Bit off key I'd say. Saying negative experiences because you got it AFTER you made the purchase. They didnt half to even give ya that. Maybe that was meant for your next purchase incase you wanted something else. Maybe as a thank you type thing
I received my Ambush this past Tuesday. If course my lower back is out and I feel like $hit, but I can see already that this saddle is going to make for a comfortable hang/sit.
Disclaimer: I’ve only been in a saddle once. And I recommend that you ask a friend or use locator to find someone who will let your try theirs before making an investment. $280-300 is a lot of money! You can get a really nice XOP or Lone Wolf banger for that price and be done.
So I tried my buddies Kestrel and fell in love with hanging and shooting from the tree. I was 8’ up to start. Very simple to set up and hunt. For those of you who have hung sticks with a LB, you’re good to go man. Just a little practice walking the tree platform side to side and you’re ready to get out and hunt. Now, let’s get to it!
First impression of the Ambush for a newb: The Ambush has a good amount of material to keep me comfortable! That’s the first thing I noticed when I pulled it out of the carry pouch (which is awesome btw). Well packaged product! Definitely high grade mesh and webbing used. Looks to be the same material used in the Mantis. They definitely did a great job with construction and the branding!
What I DIDN’T LIKE when I tried the saddle on (Lg/Xl) for fist time was the inability to adjust the leg straps. I’m an athletic 5’ 10” about 213 lbs and my legs aren’t big but they’re not average either. So the straps are just hanging. It would be nice to pull tighter becuE that’s just the feeling you get when you put them on. It was a false expectation. HOWEVER! They’re not getting in the way but they are super loose. So I’m assuming the extra room for comfort is for the actual sit when tethered to the bridge. From what I’ve read on forums (very comfortable) and from my buddies comments (he bought one and used it) he said he was super comfortable. He did say that you have to adjust the bridge and tether to find your sweet spot for comfort.
As far as the bridge, it’s a PLUS that’s its adjustable! However, the webbing seems like it may creat some friction causing it to not slide as easily as amsteel. I’ll have to figure that out when I’m up and running.
The carabiners, ropes and the pouches are all perfect to get you going! All high in quality that’s for sure. Can’t go wrong with Black Diamond! Side note: I’m personally using my Amsteel 1/4” for the tether. It’s super light and packs well. I have the ropeman 1 for the LB because I didn’t want to play around with a prussik or the DIY setups. Not for me. Especially when I’m 25’ up! I want quick and easy set up so I can get to huntn’.
The saddle is definitely doable for long walks through the bush. The more I walked around with it on (try yours with your gear on!)the more comfortable I felt.
I like to run and gun and wanted a setup that’s not gonna feel like a saggy diaper. I just rigged my backpack for my helium sticks and now working on my own DIY platform which will be super light! I will check back in with pics and additional comments.
I’m glad I cancelled the Mantis. I couldn’t wait for 6 weeks. No way. The rut is around the corner. I received this TL in 4 days!
Hope this quick review helps from an unbiased new saddle huntin’ venison junkie! Good luck to you and whatever setup you decide to go with! God bless you and good luck rest of season!
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Good review! You basically hit all the downfalls I've experienced with the Ambush Lite and Pro too. If you tighten the bridge and use it as a secondary belt it helps a little when walking in but I still found myself putting my bow down and tightening the belt and bridge back up. For the cost, I guess I could add a Cobra buckle or buy suspenders. The weight is a non-issue to me since I wouldn't want to sacrifice how heavy duty it's built. I actually like the leg straps loose and not adjustable. In saddles that have adjustable leg straps, I tend to snug them too much and end up with a higher pitched voice when sitting. I like that the leg straps are there though just in case. Overall a good saddle at a good price I'd say.UPDATE ON THE ABOVE REVIEW:
I haven’t had time to log in and post this review. Its been a busy season for me. So I left the above review back in October when I received the Ambush in the mail. I was impressed with the construction. The ropes and carabiners all a plus. I commented on the leg straps because I felt there is too much slack. But it wasn’t terrible once in the tree.
The below is my opinion of the gear I trust my life with when I’m 18-20 feet off the ground. Take it for what it’s worth. I’ve only been in this saddle 3x and will finish out my season with it.
The PROS: large saddle offers plenty of material to keep you comfortable and it’s very rugged and sturdy and will absolutely last a long time.
The molle webbing makes it easy to move your gear bags around. (See cons about the bags).
The CONS:
LEG STRAPS: I will start with the leg straps. It would be nice to have some adjustability for comfort. Especially when walking to and from your hunting location. I just feel that they get snagged on brush when walking through some thick areas (especially the terrain I hunt). So this was a small problem nothing to overly be concerned with. Once you’re up in the tree there’s no issues.
BELT SYSTEM: I’m sorry to say this TL. But it really SUCKS! For those of you who own the saddle I’m sure many of you feel the same. It’s easier to put on when you’re in light weather gear. And if you don’t have a belly. I don’t, but when my jacket bunches up, it’s difficult to look down to feed the seatbelt strap through the buckle.
The buckle does NOT hold well at all. I’ve had it loosen when walking to my spot and while climbing up and down the tree! Yesterday 12/16/19 I had it basically hanging halfway off my butt while I was 15’ off the ground. Of course there was no load in it because I was standing on stick to remove the top stick. This is NOT good.
