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It's just...a little crush... - Review of the JX3 Hybrid Saddle
- Thread starter kyler1945
- Start date
LAKY
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2019
- Messages
- 459
I've carried at least 5 deer and a hog out of the woods in the hybrid.
2 of these were prior to my significant modifications to it. One of them was a quartered buck that weighed at least 225lbs, and probably in the 250 range. I carried it 1.5 miles in the Gen 1 hybrid stock. It handled the weight just fine. It was also the reason I made the modifications I did...
The molle frame of the gen 1 is designed to haul loads. The hybrid harness and belt and the way they interact with the mesh is not exactly designed that way. I know the new frame is beefier and heavier.
I can tell you that the Hybrid will handle any load you can. But carrying more than about 50lbs with the stock harness and belt setup is not going to be fun. It won't break. It will be fine. You just won't enjoy it. For me, it was a deal breaker because of how I hunt, and how I'm built. But the hybrid was so comfortable and made so much sense to hunt from, I just modified it to handle like my frame packs. You can see that thread for more info.
It is very simple and convenient to drop the seat, and strap your quarters or deboned meat bag to the back frame. Like so simple and so many options it need not be discussed. Then you just fold seat up as far as it will go, and strap or buckle it to top of back frame. Yes it sticks out some. No it doesn't matter. If you're carrying a load big enough to have it perfectly horizontal - you're going to be off balance and running into stuff anyway. It's a non issue.
If you're under 6', and are built in such a way you can carry more weight on shoulders than hips, the way the hybrid is built will be "fine" for you. If you're like me, and carrying any pack without a hip belt feels like being strangled by a midget all day, and 6'3, you'll probably want to do some modifications to make it more comfortable.
TLDR; You can strap your quartered deer or deboned deer to the back of the hybrid and carry it out. It will carry as much weight as you can tolerate. As built, it is not "optimized" for load carrying. It's designed to carry your crap in the woods to hunt. If you want to make it perfect, it's easy to do but requires modification. My advice would be to actually kill a deer, prep it, and carry it out of the woods once. Then decide if it can handle it, or if you need to make modifications to it.
2 of these were prior to my significant modifications to it. One of them was a quartered buck that weighed at least 225lbs, and probably in the 250 range. I carried it 1.5 miles in the Gen 1 hybrid stock. It handled the weight just fine. It was also the reason I made the modifications I did...
The molle frame of the gen 1 is designed to haul loads. The hybrid harness and belt and the way they interact with the mesh is not exactly designed that way. I know the new frame is beefier and heavier.
I can tell you that the Hybrid will handle any load you can. But carrying more than about 50lbs with the stock harness and belt setup is not going to be fun. It won't break. It will be fine. You just won't enjoy it. For me, it was a deal breaker because of how I hunt, and how I'm built. But the hybrid was so comfortable and made so much sense to hunt from, I just modified it to handle like my frame packs. You can see that thread for more info.
It is very simple and convenient to drop the seat, and strap your quarters or deboned meat bag to the back frame. Like so simple and so many options it need not be discussed. Then you just fold seat up as far as it will go, and strap or buckle it to top of back frame. Yes it sticks out some. No it doesn't matter. If you're carrying a load big enough to have it perfectly horizontal - you're going to be off balance and running into stuff anyway. It's a non issue.
If you're under 6', and are built in such a way you can carry more weight on shoulders than hips, the way the hybrid is built will be "fine" for you. If you're like me, and carrying any pack without a hip belt feels like being strangled by a midget all day, and 6'3, you'll probably want to do some modifications to make it more comfortable.
TLDR; You can strap your quartered deer or deboned deer to the back of the hybrid and carry it out. It will carry as much weight as you can tolerate. As built, it is not "optimized" for load carrying. It's designed to carry your crap in the woods to hunt. If you want to make it perfect, it's easy to do but requires modification. My advice would be to actually kill a deer, prep it, and carry it out of the woods once. Then decide if it can handle it, or if you need to make modifications to it.
Try two steps, one on either side of the tree. Let the fork take all of the pressure, and just rest your feet on top of the steps, with no weight other than what is hanging off of the front of the seat (your knee to bottom of foot). Have your seat perfectly level, and have your knees at 90*.
Taking 30 seconds to get set up right, and getting feet out wider where they'd normally be instead of crammed together underneath you and with your knees at less than 90*, should make a big difference.
let me know if that's any different.
