Need Some help! Cant stay comfortable

[Mdbowhunter2414]

I need some help. I have a Cruzr XC saddle and cant seem to stay comfortable. I love the weight and how compact everything is, I get in the tree quick and safer then I probably ever have, how ever I have spooked more deer then I can ever remember for the simple fact I fiddle with everything trying to stay comfortable. I lean, I sit, I move my feet, adjust my tether, adjust the saddle position on my body, and I sway with out even thinking about it. At the end of the hunt i'm frustrated and my hips are bothering me. I was a hang and hunt guy for the longest time, i've been so tempted going back to a hang on for the simple fact for me personally I don't move near as much. I hate the weight and bulk of the hang on stand, being i've gotten a very good saddle set up that I personally like, but i'm struggling. I have tried everything I can think of based on videos on youtube and comments on here. The last thing I was going to try was a 2 panel saddle. Not sure if it would help but not sure what else to do. Appreciate the help in advance.

 

[Teddy9871]

I was having trouble with comfort hunting from a saddle and a hang on for all day hunts. That was until @Bigterp let me borrow his kite with a drey. That thing is more comfortable than most recliners.

 

[Apex7]

I need some help. I have a Cruzr XC saddle and cant seem to stay comfortable. I love the weight and how compact everything is, I get in the tree quick and safer then I probably ever have, how ever I have spooked more deer then I can ever remember for the simple fact I fiddle with everything trying to stay comfortable. I lean, I sit, I move my feet, adjust my tether, adjust the saddle position on my body, and I sway with out even thinking about it. At the end of the hunt i'm frustrated and my hips are bothering me. I was a hang and hunt guy for the longest time, i've been so tempted going back to a hang on for the simple fact for me personally I don't move near as much. I hate the weight and bulk of the hang on stand, being i've gotten a very good saddle set up that I personally like, but i'm struggling. I have tried everything I can think of based on videos on youtube and comments on here. The last thing I was going to try was a 2 panel saddle. Not sure if it would help but not sure what else to do. Appreciate the help in advance.

I have a Cruzr XC and it's very comfortable. I bought a Eberhart Signature Series saddle which is a 2 panel saddle and it's all I've been using. There is more adjustments I can make when using a 2 panel saddle. You'll have to diale it in for comfort but once you do it's great. I have 5 different saddles and it's my favorite for sure.

 

[rutjr]

Before you give up on your Cruzer try lowering your tether to about the middle of your chest then shorten your bridge to about 18". This will take some weight off your saddle and put a little more on your feet.

 

[mmoralezjr]

Do you have a backband recliner that clips into your tethered carabiner? You’ll definitely want to get one of them.

 

[Weldabeast]

If u are new to it all IMO it's pretty normal to fidget with all ur new dohickies.....after u have some time/experience and the "new" factor has worn off u probably stop fidgeting as much. Back support was/is the big difference for me....lower tether height and good back support.....as of yet, I haven't seen any options sold that offers good back support, minus the jx3, but I'm patiently waiting....until then I use a tree stand back rest as my back support and it allows me to sit for much longer than just a duffle bag strap.

 

[Mdbowhunter2414]

Before you give up on your Cruzer try lowering your tether to about the middle of your chest then shorten your bridge to about 18". This will take some weight off your saddle and put a little more on your feet.

I’ll give this a try. I have lowered it but not this low yet. I do have a back band and have been using it. I didn’t at first but it helped but not enough to be satisfied

 

[will4554]

Maybe I didn't give it enough of a chance. But after a season and a half, I went back to a stand and have no intentions of looking back. I hunted with my wife last night and this morning, hung in a saddle behind her.... I am just not a fan.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

