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I’m finally convinced

S

skydoc

Active Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2022
Messages
176
I don’t go into anything without due diligence and tapping the brains of others who have experience. I am finally to the point that as a mobile hunter i’m tired and carrying a nearly 20 lbs lock on, not to mention how uncomfortable I am after even a half day sit.
So moving forward i am convinced saddle hunting is the option. I am however at a loss for which product i should purchase. As I am just starting to saddle hunting, I would prefer to find a setup that is decent as well as affordable. I’m sure everyone will have their favorites but please steer me in the right direction! I just know enough to know that i don’t want the XOP renegade or the free wedgies they provide.
Advise on platforms would be helpful as well. They all look pretty similar to me. Any features i should look for or avoid?
Thanks in advance for sharing you experience and expertise!
 
That’s the question doc, which one is best? Well, examine your hunting style and preferences. Do you prefer lighter weight, or more material for more comfort? Are you wanting absolute stability or are you ok with standing on a piece of rebar? Do you want to dance around the tree or stay more stationary? How big are you? Larger fellas seems like prefer larger platforms like a ridge runner, tehrd, etc. Do you want to pack in sticks or climb a tree with a couple ropes? You’ve got multi stick methods, 1 stick method, two tether climbing, single/double rope climbing, etc. give us a bit more dets and we can all mislead you with our favorite picks. I’m about 6’2” and 240ish with bells on prefer to one stick with a platform on top and rappel down. I hate humping lots of gear and prefer a fanny pack. I’m a hoodie snob and prefer them to jackets so I can keep the bulk down. I also have child bearing hips so I prefer a saddle with more room in the rear. Most of the saddles on the market are good, I’d stay away from the Hawk or any major manufacturer as they won’t have the quality or customer service. With a small dedicated biz you’ll most likely be talking to the guy that’s gonna sew your saddle and who’s life you will be putting your hands in. There are some folks on here to make gear as wel, hit up the vendor section. Another option is to hit up the saddle hunter map

Saddlehunter.com Member Map - New & Improved!

We have a new member map to make it easier to locate fellow saddle hunters near you. I was able to pull a fair amount of data from the previous Google map, but we know some who added their location previously will be missing. So double check that you are on the map if you would like to be. A...
saddlehunter.com
and find some folks near you who’s gear you can lay hands on. Now is the time to do it as you’ve got time before the season and folks will be more likely to meet up since it’s the office season.
 
All good advice. i’m 6’ and clocking in at about 185. I suffer from NoAssAtAll. I am looking for light with enough comfort to not make me regret it. Normal hunts are 3/4 to 2 miles in. I use a set of helium sticks currently. i believe i’d prefer a platform in range of tethrd phantom or the xop edge, just not sure if there’s something better about one over the other. The size 13s have somewhere to roost a little. Fanny pack is my pack as well. i’m a minimalist on gear. Couple of waters, a grunt call, and a knife. do you prefer leg straps or not?
 
I own a tethrd phantom. I think it's excellent for leaning but not so much sitting. I was convinced for a long time that the cruzr xc was the answer and I'm sure it's great. However after more research I'm buying a dryad drey.
 
skydoc said:
All good advice. i’m 6’ and clocking in at about 185. I suffer from NoAssAtAll. I am looking for light with enough comfort to not make me regret it. Normal hunts are 3/4 to 2 miles in. I use a set of helium sticks currently. i believe i’d prefer a platform in range of tethrd phantom or the xop edge, just not sure if there’s something better about one over the other. The size 13s have somewhere to roost a little. Fanny pack is my pack as well. i’m a minimalist on gear. Couple of waters, a grunt call, and a knife. do you prefer leg straps or not?
Click to expand...


i'm the same size as you are

a cruzr xc size 2 would be very comfortable for you
 
I don’t like leg straps myself. You may want to consider how your going to climb before you start buying stuff. A hang on acts as a sort of frame pack for you carry your sticks, you will have to figure out a different way if you still plan to use them. You could climb using a different system but that will effect what you need to buy.
 
