-
The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
-
We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules
New Era of EQUIPMENT when is the start of the end?
- Thread starter Robert loper
- Start date
I got a 1 piece, no weld, lightweight, platform prototype that would be easy to manufacture in mass and super affordable....hawk, tethered, EWO, ooal, we, trophyline, or any manufacture, y'all can PM me whenever
swampsnyper
Well-Known Member
Kestrel or latitude classic is all the comfort I’ll ever need in a saddle. Buckle improvements is all I can see for improving them.
Getting up the tree with less gear can still be tweaked.
The new era that will hit by storm will be hunting by the truck gear with all the yahoo’s 2 miles plus deep stomping around with their ultra light systems. I’m thinking carbon fiber icechest with big wheels and electric motor that you can use to pack out your deboned deer and hold little debbies and drinks. With a seat mounted on top for ground hunting and floatable so you can sit on top and paddle across the bayous. Maybe even a trolling motor than runs off the same battery as the wheels. Ultra light lithium batteries with a 5 day charge of course. Solar optional. I’m thinking like an electric atv but the body is an icechest. The seat pole could be hydraulic and telescopic to at least 20ft. Has to use ultra light oil. Has to have a hyped up cool name for social media like The Icer, or The Meat Wagon. Heated or air conditioned seats is a must.
Getting up the tree with less gear can still be tweaked.
The new era that will hit by storm will be hunting by the truck gear with all the yahoo’s 2 miles plus deep stomping around with their ultra light systems. I’m thinking carbon fiber icechest with big wheels and electric motor that you can use to pack out your deboned deer and hold little debbies and drinks. With a seat mounted on top for ground hunting and floatable so you can sit on top and paddle across the bayous. Maybe even a trolling motor than runs off the same battery as the wheels. Ultra light lithium batteries with a 5 day charge of course. Solar optional. I’m thinking like an electric atv but the body is an icechest. The seat pole could be hydraulic and telescopic to at least 20ft. Has to use ultra light oil. Has to have a hyped up cool name for social media like The Icer, or The Meat Wagon. Heated or air conditioned seats is a must.
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2020
- Messages
- 1,789
The internet is what started this equipment race, when I started hunting you had to rip the postcard out of a magazine and check off the box for every manufacturer you wanted to send you a catalog in the mail, patiently wait a couple months for the catalog to come, my how times have changed, there is no end to when more products will be marketed so long as people have money and the horn sickness, give a good hunter superior equipment (although not necessary) and watch him kill, give a bad hunter the best equipment money can buy and he still sucks, just my opinion, I for one like all this new innovation, it’s March and my snow is 4’ deep what else is there to do.
Sounds like the Mayor's ridable kitten carrier on Paw Patrol....
I actually think that as saddle hunting increases in popularity and public visibility the inevitable next step will be an increase in regulations. Whether you agree with the principle or not ultimately there will be push to develop and meet a set of safety standards similar to the TMA certifications that currently exist on tree stands and climbing sticks. Ultimately the cost of testing and meeting those requirements will drive a lot of the smaller manufacturers from the game leaving only those with deeper pockets to supply. This consolidation of suppliers will actually act to stiffle the innovation process, much the same as it has with current tree stand technology. It just is too expensive to re-certify a new design every year for incremental improvements.
Ironically I think you'll see the bigger saddle companys are the one's who will push for the increase in regulation just because it will limit the threat from small competitors.
Ironically I think you'll see the bigger saddle companys are the one's who will push for the increase in regulation just because it will limit the threat from small competitors.
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2020
- Messages
- 1,789
I bet your a 100% correct
I think saddle hunting is going to still be a niche community once the manufacture boom is over. 1lb stick is as far as they go until cost is just not worth it. Not paying $1000 for 4x1lb sticks against $120 for 4x2lbs sticks. I still dont see saddle replacing treestands completely.