Here’s a tip. Go get yourself a set of tool belt suspenders. They will attach right to the saddle. You can use snap clips. Check out YouTube. You’ll find a DIY or if I have time, I’ll post up.
I emailed TL about this issue and they responded very quickly via email. I’m talking within a 1/2 hour! I must say, they have excellent customer service. I asked about the quick release system or something that would make it easier to put on and take off. The reply was around costs. They wanted a safe and price competitive saddle to keep costs below $300 for the Saddle kit and under $170 for the stand alone saddle. In doing so went with a traditional safety harness belt system which kept costs lower. The quick release buckles as seen on the Mantis are very expensive.
THE ACCESSORY POUCHES: I swapped one of them out for a dump pouch (Amazon $8 very easy to stuff rope in and pull out). The zippered pouch is flimsy and a pain in the ass to to take the LB out and put back because it collapses. So the dump pouch eliminates that. Works awesome! The zippered pouch I’m using for other items I carry to the tree.
THE BRIDGE: the 24” web bridge is okay, but it does not slide very well while locked in the carabiner. That’s not a deal breaker but something to be aware of. Yes the bridge is adjustable but the buckle has a tendency of sliding this not only happened to me but my buddy as well.
Overall I personally rate the Ambush a 3.5 stars. I forgot to mention that the saddle is a little on the heavy side. It that’s because it’s built very well. I like the heavy duty construction over the Mantis for sure.
I hope this helps those whom are still looking to purchase a saddle and for those who own it, to make comments on my review either agreeing or disagreeing. It’s all good.
I will either sell my TL or modify it with my own buckle system and bridge. Amsteel is the way to go for the bridge for sure.
Happy holidays! God bless you all.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
UPDATE ON THE ABOVE REVIEW:
I haven’t had time to log in and post this review. Its been a busy season for me. So I left the above review back in October when I received the Ambush in the mail. I was impressed with the construction. The ropes and carabiners all a plus. I commented on the leg straps because I felt there is too much slack. But it wasn’t terrible once in the tree.
The below is my opinion of the gear I trust my life with when I’m 18-20 feet off the ground. Take it for what it’s worth. I’ve only been in this saddle 3x and will finish out my season with it.
The PROS: large saddle offers plenty of material to keep you comfortable and it’s very rugged and sturdy and will absolutely last a long time.
The molle webbing makes it easy to move your gear bags around. (See cons about the bags).
The CONS:
LEG STRAPS: I will start with the leg straps. It would be nice to have some adjustability for comfort. Especially when walking to and from your hunting location. I just feel that they get snagged on brush when walking through some thick areas (especially the terrain I hunt). So this was a small problem nothing to overly be concerned with. Once you’re up in the tree there’s no issues.
BELT SYSTEM: I’m sorry to say this TL. But it really SUCKS! For those of you who own the saddle I’m sure many of you feel the same. It’s easier to put on when you’re in light weather gear. And if you don’t have a belly. I don’t, but when my jacket bunches up, it’s difficult to look down to feed the seatbelt strap through the buckle.
The buckle does NOT hold well at all. I’ve had it loosen when walking to my spot and while climbing up and down the tree! Yesterday 12/16/19 I had it basically hanging halfway off my butt while I was 15’ off the ground. Of course there was no load in it because I was standing on stick to remove the top stick. This is NOT good.
Here’s a tip. Go get yourself a set of tool belt suspenders. They will attach right to the saddle. You can use snap clips. Check out YouTube. You’ll find a DIY or if I have time, I’ll post up.
I emailed TL about this issue and they responded very quickly via email. I’m talking within a 1/2 hour! I must say, they have excellent customer service. I asked about the quick release system or something that would make it easier to put on and take off. The reply was around costs. They wanted a safe and price competitive saddle to keep costs below $300 for the Saddle kit and under $170 for the stand alone saddle. In doing so went with a traditional safety harness belt system which kept costs lower. The quick release buckles as seen on the Mantis are very expensive.
THE ACCESSORY POUCHES: I swapped one of them out for a dump pouch (Amazon $8 very easy to stuff rope in and pull out). The zippered pouch is flimsy and a pain in the ass to to take the LB out and put back because it collapses. So the dump pouch eliminates that. Works awesome! The zippered pouch I’m using for other items I carry to the tree.
THE BRIDGE: the 24” web bridge is okay, but it does not slide very well while locked in the carabiner. That’s not a deal breaker but something to be aware of. Yes the bridge is adjustable but the buckle has a tendency of sliding this not only happened to me but my buddy as well.
Overall I personally rate the Ambush a 3.5 stars. I forgot to mention that the saddle is a little on the heavy side. It that’s because it’s built very well. I like the heavy duty construction over the Mantis for sure.
I hope this helps those whom are still looking to purchase a saddle and for those who own it, to make comments on my review either agreeing or disagreeing. It’s all good.
I will either sell my TL or modify it with my own buckle system and bridge. Amsteel is the way to go for the bridge for sure.
Happy holidays! God bless you all.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Is that this one? 2 Inch Width ITW Nexus GT AustriAlpin Cobra Adjustable 2" Buckle (Coyote Brown) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FPD3YLH/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_8By-Db8V08FT0
