DIY Fleece Saddle Knot

[robanna]

]I was putting together a new saddle with a Walmart throw and wanted a better knot. I like @DaveT1963 double girth hitch (cat’s paw hitch) but I found it would not tighten up enough for me and was afraid it would ‘walk’ off the end since I don’t sew a channel. I’m sure it would work great if I was always taking off the bridge to wash the fleece line Dave mentioned he does after every hunt.

My solution is a combination of a clove hitch inside a girth hitch. On the first side of the bridge, you could just tie a clove hitch and pass the tag end through the loop. The other end gets tricky because you don’t have a tag end. What you need to do is create a girth hitch, pull a large amount through to make a big loop, tie a clove hitch on a bight, slip it over the fleece, and pull on the non-loop end to dress the knot down. It tightens down the more you sit in it but can still come off easily to wash.

Let me know your thoughts.

Here’s a picture tutorial: You need about 8 inches on each end to tie the knot so add 16” to your bridge length (after you tie a loop on each end).

 

[bj139]

I tried the double girth hitch on fleece and I used it for a hunt up a tree with RCH which was OK. Later I was testing it in the house at ground level and when I weighted it, it slipped and I nearly sat down on the floor. I would want a sewn channel of some type if I were to use it again. I like your girth hitched clove hitch.

 

[robanna]

Try this and let me know how it goes. Sew a channel for peace of mind.
I used this all this past season without an issue. It really tightens up nice.

 

[mtsrunner]

This knot will hold for sure. I have done all my fleece saddles with this knot using 1/8” Amsteel soft shackles (instead of continuous loops).

 

[robanna]

This knot will hold for sure. I have done all my fleece saddles with this knot using 1/8” Amsteel soft shackles (instead of continuous loops).

I’ve used a sheet bend a several hammocks. It uses a lot more fabric and creates a big ball on each hip when used on a saddle. When size and weight (yes, I’m a gram weenie) are an issue, I don’t use the sheet bend. Just another way to skin the same cat.

 

[bj139]

I experimented with the sheet bend and it seems much better. The tag end can't be passed through the loop on the second side of the saddle but the standard sheet bend seems secure enough. If it works with rope, it should work with rope substitutes, maybe.

 

[DaveT1963]

I tried the double girth hitch on fleece and I used it for a hunt up a tree with RCH which was OK. Later I was testing it in the house at ground level and when I weighted it, it slipped and I nearly sat down on the floor. I would want a sewn channel of some type if I were to use it again. I like your girth hitched clove hitch.

operator error is my guess, done correctly they dont slip, at all.

 

[bj139]

operator error is my guess, done correctly they dont slip, at all.

Did it just like you showed in your video. Not safe, IMHO.

 

[DaveT1963]

Did it just like you showed in your video. Not safe, IMHO.

Everyone's entitled to an opinion. just because you watch a video and try something doesnt mean you did it right. If done correctly it doesnt move. Perhaps go with the knot Mtsrunner shows.

 

[gcr0003]

Everyone's entitled to an opinion. just because you watch a video and try something doesnt mean you did it right. If done correctly it doesnt move. Perhaps go with the knot Mtsrunner shows.

BJ post up what materials you used and the final product. If you feel it’s unsafe then it could either be a learning point for us or a learning point for you. We won’t know if we don’t know how you did yours. Also, like Dave said sometime (especially with knots and such) we think we tie it correctly only to find out we made a mistake somewhere.

 

[bj139]

Everyone's entitled to an opinion. just because you watch a video and try something doesnt mean you did it right. If done correctly it doesnt move. Perhaps go with the knot Mtsrunner shows.

I was thinking later about this and I used a thin climbing sling not thin cord. Maybe this is the problem.
The girth hitch on the bare end of fleece always looked a little suspect to me so I never really trusted it so I wore a RCH.

 

[DaveT1963]

I was thinking later about this and I used a thin climbing sling not thin cord. Maybe this is the problem.

Not sure? I have tried it with paracord (just an initial test) and Amsteel - I have not had any problem with any movement once I lock it down. I like amsteel because it tightens up better on itself.

 

[robanna]

I was thinking later about this and I used a thin climbing sling not thin cord. Maybe this is the problem.
The girth hitch on the bare end of fleece always looked a little suspect to me so I never really trusted it so I wore a RCH.

You might be on to something here. I use mule tape. Very similar to a sling in width and thickness. And I could never get it to cinch down to a point were I was happy and could foresee it slipping off. The width of webbing might be the reason why.

 

[CrackbottomLouis]

Nevermind. Rereading thread answered Q.

 

[bj139]

I have been experimenting with a climbing sling with a sheet bend knot using the bunched up fleece as the larger rope and the sling as the smaller rope. What is nice about this is you can clip a carabiner through the loop in the end of the sling and around the fleece. This will reduce the possibility that the sling could pull through the knot. Rock climbers do this all the time to prevent a stopper knot from pulling through a seemingly impossible steel loop. It seems like overkill in their videos but they must know something I don't. It is almost universal in the videos I have seen. Here are a few ideas I was working on. If I sewed the fleece to form a sewn loop it should be even better. How much force does it take to tear fleece? I mean in numerical terms not just "a lot".

 

[DaveT1963]

I have been experimenting with a climbing sling with a sheet bend knot using the bunched up fleece as the larger rope and the sling as the smaller rope. What is nice about this is you can clip a carabiner through the loop in the end of the sling and around the fleece. This will reduce the possibility that the sling could pull through the knot. Rock climbers do this all the time to prevent a stopper knot from pulling through a seemingly impossible steel loop. It seems like overkill in their videos but they must know something I don't. It is almost universal in the videos I have seen. Here are a few ideas I was working on. If I sewed the fleece to form a sewn loop it should be even better. How much force does it take to tear fleece? I mean in numerical terms not just "a lot".

I still recommend NOT trusting a fleece saddle as fall restraint.... use a RCH.

 

[bj139]

If I girth hitched a cord around the tail end of a thicker rope would I expect it to hold? No. Why should I expect the girth hitched fleece to hold? Would I expect a sheet bend to hold? Yes, just as it does with two different sized ropes. The loop in the thicker rope is the key.

 

[bj139]

I still recommend NOT trusting a fleece saddle as fall restraint.... use a RCH.

I am not crazy about carrying two things when I can carry one. I should just go back to my first saddle sewing project and add more fabric (camo) for more butt support. This photo was taken in early July 2019. As an additional benefit, the fabric holds the leg loops in alignment so no untwisting is necessary.

 

[DaveT1963]

I am not crazy about carrying two things when I can carry one. I should just go back to my first saddle sewing project and add more fabric (camo) for more butt support. This photo was taken in early July 2019. As an additional benefit, the fabric holds the leg loops in alignment so no untwisting is necessary.

Honestly it sounds like you have a problem with fleece saddles in general so not really sure why this post drew your attention. I would never, and I doubt anyone else would, recommend using a fleece saddle as a stand alone hunting saddle.

 

[bj139]

Honestly it sounds like you have a problem with fleece saddles in general so not really sure why this post drew your attention. I would never, and I doubt anyone else would, recommend using a fleece saddle as a stand alone hunting saddle.

How would I know if I had a problem with fleece saddles before trying them? I only reported my experience in hope of alerting other users to the safety issues.