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New Saddle Nightmare!

Longbowwally said:
Lots of good info here from Dave as well as others....However, the Flex has the adjustable bridge which I think really helped me 'tune' my saddle to my body shape/size - the Mantis does not....I know you can add an adjustable bridge to the Mantis but most folks just starting out saddle hunting don't want to have to do that or are not comfortable 'tweaking' the saddle that much due to safety concerns or lack of confidence due to lack of experience with the saddle...Hopefully Tethrd will come out with an adjustable bridge option and that may help folks with Mantis issues resolve them....

I agree with Dave's comments on platforms - I would say 'Gxxe Chxxgxr' but I've grown to hate that term as have others and I won't even spell it out but you know what it is ...lol .....

I think maybe the Mantis needs to ride lower on your butt than the flex - at least that seems like a common theme I have seen in comments...

I used a saddle in 2004(tree suit) and 2010(guidos), when there just wasn't that much good info on using saddles. That caused me to abandon them after one season each - but I still could see the benefits of the saddle but just didn't know how to make them work for me. With all the info here on saddle hunter there's no reason anyone can't make a saddle work and be comfortable enough to hunt successfully....I've been using my flex exclusively this season - I committed to it this season due to flinginairos or someone here on saddle hunter or a podcast I listened to saying stick with it one whole season to figure it out, and with every sit I like it even more and come away from the hunt with new knowledge on making it work better for me...Practice in your back yard is a good start but until you are hunting in it you really haven't experienced all the ins and outs of saddle hunting....I'm sold on it and each time I walk in the woods with a small pack and platform on my back it makes me appreciate the effort I've made to make the saddle work for me....
Click to expand...

There is no other way. The tree I'm in right now wouldn't be possible with a climber and would be very difficult to hang a stand in. I really really appreciate being a saddle hunter when dragging deer out as well lol. I don't miss the days of carrying 40lbs of climber and gear while dragging a carcass through thick hills.
 
I’m also on the verge of selling my mantis setup as I just can’t seem to find the magic combo to get comfy in it.
 
Longbowwally said:
Lots of good info here from Dave as well as others....However, the Flex has the adjustable bridge which I think really helped me 'tune' my saddle to my body shape/size - the Mantis does not....I know you can add an adjustable bridge to the Mantis but most folks just starting out saddle hunting don't want to have to do that or are not comfortable 'tweaking' the saddle that much due to safety concerns or lack of confidence due to lack of experience with the saddle...Hopefully Tethrd will come out with an adjustable bridge option and that may help folks with Mantis issues resolve them....

I agree with Dave's comments on platforms - I would say 'Gxxe Chxxgxr' but I've grown to hate that term as have others and I won't even spell it out but you know what it is ...lol .....

I think maybe the Mantis needs to ride lower on your butt than the flex - at least that seems like a common theme I have seen in comments...

I used a saddle in 2004(tree suit) and 2010(guidos), when there just wasn't that much good info on using saddles. That caused me to abandon them after one season each - but I still could see the benefits of the saddle but just didn't know how to make them work for me. With all the info here on saddle hunter there's no reason anyone can't make a saddle work and be comfortable enough to hunt successfully....I've been using my flex exclusively this season - I committed to it this season due to flinginairos or someone here on saddle hunter or a podcast I listened to saying stick with it one whole season to figure it out, and with every sit I like it even more and come away from the hunt with new knowledge on making it work better for me...Practice in your back yard is a good start but until you are hunting in it you really haven't experienced all the ins and outs of saddle hunting....I'm sold on it and each time I walk in the woods with a small pack and platform on my back it makes me appreciate the effort I've made to make the saddle work for me....
Click to expand...
I think you have a point there. One has to make the saddle hunting system work for him/herself, not the other way around. The saddle is just a tool, we need to take the time to learn to use it properly. I can’t expect a hammer show me how to drive a nail! I need to learn how to use the hammer. ...and, not every hammer is made for driving nails....
 
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BLUF: Developing a mental toughness is an asset while chasing mature whitetails

Guys, I scouted my way in last night and found "the right tree" - turns out this tree was small, limby had no straight trunks. I literally hooked my lineman's at belly button high around a trunk of 4 inches and had enough room to shoot to my left and turn 100 degrees to shoot to my right. I had limbs to duck under and was leaning all night. I spent 4 hours pretty much twisted in my saddle (to my left) so i could watch behind me to my left and right as this was the approach. I had a huge but dead broken tree trunk to block their view but I had to be facing that way.

There is no way I could have pulled it off with a traditional lock on. I seriously doubt a ROS would have been workable here. My predator was perfect as I had to level the platform quit a bit and it gave me enough room to twist on.

It was not comfortable, and I had pain in my hips by night fall. My point????

The saddle is a hunting tool - you make it work for you. Had being comfortable been a priority you wasn't hunting this spot - PERIOD. I don't get all the comfort posts (not that I find saddles uncomfortable at all -typically). But sometimes you suck it up and do what you got to do to be in the right spot.

I should have taken a picture to show the limby mess and lean I was in. I was 6 foot above a dike to my left (primary shot) and 18 foot above a well used trail through a marsh on my right (facing tree). I was able to clear a few small limbs and set up for BOTH shots. Nothing came in, but had it I could have made an almost impossible location possible. This is what saddle hunting does for me personally. It gets me a tool, that in the right hands, can work in far more places then anything else except sitting on the ground (which would not have worked in this spot).

So be comfortable yes by all means (and it really is not hard in any of the saddles available today) but also develop a mental toughness to just make it happen.

BTW - I waded a 4 foot creek with normal boots to get in to position - wet, muddy, hot, took me 45 minutes to get into set up (150 yard stalk)

YOU DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.

Loving the crap out of my Tether'd Mantis and Predator Platform - IMO they are the ultimate tools for aggressive hunting tactics.
 
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crap sorry to hear this, I have one on the way and hope this does not happen to me. What got me involved, is when I seen a pic of a guy hanging in what looked like a thong, and I immediatly did not want one, but then was told how comfortable they are, hope you can work this out
 
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