• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

XOP Platform kits?

I have been trying to think of a way to make this easier for the guys having trouble with the amsteel. Another member asked if we couldn't just use the versa button strap from lone wolf. That got me thinking. Why not?. Whatever solution I found needed to be easy to use and made from really available parts. I found one solution that was really available and one that will take a little work.

I grabbed one of the lone wolf straps I had in the basement and was able to girth hitch one end of the strap to the platform easy enough. The other end was to short for what I wanted to do however so I grabbed a short runner I had and put it on a spare buckle I had from an old ameristep strap. I then put the buckle on the long piece from the lone wolf strap

5f115b42efd28a78f92826002ae5df78.jpg


Then I was able to put the strap around the tree in the same way that I was with the amsteel and wrap the runner around the frame and then hook the ear. I apologize for the dark pictures but I couldn't work on this during the day due to my real job.

Adjustment seemed super easy, and all the parts are readily available through strap works and rei.

384d970f84de88aa507a151ddee429d8.jpg
b9d665d3cb1323e4866101e3ae623aff.jpg


Now, what I think might even be a better solution would be to get a small looped strap with a flat hook sewed on one end.
d5e0a9db708bbcccae4c976697ff814a.jpg


Then you could girth hitch both sides and never worry about the ears breaking but still be able to easily hook and unhook the strap around the tree.


I made the one in the picture, but I am working with strap works to see if they can put together a kit with the long strap, the buckle and the short flat hook strap.

d2d13e3cd10516f324897a78c6e5d10a.jpg
152b6743c19abe9d843eaba84b8544c7.jpg
644705cd58ff492ce656368e09cde923.jpg


Granted its heavier than the amsteel solution but still plenty strong, and the ease of setup outweighs the extras weight for me.


What do you guys think?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
I undid my rope on my kit and attached it on the one side with the fixed loop and plan on fastening it on the other end with the Stepp knot. Like shown here.
8f545193f84224cfbc1c36f05052c373.jpg


Setup
4eb089b616c5a41996c08608b91a4e2c.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Erniepower said:
I have been trying to think of a way to make this easier for the guys having trouble with the amsteel. Another member asked if we couldn't just use the versa button strap from lone wolf. That got me thinking. Why not?. Whatever solution I found needed to be easy to use and made from really available parts. I found one solution that was really available and one that will take a little work.

I grabbed one of the lone wolf straps I had in the basement and was able to girth hitch one end of the strap to the platform easy enough. The other end was to short for what I wanted to do however so I grabbed a short runner I had and put it on a spare buckle I had from an old ameristep strap. I then put the buckle on the long piece from the lone wolf strap

5f115b42efd28a78f92826002ae5df78.jpg


Then I was able to put the strap around the tree in the same way that I was with the amsteel and wrap the runner around the frame and then hook the ear. I apologize for the dark pictures but I couldn't work on this during the day due to my real job.

Adjustment seemed super easy, and all the parts are readily available through strap works and rei.

384d970f84de88aa507a151ddee429d8.jpg
b9d665d3cb1323e4866101e3ae623aff.jpg


Now, what I think might even be a better solution would be to get a small looped strap with a flat hook sewed on one end.
d5e0a9db708bbcccae4c976697ff814a.jpg


Then you could girth hitch both sides and never worry about the ears breaking but still be able to easily hook and unhook the strap around the tree.


I made the one in the picture, but I am working with strap works to see if they can put together a kit with the long strap, the buckle and the short flat hook strap.

d2d13e3cd10516f324897a78c6e5d10a.jpg
152b6743c19abe9d843eaba84b8544c7.jpg
644705cd58ff492ce656368e09cde923.jpg


Granted its heavier than the amsteel solution but still plenty strong, and the ease of setup outweighs the extras weight for me.


What do you guys think?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

only issue I could imagine would be the connection coming apart/making noise while the platform loose and you are trying to hold everything and get the strap adjusted. Since youre not just hooking it together and yanking it tight if ya follow me.

How small of range is the sweet spot for these platforms to cam over?

Like could you use a daisy chain and just select the loop that cams it over or is the sweet spot very small?
upload_2016-12-29_22-32-7.png

...or even better find a knot that allows you to make something similar out of the amsteel.
 
Last edited:
Tracker15 said:
I undid my rope on my kit and attached it on the one side with the fixed loop and plan on fastening it on the other end with the Stepp knot. Like shown here.
8f545193f84224cfbc1c36f05052c373.jpg


Setup
4eb089b616c5a41996c08608b91a4e2c.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I like the stepp knot a lot, but not everyone is comfortable with it.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
Erniepower said:
I have been trying to think of a way to make this easier for the guys having trouble with the amsteel. Another member asked if we couldn't just use the versa button strap from lone wolf. That got me thinking. Why not?. Whatever solution I found needed to be easy to use and made from really available parts. I found one solution that was really available and one that will take a little work.

