The Geometric Factors Before Us

[arm breaker]

Almost everything to do with saddle comfort relates to geometry. We also talk a lot about safety, and I think comfort has a role to play here, too. When I’m more comfortable I feel safer, and that allows me to focus on hunting and enjoying my time in the tree. Has anyone worked out the secrets here? I know we have common advice like “figure out what works for you,” but I’m curious what things you’ve discovered along the way that make life better in the tree. I’ll share two I’ve come on to recently:

1. Using an openable, adjustable bridge. I don’t want to make the thread about this butchanging to this setup on my phantom made it a different world in terms of comfort. I can’t say why other than I think the slightly different angles and pulls made things just right and greatly reduced the various pressure points I could never work out before. It feels just as great on my new Cruzr, although it came that way (customized) so I can’t compare it their off the shelf versions. This leaves aside the tremendously nice experience of putting the saddle on compared to stepping through.

2. I saw this on another thread but I coped and made a nice and quiet way of attaching my hand muff to my bridge. It eliminated the need for gloves and just sits in the perfect spot.

Anyone else have little ideas that have made life easier?

 

[raisins]

It's tempting for the convenience.

Some folks want to be able to rotate hard left (if a rightie) for a drop shot. That's why all I have is a small knot on the right and my prusik is to the left and as short as I feel comfortable getting it. It's not a big deal if you run a long tether (meant long bridge).

 

[arm breaker]

It's tempting for the convenience.

Some folks want to be able to rotate hard left (if a rightie) for a drop shot. That's why all I have is a small knot on the right and my prusik is to the left and as short as I feel comfortable getting it. It's not a big deal if you run a long tether.

Are you saying the openable bridge makes that more difficult? I haven’t tried every single option but I haven’t noticed any movement issues so far.

 

[raisins]

Are you saying the openable bridge makes that more difficult? I haven’t tried every single option but I haven’t noticed any movement issues so far.

Yep. Because you now have your prusik on the right. No matter what you put on your right side, if it sticks up more, then if you rotate hard it is more likely to hit the carabiner coming off your tether. If you instead put the carabiner to the right, it would be the same but now you are hitting your bridge 'biner and tether 'biner (which might be loud also). Many folks run a figure 8 or overhand on a bight on the right and try to get it as close to the bridge loops as possible for this reason.

It is more a concern on the right side because you typically rotate to the strong side (left) as a rightie. Ideally, you have nothing on the right, but that's not feasible usually. You'll see this easier with a short tether (edit: this should read bridge). Run your tether (edit: this should be bridge) short at ground level and then rotate away the tree to your left and your prusik will hit the carabiner and impede your movement.

It's not the biggest deal, but it's best to know it will happen and under what circumstances.

 

[arm breaker]

I see, so the prussic gets into the tether carabiner? I will tinker with different lengths of the bridge and tether and see what happens. So to be clear, this problem (in the case of a rightie) applies to any adjustable bridge and does not related to the openable bridge part of things?

 

[raisins]

I see, so the prussic gets into the tether carabiner? I will tinker with different lengths of the bridge and tether and see what happens. So to be clear, this problem (in the case of a rightie) applies to any adjustable bridge and does not related to the openable bridge part of things?

It relates to how much "stuff" is above your bridge loops that can't slide through the tether carabiner. I think an openable bridge would make my setup worse because both sides would have stuff up there to hit the tether carabiner, no matter which way I organized it. You either have the carabiner or the prusik cord to the right.

I have an adjustable bridge. On the left, I have TRC that is "prusik'd" to the bridge loop and to the Oplux tether. On the right, I have a small figure 8 on a bight that is "prusik'd" to the bridge loops (so I can slide it wherever I want on the bridge to adjust angle). That figure 8 to the right only sticks up 2 inches or so. It is close the amsteel bridge from Cruzr, but made with ropes and knots and not amsteel and splices. The spliced amsteel is probably the best option for staying out of the way (because no knots to add length), but I don't like amsteel bridges.

I'm not downing your system. If it works for you the great. I think if you run a short bridge and rotate around then you will see what I mean and see how less stuff between bridge loops and bridge rope means you can rotate around more with a shorter bridge. You might find that you have to run a medium to long bridge.

 

[raisins]

I see, so the prussic gets into the tether carabiner? I will tinker with different lengths of the bridge and tether and see what happens. So to be clear, this problem (in the case of a rightie) applies to any adjustable bridge and does not related to the openable bridge part of things?

PS....I was mixing my terms up (brain fart). I meant try this with a short bridge (not tether which I wrote and since edited, tether length won't show you this as clearly) and see if it causes an issue when you rotate for a shot.

 

[arm breaker]

It relates to how much "stuff" is above your bridge loops that can't slide through the tether carabiner. I think an openable bridge would make my setup worse because both sides would have stuff up there to hit the tether carabiner, no matter which way I organized it. You either have the carabiner or the prusik cord to the right.

I have an adjustable bridge. On the left, I have TRC that is "prusik'd" to the bridge loop and to the Oplux tether. On the right, I have a small figure 8 on a bight that is "prusik'd" to the bridge loops (so I can slide it wherever I want on the bridge to adjust angle). That figure 8 to the right only sticks up 2 inches or so. It is close the amsteel bridge from Cruzr, but made with ropes and knots and not amsteel and splices. The spliced amsteel is probably the best option for staying out of the way (because no knots to add length), but I don't like amsteel bridges.

I'm not downing your system. If it works for you the great. I think if you run a short bridge and rotate around then you will see what I mean and see how less stuff between bridge loops and bridge rope means you can rotate around more with a shorter bridge. You might find that you have to run a medium to long bridge.

All good brother, it’s something I had not thought about. I am a bigger guy so the bridge is usually longer then most anyway. I’ve practiced all ways I can conjur, including that one, and haven’t noticed the issue but next time I’m out I will force things and see where I run into issues.