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Aero Hunter Kestrel Mods

tracker12

tracker12

Active Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2020
Messages
158
Location
Southern Maryland
Was lucky enough to score a good condition Kestrel. Right now the only thing I want to do is change out the bridge to the strap version they offered on the Flex if I could figure it out and get the material. Any other things I should consider?
 
I personally prefer to swap out the buckles. I like a tri-glide on the waist belt and aluminum g-hooks for the leg loops.
 
elk yinzer said:
I personally prefer to swap out the buckles. I like a tri-glide on the waist belt and aluminum g-hooks for the leg loops.
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I like you Elk, you’re good people. However I must respectfully disagree. Swapping out the buckles on a Kestrel kinda defeats it being a Kestrel in the first place. The buckles and straps are all highly rated climbing gear, and that’s why people want(ed) these saddles. You can buy any saddle you want with g-hooks, but some of us prefer to hunt in a saddle that’s built like a Sherman Tank. The hardware on a Kestrel is completely overbuilt and that’s the whole point. That said, these buckles are not only strong but there’s zero fiddle when putting a kestrel on in the dark. Clip the waist, clip each leg, clip the bridge, done-zo. Takes me less than 30 seconds without a full cup of coffee and I know the hardware is super safe in a life support system. When I’m back to the truck, unclip 4 times and I’m on my way even faster than before.
Up for debate but I’m not bullish, everyone has their preferences. I do think there are better saddles to get if you’re going to change straps and buckles, than a kestrel. Find a used Tethrd jawn, a latitude setup, even an AH Kite…but a kestrel isn’t a kestrel without those buckles and hardware.
Mschmeiske said:
I have a couple loops of paracord hanging from the left and right side of the molle loops so I can hang my sticks off my side while climbing up.
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tracker12 said:
I just ordered a couple kydex clips from Hangfree to attach my sticks.
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I was going to suggest EWO’s webbing retainers for the same purpose. Molle clip with a loop of shock cord attached. I have two on my saddle and one on my scouting backpack, just ordered another couple.

Another “mod” on my Kestrel is the reflective stitching inside my LB loops and bridge loops. This was an upgrade they made for me in-house, but any reflective something (tape, stitching, marker) inside your LB loops especially is very helpful in the dark. They’re small openings for n the Kestrel in particular and you want a positive click-in.

I also like a few plastic carabiners on the saddle, also from EWO. I use them for temporary getting-crap-outta-my-way and can switch them to my gear strap if needed.

Lastly, find ONE saddle bag or dump pouch and only one. The Kestrel, as I said, is built like a Sherman tank and even though it’s relatively lightweight, it’s still gotta sag off your a$$. Don’t add too much to the weight by throwing 2-3 dump pouches. I have one SYS hauler that holds a gear strap, a few extra hitch cords and carabiners, a flashlight and knife, and an 8mm tether. It’s light and hangs on my left cheek. Used to have an Amazon dump pouch, I liked that too, by itself. Both pouches together were unnecessarily saggy though.
 
https://austrialpin.net/product/cobraframe-buckles/

The triglides are safety police approved. Actually I partly don't trust the pin buckles. I always use a fixed bridge anyway so I always put my saddle on like a sweater anyway.

Leg straps I personally feel are for positoning the saddle. I have RC harnesses with plastic leg buckles. It would take one weird fall to need them but anyway. Not here to debate that today.
 
elk yinzer said:
https://austrialpin.net/product/cobraframe-buckles/

The triglides are safety police approved. Actually I partly don't trust the pin buckles. I always use a fixed bridge anyway so I always put my saddle on like a sweater anyway.

