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hand warmer muffs & saddles

Jay_Disarray

Jay_Disarray

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2019
Messages
1,950
Location
MN
FIrst off i gotta say, what an awesome community. Just had the opportunity to meet up with @Pooh and give his tethrd saddle a go. Love it, I think I might be addicted. Still waiting on sitdrag for this year though.

So here's my question, I was contemplating using the nylon band that came around my hand warmer muff to strap my sitdrag around my waist, but I'm not sure if it will get in the way of the bridge there. There is also a bino holder at chest level of the safety harness backup ill be using, so that may be an option too. With the cold MN weather incoming, using my hand warmer muff is going to be a huge factor in comfort.

Does anyone else use a hand warmer muff and where do you usually put it?
 
I use a diy muff. I clip it to my molly loops. Sometimes, I put it around the back of me when I'm walking and climbing and I turn it around front when I'm set in the tree, but most times, I keep it in front.
There may be a company ready to release muffs designed for saddle use. I should have a prototype to test any day now.
 
I use a natural gear, keep it cinched down right at my waist so the strap sits basically on top of my saddle belt, then i tuck the strap into the saddle belt j hook so it doesn't move around. That way if I have to grab my bow I just pull my hands out and the muff sits right in my lap out of the way.
 
NYSFreezerMeat said:
I found it pretty comfortable to just clip it through my caribiner on my tether, just like the Gen 2 Tetherd recliner. It drops out of the way when you need to shoot.
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Brilliant! Wish I had thought of this. Thanks for sharing!
 
I use a muff around my waist as long as i feed the strap around the outside of my leg straps i dont have any problems with it.
 
I too am interested in this thread. In the past I've used a muff with treestands but have been struggling this year. My saddle/bridge is right where the muff traditionally has gone and where its comfortable. Its awkward to put it higher and my binocs are there. Last night I put it below my saddle, wrapped around my legs. I didn't like it there as I was always afraid it'd fall when I took my hands out. And it restricted leg motion. This morning I was thinking about running the strap thru the two hooks on the saddle that the linemans belt connects to and wondering if that would work.
 
Not to derail the thread, but all the setting up and taking down with cold hands has been my biggest challenge with saddle hunting. When my hands start to go numb I start to fumble and make noise.
 
Solocam92 said:
Not to derail the thread, but all the setting up and taking down with cold hands has been my biggest challenge with saddle hunting. When my hands start to go numb I start to fumble and make noise.
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Yeah, cold hands don't go "hand in hand" (pun intended) with climbing trees or dealing with ropes and other gear. Gloves suck, as well when climbing. I really avoid gloves as much as possible and when I do use gloves, the finger tips are cut out, which is probably the better way. I'm more sure handed when climbing without gloves, but bare hands equal residual odor. Finger prints are made of skin oil and skin oil smells like humans. It's a bit of a conundrum.
I attach my muff to the Molly loops of my kestrel. I just extend the muff loops with shock cord and clip onto the mollie loops. The muff hangs below my bridge.
 
Since it's gotten cold, I've actually been just clipping the waist band of the muff over the bridge of my saddle and letting it hang there, haven't had any issues with it
 
I cut thg he waist band off the muff, then slide my kestrel waist belt through the muff. Then I bunch the muff to one side when I want to buckle or unbuckle the waist belt. That's just how I did on my safety harness before the saddle. Works great.
 
Phopkins said:
I cut thg he waist band off the muff, then slide my kestrel waist belt through the muff. Then I bunch the muff to one side when I want to buckle or unbuckle the waist belt. That's just how I did on my safety harness before the saddle. Works great.
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This^^^
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ideas.
Im hanging in a tree right now with my Kestrel's waist belt thru the muff. Works great.
My buddy is 200 yards away in his Mantis with the same method. He likes it, too.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 
Allegheny Tom said:
This^^^
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best ideas.
Im hanging in a tree right now with my Kestrel's waist belt thru the muff. Works great.
My buddy is 200 yards away in his Mantis with the same method. He likes it, too.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
After 3 years since I made that post, I need to amend it a little. Like most of this saddle stuff, we tweak and fine tune stuff almost as a rule.
I'm still using a muff but I like it much better if it's not attached any part of the saddle system.
I just slip a webbing belt thru the muff and around my waist. Doing it that way allows my to slide the muff around my back side while climbing. I found that then its attached to the saddle in any way, then it often ends up obscuring seeing loops, straps, beeners, etc.
I like the dedicated muff belt because it also allows me to help control my coat creeping up my back during a hang. I get less of a draft because the muff belt hold my coat in place.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
After 3 years since I made that post, I need to amend it a little. Like most of this saddle stuff, we tweak and fine tune stuff almost as a rule.
I'm still using a muff but I like it much better if it's not attached any part of the saddle system.
I just slip a webbing belt thru the muff and around my waist. Doing it that way allows my to slide the muff around my back side while climbing. I found that then its attached to the saddle in any way, then it often ends up obscuring seeing loops, straps, beeners, etc.
I like the dedicated muff belt because it also allows me to help control my coat creeping up my back during a hang. I get less of a draft because the muff belt hold my coat in place.
Click to expand...

That’s a good point about it keeping your coat from riding up. I have always liked muffs instead of gloves, but last year I found myself using my GWW vest because it has really deep pockets and I felt like it was easier to slide my hands out vs a muff. I will give the muff with a strap through the middle a shot this season.
 
mtsrunner said:
That’s a good point about it keeping your coat from riding up. I have always liked muffs instead of gloves, but last year I found myself using my GWW vest because it has really deep pockets and I felt like it was easier to slide my hands out vs a muff. I will give the muff with a strap through the middle a shot this season.
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I think that having both hands in one compartment (the muff) is warmer than a hand in each pocket. I like a chemical hand warmer in the muff and I don't need 2 of them like I would if my hands were in my pocket.

This is another example of how personalized saddle hunting is. Where to comfortably keep your hands depends on a lot of individual factors. Saddle design, bridge length, tether height, sit or lean, and outerwear all factor in.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I think that having both hands in one compartment (the muff) is warmer than a hand in each pocket. I like a chemical hand warmer in the muff and I don't need 2 of them like I would if my hands were in my pocket.

This is another example of how personalized saddle hunting is. Where to comfortably keep your hands depends on a lot of individual factors. Saddle design, bridge length, tether height, sit or lean, and outerwear all factor in.
Click to expand...

Yep, I use a large warmer in each pocket. When I used to use the muff, I could get by with just one warmer total.
 
I’ve been fortunate I guess that a hoodie over merino base layers has been sufficient for most of the season here in GA. One big 18hr hand warmer inside the front pocket and I’ve been good…….most of the time. I’m getting older and warmer sounds better ……wish I could put my feet in one! Anywho, This is great info and I love the way y’all are thinking outside the box!
 
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