If there is a meet up in your area attend. The more options you can try the better. Saddles are a clothing item, what works for some does not work for all.
 
skydoc said:
All good advice. i’m 6’ and clocking in at about 185. I suffer from NoAssAtAll. I am looking for light with enough comfort to not make me regret it. Normal hunts are 3/4 to 2 miles in. I use a set of helium sticks currently. i believe i’d prefer a platform in range of tethrd phantom or the xop edge, just not sure if there’s something better about one over the other. The size 13s have somewhere to roost a little. Fanny pack is my pack as well. i’m a minimalist on gear. Couple of waters, a grunt call, and a knife. do you prefer leg straps or not?
Click to expand...
For a lighter saddle look for one with a mesh seat. If you wanna go all strappy the Eberhardt ESS has what you’re looking for. For a platform depends on how you’d hunt; I like the ridge runner cuz it sticks out enough from the tree to fit my size 13s but it also is wider than it is long so I can perch off the side for around the tree shots. OOAL just came out with a 2.0 version. The phantom is great and it packs great too, their pack with a couple pouches might be right up your alley. Me and some other fanny freaks like the Trophyline platow but it might be a bit large for your needs. I prefer leg straps especially as I one strick, keeps everything where I want it. If you like climbing with multi sticks maybe think about throwing and aider or three on your sticks, I vote for backwoods mobile. And maybe upgrade your sticks to something lighter
 
There was a predator platform on the classifieds for 130 I think. Custom gear modification sidewinder for 175 carries well. Add a tether and LB and you are in the game.

But a meet up is a good place to try some stuff. Browse the classifieds on here and pick one up second hand.
 
A lot of great advice already. Finding someone local to let you try some gear out is a great way to start. Also, as mentioned if there is a saddle hunter meet up anywhere close that would be a great place to try a bunch of different things at once. This was my first year saddle hunting. I started with a Cruzr XC size small and it is a great saddle. The Cruzr is a single panel with a pleat, so it has some adjustability like a 2 panel. I also have a Treehopper Recon. It is a 2 panel saddle and is more "minimalist". I guess you could say. It is based off the original Anderson Sling, and it, like the mentioned Tethrd ESS, is a saddle made of straps. It looks uncomfortable until you take about ten minutes to learn how they work. I was sold once I started using the 2 panel sling style saddle. I've done some near all day sits in my Recon this season and it is very comfortable. I also am a fan of the ring of steps. They are also very minimalist but more comfortable than you would think looking at them. For reference I am 5'11" 150 pounds.

Shown below is my primary setup I used for this season.
 

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NMSbowhunter said:
A lot of great advice already. Finding someone local to let you try some gear out is a great way to start. Also, as mentioned if there is a saddle hunter meet up anywhere close that would be a great place to try a bunch of different things at once. This was my first year saddle hunting. I started with a Cruzr XC size small and it is a great saddle. The Cruzr is a single panel with a pleat, so it has some adjustability like a 2 panel. I also have a Treehopper Recon. It is a 2 panel saddle and is more "minimalist". I guess you could say. It is based off the original Anderson Sling, and it, like the mentioned Tethrd ESS, is a saddle made of straps. It looks uncomfortable until you take about ten minutes to learn how they work. I was sold once I started using the 2 panel sling style saddle. I've done some near all day sits in my Recon this season and it is very comfortable. I also am a fan of the ring of steps. They are also very minimalist but more comfortable than you would think looking at them. For reference I am 5'11" 150 pounds.

Shown below is my primary setup I used for this season.
Click to expand...
what kinda sticks you use?
 
skydoc said:
what kinda sticks you use?
Click to expand...
Those are stock Lone Wolf three step sticks. I started with 3 and added another one after a few weeks. I made a 1 step aider out of 1 inch tubular webbing that I place on the bottom stick once it is on the tree. The aider doubles as the carry strap to haul the set up in and out of the woods. With those 4 sticks and an aider I can comfortably get 20 feet without stretching. I use a ring of steps made up of 7 Pioneer aluminum steps by Bullman outdoors on an OCB buckle strap by Eastern Woods Outdoors. The whole set up weighs about ten pounds. I carry it in slung over my shoulder and carry my bow in the other hand.
 
skydoc said:
i’m in south east KY. found one fella not far from here on the map function this forum. reached out to him.
Click to expand...

I’m located in London, KY. I have a couple saddles, climbing sticks, predator platform, rappelling gear, and a one stick setup. Shoot me a message if you want to try anything out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
After trying a 2 panel saddle a few weeks ago, I would never steer anyone toward a 1 panel..... I know certain people prefer them and I have a Phantom which I don't think is peak comfort for 1 panels, but I got a Latitude Method 2 and the comfort increase blew me away... I think the Tethrd ESS is the most cost friendly 2 panel and reviews say its comfortable, I'm just not a fan of the metal d rings... do some checking on here cuz u can find some deals this time of year with people switching up their setups.... and if possible meet up with people who can let u try out some saddles...good luck
 
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