NATHAN
Well-Known Member
Anybody got anything new?
Anything new as far as customizations to the ESS?Anybody got anything new?
I also put an Amsteel bridge on my ESS. SOO much better than the original. No creaking on the D rings when under pressure. Amsteel against the D rings is the way to go IMO.Curious on your thoughts.
I replaced the bridge with an adjustable amsteel one but before I tied it all in I ran it through my madrock safeguard. This removed the need for a carabiner and saves on metal on metal sound.
The fuzzy bit is the burry and not it fraying. My distal hitch is kinda long. Planning on shortening it this week. Also I know the rope is blue. I was sent the wrong color and needed to use it before I had a chance to send it back.
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I too tried Amsteel but differ from your guys opinions. I hated it now you don’t have a bridge that can shift as you bend up and down. The purpose of the bridge being on loops is to constantly pull at the center. The only benefit I saw in Amsteel with a girth hitch was if you always sit/lean exactly the same that you could play with bridge angle and make the saddle pull away from hot spots and pinch points. I played with it in the yard decided it wasn’t for me and tied the original back on. Also as for the creaking noise on the d-rings I just hammered the webbing in bow string wax in that area and it’s posed no issue!I also put an Amsteel bridge on my ESS. SOO much better than the original. No creaking on the D rings when under pressure. Amsteel against the D rings is the way to go IMO.
I love it . It's very comfortable and lightweight.Is the saddle comfortable? Really? Looks like it can be wadded up kinda small. I use the cruzr and love it. But really would like to find something I can ball up.
has anyone changed the webbing bridge to a rope bridge with a ropeman 1 so it was easier to adjust.
Might be mistaken, but I think it was Spencer from the “Saddle Hunting” channel on YT (I forget his handle on here) who had a similar idea, hunted with panels oriented opposite to how they’re “supposed” to be.I loved the comfort of the ESS and only got rid of it because of panel management. Hunted last season out of a diy webbing saddle. This year I made my own ESS but flipped the panels. I would rather just drop the outside panel under my butt and hunt. The ESS design has you slide the whole saddle under your butt and then pull up the inside panel.
Sounds more like you’re having bridge/tether adjustment issues, not so much that you’re having comfort issues with one saddle or another. JMOThe one thing I did that really made me appreciate my ESS was to use my Kestrel !! Hip pinch killed me after about 15 minutes. I am still experimenting with my ESS to try and get it perfect. Suspenders helped a lot. Still having problems getting everything adjusted properly while in the tree. Then I had an idea…..what if my 2 panel became a single panel ?? Before I do anything permanent I got out the duct tape. Now I have a single panel saddle that is comfortable. I don’t have any adjustment issues but I did give up the extreme comfort of the 2 panel. Will keep trying.
Bowhunterchuck
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Sounds more like you’re having bridge/tether adjustment issues, not so much that you’re having comfort issues with one saddle or another. JMO
When I used single panels I always ran my tether around the same height as my upper lip. With my ess I found the most comfortable height (for me personally) is right around my collar bones. I’ve sat in my ess for 14 hours straight multiple times in the early season without hardly moving and never getting un comfortableI’m heading out in the morning with my ESS. What should I try different with my tether ?
Bowhunterchuck
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I’m heading out in the morning with my ESS. What should I try different with my tether ?
Bowhunterchuck
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Play with the tether height first (lower takes hip pressure off), then hitch/ropeman height, and then you can fine-tune with bridge adjustment.When I used single panels I always ran my tether around the same height as my upper lip. With my ess I found the most comfortable height (for me personally) is right around my collar bones. I’ve sat in my ess for 14 hours straight multiple times in the early season without hardly moving and never getting un comfortable
Play with the tether height first (lower takes hip pressure off), then hitch/ropeman height, and then you can fine-tune with bridge adjustment.
That’s just my process.
Everyone on here has said this at one time or another: saddle comfort is so personal. Once you get it you will get it. Glad my suggestion helped! It will work itself out the more you hang.Finally got out in the saddle. Decreased my bridge length by an inch. Lowered my tether about 10 inches….now it’s level with my chin. Everything helped to reduce the hip pinch to near nothing.
Now my only complaint is the lower tether really brings my knees into the tree. I’ll keep trying.
Thanks for the advice.
Bowhunterchuck
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Are you using a normal platform? Like the guy above me said everything’s personal but I found to hate normal platforms even though I already strongly disliked them. But like you said it brings your knees into the tree so small platforms like a scout or monarch are much better or just using a ring of steps works very well tooFinally got out in the saddle. Decreased my bridge length by an inch. Lowered my tether about 10 inches….now it’s level with my chin. Everything helped to reduce the hip pinch to near nothing.
Now my only complaint is the lower tether really brings my knees into the tree. I’ll keep trying.
Thanks for the advice.
Bowhunterchuck
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Are you using a normal platform? Like the guy above me said everything’s personal but I found to hate normal platforms even though I already strongly disliked them. But like you said it brings your knees into the tree so small platforms like a scout or monarch are much better or just using a ring of steps works very well too
any chance you could share a pic of the coozies?The ESS is the saddle I landed on after trying two panels. Two panels were uncomfortable and I couldn’t stay still. The ESS was way more comfortable and I like the two panel design for changing my position. As much as I like it it’s a bit quirky and it is a pain to put on and wear in.
The first thing I did was sew on two beer coozies around the metal D Loops. The metal D Loops are huge and act like wind chimes in the tree when climbing and putting it on. Not sure why they put that much metal in the saddle, but no more problems with the beer coozies. If you want to wear the saddle in you have to do something to keep the panels together, the plastic clips are worthless. I settled on just taking a nite ize gear tie and tying together the top panels. You can hike with it just fine then I take the gear tie off once I’m ready to clip into my tether. I also did what someone else did in the thread and tie some bungee cord and an S Biner to the D loops and clip them while walking.