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XOP Platform kits?
- Thread starter Erniepower
- Start date
A few people are concerned with the 1/4" bolt from XOP being too small for the seat. The stainless insert I'm using is pretty easy to drill out to 5/16" if using a sharp drill at slow speed. You can do this at home if you are careful, or I can make this change for anyone who would to order it that way, but I have to warn you. You need to order and inspect your seat before you decide to change to a 5/16" bolt. The seats are not all drilled the same. Notice the spray painted one is more centered. I wouldn't feel comfortable drilling out the green one and putting weight on it.
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Ernie, would the lone wolf alpha seat be a better choice as in the hardware etc in your opinion? Just curious why everyone is using xop besides maybe cost
Are you talking about the seat available as a replacement on the lone wolf website? I should buy one and play with it but I think it would work just fine, I still think it's a 1/4" bolt though. I believe near the beginning of this thread, there is a picture of a platform made from lone wolf parts. I think the main reason people are using the xop seat is because it has ears on it to attach the rope. Personally, the ears make me nervous and I don't trust them. Three have been too many instances of them breaking. I had one break in shipping from XOP. If using the stepp knot or lone wolf strap mod, You don't depend on the ears at all. If you are going to use the ears,, I highly recommend wrapping the rope around the frame a couple of times before hooking the ear
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Are you talking about the seat available as a replacement on the lone wolf website? I should buy one and play with it but I think it would work just fine, I still think it's a 1/4" bolt though. I believe near the beginning of this thread, there is a picture of a platform made from lone wolf parts. I think the main reason people are using the xop seat is because it has ears on it to attach the rope. Personally, the ears make me nervous and I don't trust them. Three have been too many instances of them breaking. I had one break in shipping from XOP. If using the stepp knot or lone wolf strap mod, You don't depend on the ears at all. If you are going to use the ears,, I highly recommend wrapping the rope around the frame a couple of times before hooking the ear
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Yup, the replacement seat. I think it's $70 plus shipping though. Xop seems like a better choice at 49.99 cost wise though.
I'm definitely going to have to look at the bolt hole though when I get mine. Thanks for pointing that out.
Are you talking about the seat available as a replacement on the lone wolf website? I should buy one and play with it but I think it would work just fine, I still think it's a 1/4" bolt though. I believe near the beginning of this thread, there is a picture of a platform made from lone wolf parts. I think the main reason people are using the xop seat is because it has ears on it to attach the rope. Personally, the ears make me nervous and I don't trust them. Three have been too many instances of them breaking. I had one break in shipping from XOP. If using the stepp knot or lone wolf strap mod, You don't depend on the ears at all. If you are going to use the ears,, I highly recommend wrapping the rope around the frame a couple of times before hooking the ear
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Yup the ear on mine broke. However With a properly tethered saddle risk of injury is minimal
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I think Lone Wolf uses a stronger aluminum. Can't say for sure though.
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I am also trying to get one of these kits also.I am new to the site but I have hunted with a tree saddle for awhile and now have a web saddle.My whole problem has been trying to find or make a safe foot platform and this looks like a well thought out fix to the problem.
So is the XOP parts \ the replacement seat and tree bats/ up to par or are members finding them to be weaker then same parts from lone wolf?Just trying to put parts list together and use the groups trial and errors to buy one time.Guys I have put on few pounds since got out of the Marines and gravity is not my friend.So any advice from group would be well appreciated. Thanks!
It looks as if lone wolf and XOP are almost carbon copies but their is a price difference and I have to wonder if the XOP parts are as strong as lone wolf or are you paying for the name lone wolf? I have read posts where members have used lone wolf parts and others have used XOP parts to build foot platform. Has their been a glaring issue of strength with one or the other?Thanks for any advice.
The old lone wolf sweats had the tabs on it that guys liked for tying rope to for camming over for a solid stand. The new ones don't have the tabs but the XOPs do, but they aren't as strong as the LW tabs were. I think XOP uses cheaper aluminum. Lower grade.
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I think I remember kenn saying he bent one of his Lone Wolf seats way back when. My guess is that they're manufactured with similar raw materials and methods, but you're paying for USA manufacturing with Lone Wolf.
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Most of the earlier platform builds were the one's with the lone wolf parts. I can only remember seeing maybe one or 2 people build one with lone wolf parts since someone discovered the xop parts.