The phantom looks great and has some great features over the mantis to help with comfort and I’m sure I’ll get one to tryout when they come available to us.
But to me I don’t think the phantom is the big picture here. Last year I was at the ATA show checking everything out and was hoping to see some saddle gear but other than a couple platforms I didn’t see a thing.
I did see a few Tethrd guys walking around the show but they didn’t have a booth last year.
But they had a plan and followed through with it and this is a big start for other saddle hunting manufacturers to follow.
I hope next year and the years after that we have more and more saddle companies showing off there product at the ATA and giving us more great equipment to choose from.
I like Tethrd gear and I know some guys may not but we should all support them best we can because in the end it will lead to better equipment for us all.
I agree with this for the most part. Hopefully, we get better options that can be delivered with reasonable lead times. It has gotten better since the dark days of 2010-2011 after TrophyLine had closed and we had no options other than secondary market or Gudio’s Web.
I’m glad Greg and Ernie stepped up and took a chance. I wanted to start my own saddle company and even formed an LLC. I saw early on that I didn’t have the time or financial risk tolerability to see it through. I respect them for that. I have never met, nor spoken with anyone from Tethrd or their pro staff.
I have seen some things come to fruition that we kicked around on AT 10 years ago, which is cool.
See post #7 on this thread...
Tree saddle project
r.tapatalk.com
What I do see is the potential for this to go at least two ways:
1. Tethrd continues to tweak and develop new products that we like and other companies step up (OOAL, EWO, The new TL, New Tribe, Treehopper) and drive innovation through competition.
2. The market succumbs to Tethrd’s incredible marketing and then it’s really up to them as to whether they bring better products and customer service or sit back and reap the rewards of building the market, which they have absolutely done.
If #2 sounds cynical, it’s because I have seen this happen to a degree in the last 5 years or so in the hammock camping world. Actual hammock camping gear is a niche in the hammock world similar to saddles in hunting. ENO hammocks are Summit, but then you have a few vendors geared to the hardcore hammock campers. That’s us and saddles. One of the regular guys on hammock forums took an idea that was kicked around on hammock forums, made a product for a few members, then started a company. 5-10 years later he has put a few cottage vendors out of business by patenting stuff they already had in the market and threatening litigation. The little guys didn’t have the time, resources or rabid fanboys to defend their products. Now, were the little guys products totally new ideas in the first place? Maybe not. Ideas are kicked around a lot. He litigated and did a masterful marketing job.
I believe Tethr’d is about to be in the same position. It’s up to the competition to play ball or run and hide. As long as Tethr’d isn’t breaking any laws, good on them if they decide to crush everyone and become a virtual monopoly. I don’t know the economics and margins of the saddle market-a monopoly might not even be enough to be financially viable in the long term for all I know.
In the end (selfishly), just want better products that were developed with at least a modicum of integrity and a TON of focus on lighter/stronger/simpler/quieter.
A couple of disclaimers here.
1. I am very interested in trying a Phantom. I love splicing and Amsteel in general, so the bridge is a cool idea. Is it an original idea? Maybe not. Did they take a chance and produce and test it out.? Yep. Good on them. I’m going to Saddlepalooza and want to meet these guys and talk all thing saddles.
2. When I say fanboy, I mean someone who doesn’t have a wealth of knowledge or experience, but is blindly loyal. People that have thousands of hours with various saddles, sticks, platforms, etc and want to sing the praises of one company- have at it. That’s a brand ambassador, not a fanboy.
3. Don’t assume by the date someone joined Saddle Hunter or their age that they don’t have valuable experience or knowledge to contribute.
@Nutterbuster is young, but I value his comments and I think his sense of humor and demeanor are awesome for the growth of saddle hunting. I would be pissed if he were driven away from this site.
4. I don’t take this stuff personally. It supposed to fun and relaxing. I work with some of the most condescending, pretentious people on the planet. If I have misspoken, let me have it. I can handle it.
No hard feelings.
5. I certainly hope the game hasn’t ended. I think we still have room for better/lighter/stronger/quieter/simpler.
6. Sorry for the diatribe.
Thanks!
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