Ordered a Recon, how has everyone improved upon it?

[Noonespecial]

Questions/advice on reattaching/modding waist belt location.

My only two complaints with the Recon is the waist belt design and leg straps.

The waist belt attachment design is bulky and restrictive and I rather have sewn in functional leg straps.

I plan to add leg strap G hook attachment molle like @Murph4028 but can’t figure out how he’s actually attached the waist belt.

Would like your advice on this idea

Want to attach waist belt 1” straps to rigging plate first cross member (see below).

And then run bridge webbing over it. It slides now with test strapping in place with tension off. And webbing bridge locks under tension.

By doing it this way it allows the waist belt to still pull and adjust both panels.

I’ve order a Austialpin dual adjustable buckle for securing.

Anyone see any issues with this set up?

I got rid of the waist belt and side plates. Bought a longer piece of heavy duty webbing from Dan O and left enough through the bridge plates and made that my waist belt. No more squeaking and you can now adjust the two panels without any restriction. I will be upgrading the buckle to a cobra style for weight bearing needs.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

I got rid of the waist belt and side plates. Bought a longer piece of heavy duty webbing from Dan O and left enough through the bridge plates and made that my waist belt. No more squeaking and you can now adjust the two panels without any restriction. I will be upgrading the buckle to a cobra style for weight bearing needs.

Need a clear close up pic of your new plates. What are they and how did you get the webbing thru them?

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[tim_dawg22]

Questions/advice on reattaching/modding waist belt location.

My only two complaints with the Recon is the waist belt design and leg straps.

The waist belt attachment design is bulky and restrictive and I rather have sewn in functional leg straps.

I plan to add leg strap G hook attachment molle like @Murph4028 but can’t figure out how he’s actually attached the waist belt.

Would like your advice on this idea

Want to attach waist belt 1” straps to rigging plate first cross member (see below).

And then run bridge webbing over it. It slides now with test strapping in place with tension off. And webbing bridge locks under tension.

By doing it this way it allows the waist belt to still pull and adjust both panels.

I’ve order a Austialpin dual adjustable buckle for securing.

Anyone see any issues with this set up?

Can’t help you with the legstraps as I just run mine without but this is how I modified the belt.

Used some 1” webbing that I had and used the easy stitcher and the original buckle. Has worked well for me.


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[Noonespecial]

They are the same webbing plates. Just got ride of the waist belt and the tag ends through the side plates is what I am using for my waist belt. I just had to order a longer piece of webbing because what came with it was not long enough to make a waist belt out of.

 

[Noonespecial]

A better pic while on my waist.

 

[SouthMsBowhunter]

Better picture. Will sew ends by brackets and have buckles on other ends.

 

[SouthMsBowhunter]

Hey Noonespecial how does that effect your waist belt if you need to make adjustments to your bridge?

 

[Noonespecial]

Hey Noonespecial how does that effect your waist belt if you need to make adjustments to your bridge?

I kept enough slack in the waist belt so if I have to make by bridge longer it won’t matter but I normally keep my bridge length the same.

 

[raisins]

Started off with a Tactisaddle then sitdrag then Mantis then H2 and now recon. The recon is by far the best. Being able to separate the panels to adjust pressure is huge! I sat 8 hours in it this year, no way could not have done that with the others I sold. Advice, stick with the webbing bridge and put some bow string wax on the inside of the rubber plates to prevent squeaking which isn’t really bad at all. I took off the waist belt and put on a heavier duty webbing bridge and left enough through the side plates to make that my waist belt and but on a cobra style waist buckle. I pack mine in as well, always have with my others saddles. I hunt a lot of thick cover and didn’t want to tear up my saddle. I do not use the leg straps I feel no need for them. Best compact and most comfortable saddle out there in my opinion.

Extending the webbing tag ends to make the waist belt is brilliant. If I do it, I'll reverse the routing pattern of the webbing in the plates so that tag ends can more easily fold into the channels where the current belt is held.

 

[Noonespecial]

Extending the webbing tag ends to make the waist belt is brilliant. If I do it, I'll reverse the routing pattern of the webbing in the plates so that tag ends can more easily fold into the channels where the current belt is helf.

Yep this makes it soooo much nicer, less complicated easier to adjust, quieter and lighter.

 

[SouthMsBowhunter]

Thanks for the idea!