I need some help. I have a Cruzr XC saddle and cant seem to stay comfortable. I love the weight and how compact everything is, I get in the tree quick and safer then I probably ever have, how ever I have spooked more deer then I can ever remember for the simple fact I fiddle with everything trying to stay comfortable. I lean, I sit, I move my feet, adjust my tether, adjust the saddle position on my body, and I sway with out even thinking about it. At the end of the hunt i'm frustrated and my hips are bothering me. I was a hang and hunt guy for the longest time, i've been so tempted going back to a hang on for the simple fact for me personally I don't move near as much. I hate the weight and bulk of the hang on stand, being i've gotten a very good saddle set up that I personally like, but i'm struggling. I have tried everything I can think of based on videos on youtube and comments on here. The last thing I was going to try was a 2 panel saddle. Not sure if it would help but not sure what else to do. Appreciate the help in advance.

Essentially all saddles (minus the hammocks) support your weight on straps. That requires some time in the yard hanging in them so that your body can adjust to the new weight distribution points. One mistake many new guys make, is they buy a saddle sit in it for 20 minutes in the yard then rush into the woods to use it for a 6 hour sit. You’ll fidget and hurt if you do that. As a couple guys mentioned below, your tether height and distance of your ascender or prusik from the tree, control your angle. Some people sit down and enjoy pressure under their legs instead of on their waist or hips. Some people (usually those prone to leaning) like the weight more central and even into their back. The higher your tether is, the steeper your angle from the tree is, the lower, the more flat. If you lower it to chest height and give yourself a little slack, as mentioned above, you’ll essentially have 85 percent of your weight on your stand with the saddle just keeping you from falling backwards. You won’t feel much from the saddle but if you don’t stand up all day at work, you might not find this comfortable. The key here will be to spend time in your yard adjusting the tether height up and down (try to stay between top of your head and no lower than your shoulders) also I believe the XC has the bridge prusiks wrapped on the bridge loops. You can slid those up and down to adjust where the bulk of the pressure pulls from. The higher up on the bridge loops they are, the more it’ll pull from your waist, the lower, the more it’ll pull from under your legs. I always say start with your bridge length around 24”, Find a comfortable spot where your bridge wraps your bridge loops, then play with your tether height to fine tune that. Finally, when you feel like it’s getting comfortable let the bridge out longer and also try pulling it shorter until you’ve hit that sweet spot. Once you’ve done all of that fidgeting (preferably at home), sit in it for an hour or so a couple straight days before you go back to the woods. You’ll have your spots dialed in, your body more used to the pressure points, and you’ll understand how small adjustments can help ease those pressure points when you are out for an all day sit. Sorry for the long reply but I wanted to be thorough.

 

[Mdbowhunter2414]

Essentially all saddles (minus the hammocks) support your weight on straps. That requires some time in the yard hanging in them so that your body can adjust to the new weight distribution points. One mistake many new guys make, is they buy a saddle sit in it for 20 minutes in the yard then rush into the woods to use it for a 6 hour sit. You’ll fidget and hurt if you do that. As a couple guys mentioned below, your tether height and distance of your ascender or prusik from the tree, control your angle. Some people sit down and enjoy pressure under their legs instead of on their waist or hips. Some people (usually those prone to leaning) like the weight more central and even into their back. The higher your tether is, the steeper your angle from the tree is, the lower, the more flat. If you lower it to chest height and give yourself a little slack, as mentioned above, you’ll essentially have 85 percent of your weight on your stand with the saddle just keeping you from falling backwards. You won’t feel much from the saddle but if you don’t stand up all day at work, you might not find this comfortable. The key here will be to spend time in your yard adjusting the tether height up and down (try to stay between top of your head and no lower than your shoulders) also I believe the XC has the bridge prusiks wrapped on the bridge loops. You can slid those up and down to adjust where the bulk of the pressure pulls from. The higher up on the bridge loops they are, the more it’ll pull from your waist, the lower, the more it’ll pull from under your legs. I always say start with your bridge length around 24”, Find a comfortable spot where your bridge wraps your bridge loops, then play with your tether height to fine tune that. Finally, when you feel like it’s getting comfortable let the bridge out longer and also try pulling it shorter until you’ve hit that sweet spot. Once you’ve done all of that fidgeting (preferably at home), sit in it for an hour or so a couple straight days before you go back to the woods. You’ll have your spots dialed in, your body more used to the pressure points, and you’ll understand how small adjustments can help ease those pressure points when you are out for an all day sit. Sorry for the long reply but I wanted to be thorough.

