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Homemade Saddle - Optimal Comfort

A

A.Princey

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2025
Messages
57
I’ll probably get roasted for this, but my design is crazy comfy, functional, and safe. Long story short, I just finished an all day sit in a mediocre saddle(with knee pads, to sit occasionally), and my sciatic area below my bottom really gets sore from the webbing straps. I do have a DIY hip spreader that works wonders, but the overall experience was crappy.

While I sat there I kept thinking about the J3X chair and how I could modify it to be more saddle-like and better for compound archery hunts. So, I ditched the backrest and added a hip spreader to immediately shorten the webbing and free up bow clearance issues. Next, I narrowed the seat depth to be more “leaner” friendly and travel smart.

I trialed it in my yard this evening and it worked really well. I’m going out on an all day rut hunt tomorrow. An added benefit I never planned for was the superb insulation vs a mesh saddle. The foam padding is perfect.


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One of my motivations for designing this was cost. I’m sorry, but no saddle made is worth more than 200$, IMO. Also, the pressure point dilemma around the perimeter straps had me searching for more interior structure/support. I was worried even the best designs would eventually sag in the middle material and I’d be eventually feeling the perimeter straps again.

Stiff material would be the only option to alleviate sagging, so why not forgo a cloth/mesh/webbing design and choose absolute rigidity. A modified J3X was the logical choice.

Board is 3/4” BCX plywood, webbing is 2” 1000# towing strap, spreader is 3/4” aluminum tubing.
 
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Brocky said:
I don’t think it’s safe enough if used alone, a seatbelt isn’t as secure as a waist belt in this situation.
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The one thing about this prototype version is the lack of “room” to actually get it on. If I gain 10+lbs, it won’t even fit me anymore. The spreader bar has like 1/2” of clearance from my waist and only about 1” clearance under weight. With warm layers underneath, the bar is almost tight. If the belt were to fail, the whole unit would never make it past my gut/chest.
 
Deer action was slow, headed in for lunch.

I can report the first hunt in the new rig was superb! It does kinda suck to wear while walking, unless you slide it all the way up to small of your back. But as a saddle, it is way more comfortable, by leaps and bounds. The concept is very sound and works exactly as I was hoping it would. With a few added safety upgrades and more fine tuning, this could have a real future as a new saddle concept.
 
Yeah, I suppose this already does exist(Bosun). As for safety, I’d say my rig is safer than folks that have a traditional saddle without leg straps. My belt is first defense, and the tight circumference of the spreader bar is another safety catch.
 
A.Princey said:
Yeah, I suppose this already does exist(Bosun). As for safety, I’d say my rig is safer than folks that have a traditional saddle without leg straps. My belt is first defense, and the tight circumference of the spreader bar is another safety catch.
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Just looks like dozing off quickly would have you flipping backwards and sliding out head first.
 
I'm fully transitioned to this Bosun style seat, don't think I'll ever go back to a traditional fabric saddle again. I can wear it on the small of my back, under me like a seat, or at any point inbetween. The level of comfort and adjustability far exceeds my previous traditional saddle.
 
Ballshooter said:
You are hanging from a wire gate?
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Yes, absolutely wire biner. Go to "How Knot To" climber's channel on YT and check the strength tests of these style gates, they're hella strong even with the load horizontal across the wire(8kN shock load minor axis). His channel is completely dedicated to testing dynamic and static failure load strengths of ropes, biners, and rock climbing gear. They're using this same style gear while dangling hundreds of feet high, over sheer cliffs like El Cap, so I'm pretty sure it's perfectly safe for schmucks like us at 18ft.....
 
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Ballshooter said:
Why the spread bar? Seems it is not needed.
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This allows me to minimize the amount of rope/webbing that is out in front of me, before my tether. I want as much bow clearance as possible, from multiple angles. Going with a short bar or none at all would cause thigh/hip pinch from the longer side webbing to achieve this low-profile approach.
 
Brocky said:
Your use of carabiners is more like arborists which requires a self closing, double locking carabiner, yes non lockers are plenty strong, just not very secure.
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Appreciate the concern, but the risks we hunters encounter with respect to a locking/wire gate are so low compared to their intended use that I’m not worried. I more worried about a 22lr bullet hitting me from stupid squirrel hunters than my rope miraculously “jumping out” of the spring-loaded gate.
 
Hunting requires less travel and movement than arborists, the dangers of using a non locking carabiner are the same. Arborists don’t ascend and descend in the dark. Look around, is anyone else using them for the main connector?
 
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