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I just used one as a reference. I took a good 15-20 minutes adjusting, leaning, sitting, etc. I'm more accustomed to leaning, so it's an adjustment. Very little to no weight on your feet or joints.
I'm figuring it out.
Ontariofarmer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2015
- Messages
- 5,255
Any one use the JX3 platform stick and an aider to one stick climb. I ordered one to try. It looks like it will carry well on the pack.
I presently one stick with the EWO setup but it does not pack well and I still use two squirrel steps
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I presently one stick with the EWO setup but it does not pack well and I still use two squirrel steps
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- Joined
- May 16, 2018
- Messages
- 1,838
No, but my collapsible Monarch/Shikar packs great!
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parkersdad
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- Joined
- Jan 7, 2015
- Messages
- 695
I won stick, climbed with the JX three stick this weekend and it works great. The way the rope ties on makes it easy moving the step up.
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- Sep 14, 2020
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- 5,968
Ontariofarmer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2015
- Messages
- 5,255
Well it looks like it works
Advantages. It attaches well on the JX3 and I do not need any squirrel steps. And it weighs just over 2 pounds and is easy to attach. Glad I ordered it
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- May 16, 2018
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Please post your thoughts after a climb or two (if you don't mind). For the price difference I might have gone this route over the Shikar/Monarch were it available sooner. Mine is more packable, but more fiddly, and doesn't wrap around the tree as well. Curoius how that attachment compares to a cam cleat.
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I have used the new JX3 tree step, one sticking, and have found I need only one screw in step in the back of the tree
for 360° movement.
I feel alot more stable with the JX3 while climbing, because of the design and they use reinforced tubing for added strength.
for 360° movement.
I feel alot more stable with the JX3 while climbing, because of the design and they use reinforced tubing for added strength.
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2019
- Messages
- 1,373
Some additional notes for the archive on the JX3, real time in the tree at the moment.
Stupid decision this morning, transitioned my gear from Recon setup to JX3 setup pre hunt at the vehicle, took freaking forever. Don’t ever do this, do it the night before.
When a little rusty, I do still find this thing to be a bit of a PITA to pack, wrangle, climb, setup.
But if I’ve allowed for the time, the payoff is still there in the tree. (1) I set tether as high as I can reach. (2) I’m actually doing a little leaning today to stretch the legs, no adjustment on the tether, and it feels good it ain’t bad! (3) I don’t think there’s any better “deers approaching” readiness position then seated in the JX3 clicked into the D loop with the bow cam resting on your knee. (4) just successfully peed into a bottle. (5) thin thermal pad on the seat is a must IMO once the mercury drops.
Stupid decision this morning, transitioned my gear from Recon setup to JX3 setup pre hunt at the vehicle, took freaking forever. Don’t ever do this, do it the night before.
When a little rusty, I do still find this thing to be a bit of a PITA to pack, wrangle, climb, setup.
But if I’ve allowed for the time, the payoff is still there in the tree. (1) I set tether as high as I can reach. (2) I’m actually doing a little leaning today to stretch the legs, no adjustment on the tether, and it feels good it ain’t bad! (3) I don’t think there’s any better “deers approaching” readiness position then seated in the JX3 clicked into the D loop with the bow cam resting on your knee. (4) just successfully peed into a bottle. (5) thin thermal pad on the seat is a must IMO once the mercury drops.
Nice!
Butt pad definitely helps.
I had a hunt where I forgot I had transitioned from the fabric and foam and aluminum bottom of the guidos web to the mesh hybrid. It was about 60 degrees, but humid and windy. I was quite comfortable at ground level in single long sleeve shirt. Sitting with my back and butt compressed against that mesh, it didn’t take 30-45 minutes and I was shivering. I felt ridiculous being cold at that temperature. My thin jacket was sitting on back seat of truck, I’d have been just fine with that or base layer under. Stupid.
I went back and forth with my ropes for a while from hangon/saddle setup to hybrid. Finally got two because of what you just said. That fiddle is frustrating right before a hunt!
A 1.0" thk. closed cell foam pad (cut to shape) fits underneath the seat and is held in place with the straps that support the seat.
I leave my in there all year with no ill effects.
The good doctor discussing why he prefers his homemade “stand” over any other way to sit in a tree.
Essentially, he’s describing a hybrid.
Legend.
muzzypower
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2018
- Messages
- 443
I hunted out of mine for the first time yesterday. I climb with lwhc. Was comfy but i felt really weak at being able to get positioned for a shot behind me. I think id feel better with a rope bridge. Anyone gone to that? Anyone cut the leg straps off?