I greatly appreciate everyone’s help and your reply in detail here. I am very comfortable for the first 30 to 45 min in the tree then it goes down hill. I’ve messed with the bridge loops up and down and found a good spot for that. I have to keep messing with the tether height and bridge length I guess. I’ve hunted it last season for most of the season and all of this season so far and figured it was just new last season and it would get better but every time I’ve gotten out of the tree I say I’m going back to a hang on but then hate giving up on this so I haven’t yet!

 

[MattMan81]

@JC3
Come to the light, the JX3 tree saddle light..............
Don't be afraid, you will sit from dark to dark very comfortably, be able to snooze when you want, no dreaded hip pinch, no back aches, you can shoot 360° around the tree with any weapon, bow or gun.
No platform required, only a ROS, no sore feet, no knee pads required, no sore knees, no tired legs from leaning as you can sit all day, built in pack frame for carrying all your needs. Buy once, cry once.
Come to the light, the JX3 light...........

 

[Boomstick300]

I was having trouble with comfort hunting from a saddle and a hang on for all day hunts. That was until @Bigterp let me borrow his kite with a drey. That thing is more comfortable than most recliners.

I do the same with the Cruzr XC and you’re not lying.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MAHunter]

Comfort is one of the major draw backs of saddle hunting IMO. We have been sitting on cushioned flat chairs for years now. Some office chairs even have a little suspension and adjustable lumbar support.

Go from that to dangling from a tree in an ass sling made of webbing and mesh, and well, you can see why its uncomfortable lol.

This is my first full season in a saddle and have about 50hrs up in a tree since mid October. Ive tried 3 or 4 different saddles to see which i liked best. Im good for about 2-3 hours before I start getting fidgety, which is up from 1-2hrs when i started. After i get to the fidget phase, I pack it in for the day. Once you start squirming around, youll never get a deer. And "Getting comfortable" is only a temporary (10-15min) fix, before im fidgeting again.

When i get home, my wife (a chiropractor) does a quick tune up. My back, hips, pelvis, and other bits i dont even know the names of are all snap, crackle, and popping back into place. She asks me what the hell i was doing and cant understand why i do that to myself when i tell her lol.

For reference, im 39yrs old, 140lbs, and an athletic build. How u older guys do this, i dont know lol. But im determined to make it work.

 

[Mdbowhunter2414]

I do the same with the Cruzr XC and you’re not lying.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So might be a dumb question what exactly is it that you do? What is the kite and drey?

 

[Mdbowhunter2414]

Comfort is one of the major draw backs of saddle hunting IMO. We have been sitting on cushioned flat chairs for years now. Some office chairs even have a little suspension and adjustable lumbar support.

Go from that to dangling from a tree in an ass sling made of webbing and mesh, and well, you can see why its uncomfortable lol.

This is my first full season in a saddle and have about 50hrs up in a tree since mid October. Ive tried 3 or 4 different saddles to see which i liked best. Im good for about 2-3 hours before I start getting fidgety, which is up from 1-2hrs when i started. After i get to the fidget phase, I pack it in for the day. Once you start squirming around, youll never get a deer. And "Getting comfortable" is only a temporary (10-15min) fix, before im fidgeting again.

When i get home, my wife (a chiropractor) does a quick tune up. My back, hips, pelvis, and other bits i dont even know the names of are all snap, crackle, and popping back into place. She asks me what the hell i was doing and cant understand why i do that to myself when i tell her lol.

For reference, im 39yrs old, 140lbs, and an athletic build. How u older guys do this, i dont know lol. But im determined to make it work.