 

[TNSTAAFL]

I got rid of the waist belt and side plates. Bought a longer piece of heavy duty webbing from Dan O and left enough through the bridge plates and made that my waist belt. No more squeaking and you can now adjust the two panels without any restriction. I will be upgrading the buckle to a cobra style for weight bearing needs.

It took me a while to understand that by "webbing" you were referring to your bridge webbing and its tag ends. I got there eventually, but it was a struggle!

So...explain please again the benefits of a bridge-based belt? Less squeaking (I experience no squeaking), adjusting panels without restriction (I don't know that I can't do this with stock setup), other?

Does this mod do anything to address the need for slack in the waist portion of the belt which becomes problematic when the bridge/saddle is unweighted? Maybe not. Your final pic below shows a big gap between your body and your belt when sitting in the saddle.

I appreciate you sharing your ideas including pictures. Very helpful.

 

[SouthMsBowhunter]

On mine I snug the waist belt up when putting on (carry in) and prior to climbing (one stick). I position the bottom panel and connect leg strap buckles.

Once up at hunting height I normally don’t need to loosen as it has some slack in it due to the plate angles under tension.

 

[HuumanCreed]

On mine I snug the waist belt up when putting on (carry in) and prior to climbing (one stick). I position the bottom panel and connect leg strap buckles.

Once up at hunting height I normally don’t need to loosen as it has some slack in it due to the plate angles under tension.

My main concern is things flopping around while I'm one stick climbing. Then the ease of loosening once i'm in the tree. this was never a worry for me with my RCH. I'm glad I went with a quality RCH with decent padding. I felt completely safe climbing with sticks or WE steps.

Removing the rubber from the bridge would probably be something I'll think really hard about, as I am planning to remove the waist belt and do a bungie or a prusik rope mod like the Method.

 

[SouthMsBowhunter]

The one stick climbing is my concern as well. And I’ve found as long as the waist belt is snugged on and bottom panel in position with leg straps I’ve had no problem.

 

[SouthMsBowhunter]

If you haven’t looked at @Murph4028 ”Revamp” thread posted earlier take a look at his mods. They make a lot of sense for the Recon and one sticking.

 

[Noonespecial]

It took me a while to understand that by "webbing" you were referring to your bridge webbing and its tag ends. I got there eventually, but it was a struggle!

So...explain please again the benefits of a bridge-based belt? Less squeaking (I experience no squeaking), adjusting panels without restriction (I don't know that I can't do this with stock setup), other?

Does this mod do anything to address the need for slack in the waist portion of the belt which becomes problematic when the bridge/saddle is unweighted? Maybe not. Your final pic below shows a big gap between your body and your belt when sitting in the saddle.

I appreciate you sharing your ideas including pictures. Very helpful.

A lot of people stated that the plastic buckles on each side of the waist belt would squeak against the rubber coated metal plates, this eliminates that. People also stated that the plastic buckles restricted the ability to adjust the two panels this eliminates that problem as well. The main reason I did it was after I looked at the tag ends I realized that there was no need for an additional waist belt if I gave myself enough slack on each end. The picture I posted of it on my waist was very loose to show exactly what I was referring to. I can tighten it or loosen it as much as I want.

 

[TNSTAAFL]

A lot of people stated that the plastic buckles on each side of the waist belt would squeak against the rubber coated metal plates, this eliminates that. People also stated that the plastic buckles restricted the ability to adjust the two panels this eliminates that problem as well. The main reason I did it was after I looked at the tag ends I realized that there was no need for an additional waist belt if I gave myself enough slack on each end. The picture I posted of it on my waist was very loose to show exactly what I was referring to. I can tighten it or loosen it as much as I want.

I see. Thank you for clarifying that. It is making more sense to me now. I wish I had known this before buying as I would have gone with the webbing version. Somehow I was convinced that the rope version was better. I guess I can add that to the "regrets" thread.

 

[Noonespecial]

I see. Thank you for clarifying that. It is making more sense to me now. I wish I had known this before buying as I would have gone with the webbing version. Somehow I was convinced that the rope version was better. I guess I can add that to the "regrets" thread.

Mark is super nice and would take an exchange if so desired. Best of luck!

 

[TNSTAAFL]

Mark is super nice and would take an exchange if so desired. Best of luck!

Thanks. I've thought of that, but don't want to dump the cost of my choice on him. I knew the options and could've chosen the web bridge. Not his fault.