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Anyone find ways to make your platform more stable or tips?

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bigbuck247

New Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2022
Messages
36
New to saddle hunting and my platform seems less stable than I would like it to be (hawk apex and yes I know not the greatest platform but its what I have until I upgrade to the mission I want). It is find as long as I am pretty centered or not leaning to hard on the edge but if I get to much weight on one edge it starts to shift some. Is this normal for all platforms and something I will just get better/more comfortable with in time or is it possibly something I am doing? I am getting the strap as tight as I can and then from there pulling down and then camming over the platform to set it so that all seems good.
 
Rather than just pulling down try this: While you're tethered in, use one toe/foot to tilt the platform up, step up with your other foot on the post then cam it over while pressure is still on the post. I think people call it the "toe hook method". That's about the tightest you'll get it and anything other than that is probably just loose tolerances in manufacturing and materials.
You could always try a ratchet strap too.
1:44 in this video
 
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bigbuck247 said:
New to saddle hunting and my platform seems less stable than I would like it to be (hawk apex and yes I know not the greatest platform but its what I have until I upgrade to the mission I want). It is find as long as I am pretty centered or not leaning to hard on the edge but if I get to much weight on one edge it starts to shift some. Is this normal for all platforms and something I will just get better/more comfortable with in time or is it possibly something I am doing? I am getting the strap as tight as I can and then from there pulling down and then camming over the platform to set it so that all seems good.
Click to expand...

I got rid of all my straps and buckles and now use amsteel to attach my platforms. You can use a rope mod or trucker's hitch (which daisy chain). The amsteel does not stretch (well not enough to consider) compared to the nylon strap and so it locks it on the tree much better.

I don't toe hook with amsteel or the platform would fold back down. I push down with my hand and then fold over. If done correctly, the amsteel is so tight that you can pluck it like a bass guitar string and as you shift weight the platform does not pull away from the tree at all, either top or bottom.
 
There's aftermarket standoffs that make the hawk apex slightly better I've heard. Whatever you do, ditch the stock strap. I assume it's the same as the strap that came with my helium's (buckle strap) and it is terrible, stretches and is a royal pain. Ditch it for almost any other strap and you'll upgrade.
 
thedutchtouch said:
There's aftermarket standoffs that make the hawk apex slightly better I've heard. Whatever you do, ditch the stock strap. I assume it's the same as the strap that came with my helium's (buckle strap) and it is terrible, stretches and is a royal pain. Ditch it for almost any other strap and you'll upgrade.
Click to expand...
maybe this is my problem. I have the versa links for my sticks so i may try one of those to see if it helps. If so get more of them or get some amsteel.
 
I am not sure about apex, but check EWO for an aftermarket stand off. I changed the stand offs on my helium and beast one sticks to the EWO stand offs. They hold and don't let go!
 
bigbuck247 said:
New to saddle hunting and my platform seems less stable than I would like it to be (hawk apex and yes I know not the greatest platform but its what I have until I upgrade to the mission I want). It is find as long as I am pretty centered or not leaning to hard on the edge but if I get to much weight on one edge it starts to shift some. Is this normal for all platforms and something I will just get better/more comfortable with in time or is it possibly something I am doing? I am getting the strap as tight as I can and then from there pulling down and then camming over the platform to set it so that all seems good.
Click to expand...
A friend asked me for help…same issue. Loose the strap first. I tried amsteel options but ended up with a ratchet strap.
If you do use one you can quiet them down. Two layers of tiny strips of gorrilla tape on the 2 small tabs that fit in the sprocket
grooves. Also thumb and forefinger on the handle small tabs top and bottom. ratchet slow helps to quite it down. Short of that…Spend some more money on a better stand.
Hope that helps.
 
Fgirtyman said:
A friend asked me for help…same issue. Loose the strap first. I tried amsteel options but ended up with a ratchet strap.
If you do use one you can quiet them down. Two layers of tiny strips of gorrilla tape on the 2 small tabs that fit in the sprocket
grooves. Also thumb and forefinger on the handle small tabs top and bottom. ratchet slow helps to quite it down. Short of that…Spend some more money on a better stand.
Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Curious how yall are attaching the ratchet strap to the versa button? Just hooking the hook onto the peg for the button?
 
Lots of good points here but what I have found to work best is to change how I push off. I use the center post to stand on and push off of. I can really move slow, keeping my profile small and steady myself against the tree for good shooting.
 
thedutchtouch said:
There's aftermarket standoffs that make the hawk apex slightly better I've heard. Whatever you do, ditch the stock strap. I assume it's the same as the strap that came with my helium's (buckle strap) and it is terrible, stretches and is a royal pain. Ditch it for almost any other strap and you'll upgrade.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I needed to do. I had been using the hawk version of the cam buckle strap. Had a friend that recently got some new trophyline sticks but is using his versalink ropes so I tried one of his trophyline cam buckle straps that came with his new steps and it made a world of difference. I was able to get it much tighter to the tree and had no problems getting the platform to cam over tight and secure.
 
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