The lightweight obsession will fade away and at some point it will be at the bell curve just like most things in life. Just like there are the extremes in regular treestands. There will be a few .5 LWCG and a few Guide Gear 35lbs climbers , but most will fall under the middle at Lone Wolf/Hawk/Summit. Just like cars get you from A to B, there might be some BMWs and Miatas, but most people are driving F150s or sedans. I honestly dont see saddle company expanding to the level of traditional treestands maker because the community will not continuously expand.
I am hopeful that it will get people interested in hunting and as long as a few stay with it, its not going to die out. I'm going to strongly ENCOURAGE my kids to hunt, but if only 1-2 decide to stick with it, I think its enough.
I myself feel like most of us will go to phase in hunting. Like the saying crawl/walk/run but then back to walking because you realizes you dont need to run anymore because like John Travolta said, "You dont need a fast car, if you're important, people will wait."
Crawl is ladder stand/or ground blind on private land over a feeder.
Walk is saddle on public land
Run stalking public land
Final walking phase is leaning a seat against a tree and just waiting for a deer to come. @Nutterbuster hunts like an old man now. Just canoe down the river and sit against a tree from what I understand.
The lightweight obsession will fade away and at some point it will be at the bell curve just like most things in life. Just like there are the extremes in regular treestands. There will be a few .5 LWCG and a few Guide Gear 35lbs climbers , but most will fall under the middle at Lone Wolf/Hawk/Summit. Just like cars get you from A to B, there might be some BMWs and Miatas, but most people are driving F150s or sedans. I honestly dont see saddle company expanding to the level of traditional treestands maker because the community will not continuously expand.
I am hopeful that it will get people interested in hunting and as long as a few stay with it, its not going to die out. I'm going to strongly ENCOURAGE my kids to hunt, but if only 1-2 decide to stick with it, I think its enough.
I myself feel like most of us will go to phase in hunting. Like the saying crawl/walk/run but then back to walking because you realizes you dont need to run anymore because like John Travolta said, "You dont need a fast car, if you're important, people will wait."
Crawl is ladder stand/or ground blind on private land over a feeder.
Walk is saddle on public land
Run stalking public land
Final walking phase is leaning a seat against a tree and just waiting for a deer to come. @Nutterbuster hunts like an old man now. Just canoe down the river and sit against a tree from what I understand.
Last edited:
swampsnyper
Well-Known Member
Dang! I figured it was out there already. I’ll never make it big time!
Oh, one thing I don't know a lot about but seem to be a passionate topic for others are bow guns. I honestly don't think they will ever become popular, but I guess that's what some people said about crossbow.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2020
- Messages
- 5,958
Aluminum weighs something like 60% of Titanium, so its down to how much material can you remove with the stronger metal until you are beyond safety limitations. I don't think shaving 10lbs with a titanium build is realistic without an new design.
We've 12 and 14 pound climbing stands, neither are very comfortable to sit in, but they aren't too far off in weight compared to other systems. Consider that a .5 with four One Sticks is about 11lbs, a JX3 is over 13lbs. There is, however, room to improve the comfort and carrying of these climbing stands and still hit 12-14lbs and that would be great. Getting to 10lbs and under is a challenge with current designs.
Consider the Lone Wolf Hand Climber seat=4lbs, platform=11lbs. Already an uncomfortable stand, and you need to shave 1/3 of its weight to hit 10lbs.
I too hope we can make progress in the Ultralight Climber arena, and will happily buy a quality purpose built saddle hunting climbing platform as well. I'm confident its being worked on.
Last edited:
Throwing out gold here. Why not attach an folding aluminum post to the LW hand climber top that people have been using to climb???? Once you are at desired height, straps the post to the tree just like a Predator platform??? This will secure it against the tree and withstand pressure from all side?
Noonespecial
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2019
- Messages
- 448
The horse has been beaten with platforms, sticks and saddle designs. I want to see a climbing platform or someone try putting padding into a saddle?! I know Tactisaddle just did. I agree stop trying to out do another companies product by weight or small design changes. Make something totally new and unique. I’m very happy that people took a chance and started a company to bring back this style of hunting. I’ve waited for years but it seems like it’s been going around in circles lately.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2020
- Messages
- 5,958
See the thread "cam climber"
Its a good idea. The hand climber seat isn't ideally set up for the mod. It lacks dog ears to attach and allow a post to fold, it doesn't inherintly have space designed for folding the post, and lacks reinforcement for leveling. It is also, IMO, too flimsy.