I grabbed one of the lone wolf straps I had in the basement and was able to girth hitch one end of the strap to the platform easy enough. The other end was to short for what I wanted to do however so I grabbed a short runner I had and put it on a spare buckle I had from an old ameristep strap. I then put the buckle on the long piece from the lone wolf strap

5f115b42efd28a78f92826002ae5df78.jpg


Then I was able to put the strap around the tree in the same way that I was with the amsteel and wrap the runner around the frame and then hook the ear. I apologize for the dark pictures but I couldn't work on this during the day due to my real job.

Adjustment seemed super easy, and all the parts are readily available through strap works and rei.

384d970f84de88aa507a151ddee429d8.jpg
b9d665d3cb1323e4866101e3ae623aff.jpg


Now, what I think might even be a better solution would be to get a small looped strap with a flat hook sewed on one end.
d5e0a9db708bbcccae4c976697ff814a.jpg


Then you could girth hitch both sides and never worry about the ears breaking but still be able to easily hook and unhook the strap around the tree.


I made the one in the picture, but I am working with strap works to see if they can put together a kit with the long strap, the buckle and the short flat hook strap.

d2d13e3cd10516f324897a78c6e5d10a.jpg
152b6743c19abe9d843eaba84b8544c7.jpg
644705cd58ff492ce656368e09cde923.jpg


Granted its heavier than the amsteel solution but still plenty strong, and the ease of setup outweighs the extras weight for me.


What do you guys think?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Made a quick trip to rei and found the answer. 6.95 buys a 10mm x 30cm runner that is able to pass through the flat hook and can then be girth hitched to the seat casting. No custom seeing involved
a990166803d1f6baeafdd157fef2a8a6.jpg


Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
sb220 said:
only issue I could imagine would be the connection coming apart/making noise while the platform loose and you are trying to hold everything and get the strap adjusted. Since youre not just hooking it together and yanking it tight if ya follow me.

How small of range is the sweet spot for these platforms to cam over?

Like could you use a daisy chain and just select the loop that cams it over or is the sweet spot very small?
View attachment 1855

...or even better find a knot that allows you to make something similar out of the amsteel.
Click to expand...
I think the sweet spot is pretty small and requires a finger adjustment than you could get with a chain.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
okie_edward said:
Does this knot work well with smaller ropes? What size rope is in this pic?
Click to expand...


It's the same rope that came with the kit. I'll let others comment on how well the stepp knot works with smaller ropes, since I'm new to saddle hunting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Do you have any available? Would like to get one or two.

Thanks

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk
 
The jim stepp knot was a sincere pain the first 50 times I had to use it. I can do it with my eyes closed now. Practice and patience.

I will say while building my platform I used the lone wolf strap to get it dialed in. It is very easy to use, I just prefer no metal buckle and unlimited tree options that a 8' rope provides.
 
Erniepower came over My house tonight and gave me a 101 on saddle hunting. We carried two huge bins down to the man cave and talked for a few hrs. It was a lot of fun and I got to see a variety of saddle options. I wanted to get a fixed bridge made for my sit drag that I plan to use with the platform I bought from Erniepower. We braved the -15 windchill and grabbed some gear and headlamps and went to the backyard to test the gear out on one of my pines. Note: I've never used a saddle and don't know a thing about knot tying. That being said I girth hitched one end of my rope to the platform and stepp knotted the other side and locked that platform on like I'd been doing it for yrs. it cammed over and held extremely tight to the tree and was solid under my weight with no shifting as I spun around the tree testing the sit drag. I'd highly recommend this attachment method as it's easy and no metal buckles. As for saddle hunting...I feel my bank account depleting rather fast


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Th ucr rope provided is adjustable from 30 to 90 inches loop to loop. If you remove the sliding part, you are left with a rope 87" long to use for the stepp knot or convert to a whoopie sling.

Now that being said, it takes me 12 feet of rope to make this ucr, and if you would rather all 12 feet be used to make a whoopie sling, I can do that to. With the ucr rope converted as described above, you can accommodate trees from 6-13" in diameter. If I use the whole 12 feet for a whoopie, it would work for larger trees. I am not sure what that size limit is yet unfortunately.



Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
Tracker15 said:
Erniepower came over My house tonight and gave me a 101 on saddle hunting. We carried two huge bins down to the man cave and talked for a few hrs. It was a lot of fun and I got to see a variety of saddle options. I wanted to get a fixed bridge made for my sit drag that I plan to use with the platform I bought from Erniepower. We braved the -15 windchill and grabbed some gear and headlamps and went to the backyard to test the gear out on one of my pines. Note: I've never used a saddle and don't know a thing about knot tying. That being said I girth hitched one end of my rope to the platform and stepp knotted the other side and locked that platform on like I'd been doing it for yrs. it cammed over and held extremely tight to the tree and was solid under my weight with no shifting as I spun around the tree testing the sit drag. I'd highly recommend this attachment method as it's easy and no metal buckles. As for saddle hunting...I feel my bank account depleting rather fast


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Best post of 2017 so far!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top