This here is probably the best explanation I feel after getting out of the tree lol. I’ve only tried the phantom and the cruzr xc but it was the same for both. Going to keep at it with the suggestions from here. Going to see what happens.

 

[raisins]

huh.....45 years old here, 6 foot, 180 lb, cruzr xc size 2....tether set to forehead height, bridge around 24 inches, tether adjusted so my thighs are at a 45 degree angle when my knees touch the tree.....i've been super comfortable from day one, much better than a stand.....i usually lean but sit for breaks and have a back band but don't need it on hunts less than 6 hours....i guess everyone is different

 

[MAHunter]

This here is probably the best explanation I feel after getting out of the tree lol. I’ve only tried the phantom and the cruzr xc but it was the same for both. Going to keep at it with the suggestions from here. Going to see what happens.

My only word of caution is that there is no magic cure all. It takes time to find whathat works for you. And even then, your body will need to adjust to it as you do longer sits. The guys that do all day sits comfortably either have no feeling from the nipples down or are robots lol.

 

[raisins]

My only word of caution is that there is no magic cure all. It takes time to find whathat works for you. And even then, your body will need to adjust to it as you do longer sits. The guys that do all day sits comfortably either have no feeling from the nipples down or are robots lol.

i think having a saddle a little big for you helps

i could probably fit a size 1, but i'm glad i upsized

i actually hurt way more sitting in most hang on stands, even when younger if i sat in a traditional stand for 6 hours i would be sore (it would tend to induce poor posture and also the angle of my legs was never right)

i'm telling you, a lot of people are so comfortable in their saddles that an all day sit is a breeze

 

[dbow0603]

A

I need some help. I have a Cruzr XC saddle and cant seem to stay comfortable. I love the weight and how compact everything is, I get in the tree quick and safer then I probably ever have, how ever I have spooked more deer then I can ever remember for the simple fact I fiddle with everything trying to stay comfortable. I lean, I sit, I move my feet, adjust my tether, adjust the saddle position on my body, and I sway with out even thinking about it. At the end of the hunt i'm frustrated and my hips are bothering me. I was a hang and hunt guy for the longest time, i've been so tempted going back to a hang on for the simple fact for me personally I don't move near as much. I hate the weight and bulk of the hang on stand, being i've gotten a very good saddle set up that I personally like, but i'm struggling. I have tried everything I can think of based on videos on youtube and comments on here. The last thing I was going to try was a 2 panel saddle. Not sure if it would help but not sure what else to do. Appreciate the help in advance.

Are you using a platform or steps?

 

[bodark]

You are on a saddle hunting forum so you won’t get this from many ppl but maybe the saddle just isn’t for you. That’s not a knock on you personally - after 4 seasons giving saddle hunting a complete and honest shake I don’t know that’s it’s for me either. The ONLY way I can stay comfortable without constantly fidgeting is to lower my tether to nipple high and shorten my bridge to 18” or so and just lean all day long. Even then I get tired and just want to sit down. I will keep my saddle and mission platform for early season hunts of a few hours but that will be all I use it for.

After 4 seasons hunting saddle exclusively I have come to the conclusion that I just move too damn much. I’ve tried every gadget, platform, ROS, and several different saddles all with similar results. After this season I will move back to a lock on. I drank the kool-aid and got several of my friends into it a saddle as well. I think I just wanted it to work so bad for the mobility aspect of it I convinced myself I was comfortable enough but deep down I knew I was moving and shifting my weight around too much.

With the Helo out now by Novix as a budget friendly option and even the LWCG and Beast gear stuff the weight isn’t THAT much of a difference. People get so caught up in weight shaving but ultimately it doesn’t matter. Going from a 25lb climber to a saddle will be a big difference, but going from a saddle to the lightweight stands on the market now will be negligible. I’m young and in good shape, the difference in 5lbs won’t matter. If I get to the point where it does I’ll just hunt on the ground.