm fortunate there.

Looking forward to see your future mods on your plywood base
 
Scott F

Scott F

Well-Known Member
Feb 15, 2015
766
655
93
Tampa, Florida
LOCATION
Tampa, Florida
Good point Dave. Like many things, 'comfort' is a relative term.

I'm thinking of ways to incorporate a piano hinge into a different base to make it even more compact.
One of the principle drawbacks is the potential to get pinched in a fairly, ummm, errrr, well, 'sensitive' area. I think that I can mitigate that risk however. This will be a project for after the rut; the VA deer are moving and I need to spend more time in the trees and less in my garage.

I have in my head a hard-based seat that can collapse to a smaller package. I intend to sew a pocket on the outside of my pack to accept it for the walk in and carry up a tree.
 
redsquirrel

redsquirrel

Administrator
Staff member
SH Member
Feb 19, 2014
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NJ
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saddlehunter.com
Scott F said:
Good point Dave. Like many things, 'comfort' is a relative term.

I'm thinking of ways to incorporate a piano hinge into a different base to make it even more compact.
One of the principle drawbacks is the potential to get pinched in a fairly, ummm, errrr, well, 'sensitive' area. I think that I can mitigate that risk however. This will be a project for after the rut; the VA deer are moving and I need to spend more time in the trees and less in my garage.

I have in my head a hard-based seat that can collapse to a smaller package. I intend to sew a pocket on the outside of my pack to accept it for the walk in and carry up a tree.
Click to expand...

I can see your idea in my head. Just cut your seat it half, put some sort of hinges on the bottom so that it folds up, and there you go, right?
 
Scott F

Scott F

Well-Known Member
Feb 15, 2015
766
655
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Tampa, Florida
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Tampa, Florida
Pretty much. I'm thinking of running a length of HEAVY 3" webbing down the center to cover the seam. This will be attached permanently to one side so that the joint (or seam) of the two wooden pieces will be covered to mitigate the risk of 'pinching'.

I think that I will also bevel cut the seam slightly so that it actually rises a little at the seam so when pressure is applied and it bends, it will level out as basically a flat platform.

I don't know if this makes sense at all, but it is more clear in my head.

Obviously, this will be tested at ground level - and without the presence of anyone else!

Happy Birthday to all Marines out there, past and present!
Semper Fi
 
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