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Kestrel Mod Question

ForesterDave

ForesterDave

New Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2018
Messages
21
Has anybody swapped out the heavy/ noisy leg buckles on the Kestrel? I don't like them and don't mind stepping into the saddle. Any ideas on a replacement?
 
Nutterbuster said:
I cut mine off completely and have permanently stitched, step-through leg loops. LOVE IT! Very quiet, and with a web bridge and plastic waist buckle my kestrel weighs a hair under a pound and a half. No metal at all on mine now.
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That sounds like the best solution. Is there a specific thread you used in your machine?
 
I get the weight part but help me understand the noise part? When are they noisy? I wear mine in and have never heard a sound after they are buckled and I have carried it in and as long as it is packed properly....no noise there either?
 
9 times out of 10, you won't make a noise or if you do, it can be overcome. That one time might count though, if you're setting up very close to bedded deer. It's more of a "cover all bases" approach. The biggest risk is the buckles encountering the metal on climbing method or platform during unpacking or climbing.

Edit - I hunted almost every hunt last year from end of October on, and I didn't have a noise cause a problem on a hunt(that I know of). Having said that, at least four or five times I've picked up the saddle, and a leg buckle or waist buckle slid out of the rolled up saddle and clanked against a stepp or platform while packing/unpacking.
 
Well I guess if the metal isn't covered with some kind of silencing material.....then yes that could happen but it only takes a minute to fix that.
 
Jasper2 said:
I get the weight part but help me understand the noise part? When are they noisy? I wear mine in and have never heard a sound after they are buckled and I have carried it in and as long as it is packed properly....no noise there either?
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They're not really that noisy, especially compared to most traditional stands. But, I've got my preferred system to the point where zipper and fabric noise are about the loudest part of my setup. I never had a problem if I wore my kestrel in, but occasionally got noise taking it out of a pack and putting it on.
 
kyler1945 said:
Care to share your idea and help the OP out?
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I can't help on the weight part because it's a non-issue to me and covering the leg buckles with inner tube prevents any noise or clanking around to my ears anyway.......same with lone wolf strap buckles.
 
If you're packing it in....Keeping the buckles fastened and the saddle rolled up with buckles facing inward helps as well.
 
It depends on what leg buckles yours came with. Mine didn’t come with the ones that are like the main waist buckle.


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I took a Dremel to the buckles so I could use the loops that were already sewn. Cut off all the extra webbing and then put the ITW g hooks on. A lot less clanking going on.

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River Hunter said:
I took a Dremel to the buckles so I could use the loops that were already sewn. Cut off all the extra webbing and then put the ITW g hooks on. A lot less clanking going on.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I was thissss close to doing this so I didn't have to sew. But I have a few uses for those buckles elsewhere, and I trust my sewing to match the strength of the G hooks, so I got to choppin'. I won't lie, it never stops hurting when I cut into a perfectly fine piece of equipment.
 
kyler1945 said:
I was thissss close to doing this so I didn't have to sew. But I have a few uses for those buckles elsewhere, and I trust my sewing to match the strength of the G hooks, so I got to choppin'. I won't lie, it never stops hurting when I cut into a perfectly fine piece of equipment.
Click to expand...
Lol yeah it kinda felt like breaking a window to get into your car. But I don't miss those buckles one bit and I didn't have to do any sewing.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 
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