The sit and climb platform has a wide enough V and enough going for it to mod.
A purpose built platform wins hands down.
Surprisingly to me, many like to walk around the tree with the hand climber seat. I prefer, well, isn't it obvious if you read that thread. But I can see it both ways.
It will be interesting to see if a climbing saddle platform would offer a handle bar upper section to make climbing even easier than just using a tether.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2020
- Messages
- 5,958
A target is a bunch of circles, and in the middle...bullseye!
I’m ok with all the tweaks, I’d prefer not to have to modify my gear at all. We’re all a little different in what we want. Some of that is preference and some is fit (literally how big or small someone is makes a difference in stands, platforms, saddles, and sticks). Bespoke is no joke.
But, to your point, I like that the Assassin platform has barely been improved on, if at all.
There is a video in which Brad Kuhnert goes through the evolution of his own hunting platforms and it is cool to see and to hear his story.
How many saddle designs have gone back to the two panel Anderson style sling. How’s the call for a return of the Evolution.
We’ve actually moved away from some nice gear, and maybe there is some rebound that will land us in the middle. Balance.
Jmiller
Active Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2019
- Messages
- 165
I think there will continue to be minor tweaks in terms of weight, material, design, etc. but for the most part we've landed where we are. The next major step(s) will be major manufacturers offering Chinese knockoff versions of the hard-wrought designs proffered by the boutique, small-scale manufacturers. Hawk seems to be about a 1 season lag behind the small guys.
But like mountain biking, or fly fishing, there will continue to be a place for the boutique, highly specialize manufacturers who charge a premium.
I don't see the market greatly expanding though. Half or more of hunters prefer something else, much simpler, much easier to use, more applicable to just stepping off the 4 wheeler and climbing up. The idea of getting way back in there where no one else goes is a lot more attractive than the actual activity, but people fall in love with ideas, even if they aren't really utilizing the stuff to its potential. People like buying new things. And I should know, since I'm a person.
But like mountain biking, or fly fishing, there will continue to be a place for the boutique, highly specialize manufacturers who charge a premium.
I don't see the market greatly expanding though. Half or more of hunters prefer something else, much simpler, much easier to use, more applicable to just stepping off the 4 wheeler and climbing up. The idea of getting way back in there where no one else goes is a lot more attractive than the actual activity, but people fall in love with ideas, even if they aren't really utilizing the stuff to its potential. People like buying new things. And I should know, since I'm a person.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2020
- Messages
- 5,958
The Drury Era:
Pushed the scent control and land improvement markets (AKA Biologic and ScentBlocker..even though Scentlok had started 5yrs earlier).
"Game changers" like Ozonics and C'mere deer followed the widespread popularity of their show that sewed widespread interest in these areas.
Many small parcel hunters, I believe, enjoyed a huge fallout following their commercialization of deer management. While the Drury's were managing thousands, every guy on 5 and 10 acre plots was shooting every doe they could because they weren't seeing any bucks, and they had to get the buck-doe ratio in balance "in order for the bucks to move". Lol.
Maybe the next big thing is in scent elimination or....active (adaptive) camouflage.
Pushed the scent control and land improvement markets (AKA Biologic and ScentBlocker..even though Scentlok had started 5yrs earlier).
"Game changers" like Ozonics and C'mere deer followed the widespread popularity of their show that sewed widespread interest in these areas.
Many small parcel hunters, I believe, enjoyed a huge fallout following their commercialization of deer management. While the Drury's were managing thousands, every guy on 5 and 10 acre plots was shooting every doe they could because they weren't seeing any bucks, and they had to get the buck-doe ratio in balance "in order for the bucks to move". Lol.
Maybe the next big thing is in scent elimination or....active (adaptive) camouflage.
Last edited:
Ghost blind clothing....