Leg straps I personally feel are for positoning the saddle. I have RC harnesses with plastic leg buckles. It would take one weird fall to need them but anyway. Not here to debate that today.
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They already have rated tri’s on the waist belts, not sure if they’re australpin but I believe they are. I don’t prefer stepping into a fixed belt though. I like the buckle and the tri-glide.
Fair point on leg straps but again, if you want a Kestrel, you want the whole kit & caboodle. There are better options if buckles ain’t your thing IMO. But your point is well made.
 
tracker12 said:
Was lucky enough to score a good condition Kestrel. Right now the only thing I want to do is change out the bridge to the strap version they offered on the Flex if I could figure it out and get the material. Any other things I should consider?
Click to expand...
I have a flex, curious as to why you want to go to webbing for the bridge? That’s my least favorite thing about the flex as it doesn’t slide as smooth through a biner as I’d like.
 
I’d opt for an adjustable rope bridge like on the Overwatch transformer. I’ve swapped out both of my setups to this & love it! Been 3 years now
 
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Sometimes it’s just easier to pull a @tailgunner and dump some pics. Here’s what I’ve been using for 5 seasons, with minimal tweaks for the last 3.
In particular, note the reflective stitching inside the LB and bridge loops. This was not available on the stock Kestrel, only the Flex and by request (I ordered mine by phone, there are quite a few custom details that AH suggested and took into suggestion by me based on how I hunt AND they were two weeks behind on my stock Kestrel that I ordered online, so they built one to the new specs the very next day and had it to me within a week. Incredible.). Even the tan stitches all along the belts and saddle frame kinda shine with a suggestion of light, it makes life really easy in the dark morning when I’m still sleepy.
No, this isn’t an advertisement for Tethrd, but I do like the SYS hauler. It holds a carabiner, webbing sling, knife, sometimes a grunt call, safety whistle, and flashlight in the left pocket, another carabiner and extra hitch cords in the right pocket (8mm, 7mm, 6mm, and sometimes a 5mm), and in the main dump I have a HYS strap with 4 clips, another good carabiner, and an 8’ tether made of 8mm resctech. I could probably fit another two or three tethers in there, and while I’m hunting it gets my phone, rattle bag, or temporarily holds random crap.
I have a webbing retainer on each side’s lower molle in the last loops beside my leg straps, that I use for my sticks or to clip/transition carabiners at height. I have one plastic carabiner clipped on the lower right for my dog leash pull-up (also has reflective stitching), and another above that for whatever. Sometimes a platform, sometimes cords, sometimes my release or quiver…it’s there for when I need it. I have more in my pack.
11mm Tethrd rope is my LB and it never leaves my saddle. It’s suspenders when it’s not a LB and it was my tether for a while before I recently switched to 8mm. I had 8mm on my LB but I found it pinched my fingers and I like using the RM1 on the lineman better than tether.
My bridge is also the Flex version of the detachable webbing bridge. I love it. I keep it short and I’m not a huge guy so I don’t need a lot of play through the carabiner, but I find it’s smooth as butter when I need to lean far or shift. Admittedly I look for slick biners in the first place, that helps.

Let’s see some of those other Kestrels! I know some of y’all AH nerds gunna show out.
 
Thanks for the pics. Always nice to see a complete setup. I specifically looked for a Kestrel because I wanted the quality build they are know for. I like the buckles and have no intention on changing them. As far as bridge I have used both rope and strap in the past and prefer the strap. But thats just a personal preference. Also plan to set it up as a fixed bridge. Im not one to fiddle around with my stuff.
 
tracker12 said:
Thanks for the pics. Always nice to see a complete setup. I specifically looked for a Kestrel because I wanted the quality build they are know for. I like the buckles and have no intention on changing them. As far as bridge I have used both rope and strap in the past and prefer the strap. But thats just a personal preference. Also plan to set it up as a fixed bridge. Im not one to fiddle around with my stuff.
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@DanO sells bulk flat webbing just like the AH bridges if you can sew or get someone to do it for you. You can also tie webbing in knots and hitch it to your bridge loops, which may work better with tubular webbing (which EWO also sells). I have used webbing slings as a bridge as well.

The Heavy Duty Stuff

The REALLY Heavy Duty Stuff
 
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