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What's going on at AeroHunter?

Who remembers the kite/kestrel bridge loop reinforcement being cut to short and when your bridge would fall off the end it was a little split second heart falling out of your butthole pretend free fall oh crap what happened type of moment….. anyone?
 
Aerohunter was the manufacturer that finally allowed me to get into saddle hunting. I developed my interest shortly after the original Trophyline went out of business and the intense competition for the limited supply of used TL saddles on the internet put those out of my price range. Then Aerohunter showed up with the EVO and I was actually able to buy a saddle without following the Ebay bid to the minute.

When the Kestrel came out I was one of the first in line for the lighter/less complex saddle. The Kestrel and Kite are definitely the forerunners for today's single panel designs. It would be a shame if this is the end of Aerohunter saddles. They definitely have a soft spot in my heart.
 
enkriss said:
Who remembers the kite/kestrel bridge loop reinforcement being cut to short and when your bridge would fall off the end it was a little split second heart falling out of your butthole pretend free fall oh crap what happened type of moment….. anyone?
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Isn't that the original source of the term "pucker factor" ??? :tearsofjoy:
 
pesqimon said:
What’s most like a kite? I think Trophyline covert but never tried it.
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I tried the TL Covert but didn't like it because they put a random unnecessary piece of 2" webbing right in the middle of the mesh. It serves no discernible purpose and creates an uncomfortable pressure point right in the middle of your butt. I sent mine back because of this.
 
Damn this makes my OG Kestrel officially an an artifact of a bygone era. What is the closest thing on the market to the Kestrel now? Trophyline?
If someone on here started making on-spec Kestrels and selling them, they might have a customer here.
 
DelaWhere_Arrow said:
Damn this makes my OG Kestrel officially an an artifact of a bygone era. What is the closest thing on the market to the Kestrel now? Trophyline?
If someone on here started making on-spec Kestrels and selling them, they might have a customer here.
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H2 sling shot is pretty similarly built to a kestrel, the Tethrd menace has a similar design as well
 
DB4x4 said:
I tried the TL Covert but didn't like it because they put a random unnecessary piece of 2" webbing right in the middle of the mesh. It serves no discernible purpose and creates an uncomfortable pressure point right in the middle of your butt. I sent mine back because of this.
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That does sound undesirable
 
I just tried calling AeroHunter. I left a message for “Sophie” for New Tribe and AeroHunter saddles. The message seems to indicate they are still working albeit not at the same level as in the past and they are working and sewing saddles from home etc. it almost sounded like a Covid era message and perhaps it is. If you click on a link to shop the revolution or the shrike it says product not found. I’m wondering if they are having issues with their online store component software. You gotta wonder with all the glitzy marketing by Trophyline and Tethrd it’s probably a matter of time who will get most new sales etc. plus remember we have a horribly downtown economy that will manifast more and more next year.
 
You would have to think that with all the saddle manufacturers that have popped up they lost a significant market share. Being a company of non-hunters never helped their cause from a design standpoint. But they were good people with mostly good products. I sure am glad I already stocked up on my lifetime supply of size 2 kestrels. Yes, I bought enough so that I have enough to periodically replace one and get me through until the end of my hunting career. The only thing I ever really disliked on the kestrel was the tiny linemans loops.

And FWIW, get ready to hear about more of this from saddle companies. The saddle fad is winding down. We're going to end up with a larger base of saddle hunters than we used to, but it's going back to being more of a niche or specialty use than being mainstream. At this point I think the majority of people who have interest in one have tried it. They are either sticking with it, going back to treestands (especially with the new ultralight ones coming out) or keeping it for only a few specific situations. I see more and more of the latter two options.
 
redsquirrel said:
And FWIW, get ready to hear about more of this from saddle companies. The saddle fad is winding down. We're going to end up with a larger base of saddle hunters than we used to, but it's going back to being more of a niche or specialty use than being mainstream. At this point I think the majority of people who have interest in one have tried it. They are either sticking with it, going back to treestands (especially with the new ultralight ones coming out) or keeping it for only a few specific situations. I see more and more of the latter two options.
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I agree with you completely and have sensed that as well. I have been doing a saddle hunting component in my hunter ed and bowhunter ed classes over the last three years and I would say 2/3rds are a hard no, .25 are interested and the remaining are, "I may try that someday but not now." The ropes and knots intimidate a lot of people and let's face it and yes, it is sad to say.... but. many guys still do not want to deal with anything beyond getting up in the ladder stand or whatever and just sitting there without having to use a harness or ropes or anything. I find that just like many hobbies or sports, you have a complete spectrum of level of interest. The guys that just want to get out in the woods a few days and have an opportunity are never going to take the time to get into saddle hunting even though... as we all know...... it really doesn't take a huge learning curve at all, but the perception that it does is still there.
 
I’ve owned the Evolution and the Kestrel, and have always thought there’d be another Aerohunter in my future. But with the weirdness of the updated Flex, and the integrated lineman’s of the Shrike, I deferred.

I do hope they get resurrected.
 
DB4x4 said:
I tried the TL Covert but didn't like it because they put a random unnecessary piece of 2" webbing right in the middle of the mesh. It serves no discernible purpose and creates an uncomfortable pressure point right in the middle of your butt. I sent mine back because of this.
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pesqimon said:
In case Aerohunter reads this: I would buy another Kite. Will need a new saddle in the next season or so.

What’s most like a kite? I think Trophyline covert but never tried it.
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I had both and they are night and day different. Regret selling the Kite. Covert Lite was happy to ship off. It was stiff and bulky and nothing like the Kite.

The only minor complaint on the Kite was the buckles. Seems like modern cobra style buckles would have solved that and they would still be selling heaps of them. That whole Merlin/Shrike debacle felt like the Ford Edsel situation. SMH.

Kinda wonder if the new TL Venatic might fit that mold. Not mesh, but extremely light and has good buckles. Don't hear much on here about it. Kinda wary of trying them again after my experience with Covert Lite.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
 
TNSTAAFL said:
I had both and they are night and day different. Regret selling the Kite. Covert Lite was happy to ship off. It was stiff and bulky and nothing like the Kite.

The only minor complaint on the Kite was the buckles. Seems like modern cobra style buckles would have solved that and they would still be selling heaps of them. That whole Merlin/Shrike debacle felt like the Ford Edsel situation. SMH.

Kinda wonder if the new TL Venatic might fit that mold. Not mesh, but extremely light and has good buckles. Don't hear much on here about it. Kinda wary of trying them again after my experience with Covert Lite.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
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I was able to snag a super late production kite with cobra buckles and it’s real nice Clark
 
bodark said:
I was able to snag a super late production kite with cobra buckles and it’s real nice Clark
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You mean with the raptor buckles right? I don’t think they used cobra buckles (although that would have been sweet). The buckles were way better than the original leg strap attachments they were using
 
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