No-Sew Micro Wraptor

[Marmuzz]

These recent RCH/saddle threads have me thinking. I’d like to DIY a spare saddle setup to use on wet days during multi day hunts, especially in cold temps when gear might not have a chance to dry or thaw.

I’ve been thinking about making a "micro" version of a @Bwhana Wraptor/ halfway ESS. However, without access to a sewing machine (and I don’t feel like Speedy Stitching the thing with 2” webbing), I’ve thought about using 1” tubular webbing, and tying water knots to join the bands.

I think all this stuff can be had at REI or Rock N Rescue. Shipping costs may apply for online orders.

Rigging/rappel rings: $4-8ea x2
1” tubular webbing: $11-15 for 25-30' roll x1
9-11mm climbing rope for bridge: $1.10/ft x 6'
or
8' of webbing for bridge (leftover from 30' roll)

Total ≈ $25-35

Add $60 for an RCH ≈ $90-100 for a mock saddle ...no ropes, carabiners, climbing method, etc.

Add another $5-15 if you want to DIY in some lineman's loops on the harness, or add an adjustable bridge with a carabiner and prusik.


Pros:

1. Lightweight and very packable.
2. Cheap.
3. Two-panel design offers more adjustability than a Sit Drag to find support.
4. Everything is "strength rated". That's in quotes because without properly sewing in a Cobra belt and leg straps, I would NOT trust this setup without an RCH. That said, of all the components included, I think the weakest part achieves a minimum 14 kN (depending on ring selection). Plenty strong for a hip sling.

Cons:

1. Skinny 1" webbing might dig into your legs. Every sling saddle I've seen has 2" seatbelt webbing. This might limit your sits to a few hours, or cater more to leaners.
2. Depending on ring selection, especially if you add a rope, the ring ID could be tight to get all those materials together.
3. The water knots could be a little bulky to sit against. Could maybe be mitigated by sliding the webbing in the rings so the knots are just outside the rings, where they might not make contact with your body when the bridge tensions the rings.
4. Haven't figured out how to make the vertical ties to keep the two bands comprising each sling from separating too far. Could maybe use some paracord or more webbing, but it might want to make the webbing that contacts you leg want to curl and twist.

Anybody try something like this? Thoughts on how it’d work?

 

[gcr0003]

I wouldn’t full with the rings. I found that having a girth hitch onto the bridge loops allows me to lock in the position that is most comfortable; otherwise, the bottom always pull harder than the top and you have to fight it the whole sit.

I think one endless loop would be a great start and simply join them together. Fun no sew diy project for sure.

 

[gcr0003]

If you want to have the rings the SMC work well for small diameter bridges but may be small for larger diameter bridges.

 

[Bwhana]

Definitely a viable project and I did some similar things early on to test before the Wraptor. One quick suggestion that worked well for me is to use rated tri-glide buckles, instead of knots, for a small additional cost. You can adjust them quickly while prototyping and dial in your preferred measurements. You can easily lock the webbing with a sewing awl once dialed too, but it is not necessary, just extra insurance.

And for true rednecks at heart, the best ground only prototype material out there is gorilla tape! You can rig a fully operational saddle with it, perfect your design, and then progress to webbing. I just read yesterday that downed Russian jets in Ukraine were found with hand-held GPS units duct taped to their dashes, so they must be rednecks over there too!

 

[Treehopper2]

I think if I wanted a backup saddle and I already had a RCH I would go with a fleece saddle setup like this.

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[gcr0003]

I think if I wanted a backup saddle and I already had a RCH I would go with a fleece saddle setup like this.

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Diy fleece saddle is my typical recommended go to; however, I read the OP as saying he wanted something for wet weather days instead of something to substitute when his normal saddle gets wet. I guess I read it wrong. I was thinking fleece would suck when wet (but it does extremely fast too) In that case, I agree with you @Treehopper2 , you can not beat the fleece saddle. And they’re so cheap you could make several if one didn’t dry out in time. They’re the most comfortable saddle you will sit in and they are especially cool to me because I got my first saddle deer out of one.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

If you don’t sew or have a machine, another option is to buy several of the heavy duty metal slider bars. The old Aerohunter evo didn’t have sewn loops in it and it was a two panel, instead the top had weight bearing slider bars and the webbing was fed through it and into the riggers plates and the back into the slider bars. It’s plenty strong enough to hold in a fall and makes it adjustable in length. If I am not mistaken CGM is probably using a similar set up in their new adjustable 2 panel saddle. Maybe @always89y could answer. You could make your loops use two slider bars to hold the webbing as well as adjust it and you could co something similar with the up and down support webbings. It would have to be the load bearing slider bars though. If done correctly it would be more comfortable and safer than just sitting on and tying knots

 

[gcr0003]

Dang it, now I want to make a another diy no see saddle for fun, and I have two industrial sewing machines and everything. Lol

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Dang it, now I want to make a another diy no see saddle for fun, and I have two industrial sewing machines and everything. Lol

I have played with this concept for a couple years now to make a two panel similar to the Evo but I keep trying to reduce metal on my set ups and slider bars and rigging plates/ or D rings are definitely metal lol

 

[Marmuzz]

You could make your loops use two slider bars to hold the webbing as well as adjust it and you could co something similar with the up and down support webbings. It would have to be the load bearing slider bars though. If done correctly it would be more comfortable and safer than just sitting on and tying knots

@Fl Canopy Stalker @Bwhana that is brilliant on the rated tri-glide recommendations. That would definitely be more comfortable and adjustable than knots!

 

[Marmuzz]

Diy fleece saddle is my typical recommended go to; however, I read the OP as saying he wanted something for wet weather days instead of something to substitute when his normal saddle gets wet. I guess I read it wrong. I was thinking fleece would suck when wet (but it does extremely fast too) In that case, I agree with you @Treehopper2 , you can not beat the fleece saddle. And they’re so cheap you could make several if one didn’t dry out in time. They’re the most comfortable saddle you will sit in and they are especially cool to me because I got my first saddle deer out of one.

I thought of making a fleece saddle too. They’re cheap and I hear they’re comfortable. However, I have a hard time having tried single and double panel saddles seeing that it would be more comfortable than a two panel system? But moreover, I kinda nerd out on the safety stuff sometimes. Building a “rated” sling like this gives me some peace of mind that if my RCH belay loop somehow failed, I’d feel confident in the strength of this system to get me to the ground. (Especially if I add an adjustable rope bridge… I could tigthen down the bridge hard as a makeshift belt to keep me from sliding through, pull the lower straps down below my butt, and gingerly rappel down.) I know, it’s a hairbrained hypothetical! But I’d have more confidence in this setup than fleece fabric and paracord.

 

[Marmuzz]

All my safety talk here is kinda ironic and excessive for this setup because I acknowledge that the sling, Sit Drag, fleece, whatever is just butt support to make the rock harness palatable, and I never worry about my actual saddle blowing out like that haha. I’d be screwed and probably blind to miss the wear and tear that would most likely be evident long before it going. But if I can build a moderately safe redundant system for similar cost as a “non-rated” hip hammock, I figure why not.

 

[always89y]

If you don’t sew or have a machine, another option is to buy several of the heavy duty metal slider bars. The old Aerohunter evo didn’t have sewn loops in it and it was a two panel, instead the top had weight bearing slider bars and the webbing was fed through it and into the riggers plates and the back into the slider bars. It’s plenty strong enough to hold in a fall and makes it adjustable in length. If I am not mistaken CGM is probably using a similar set up in their new adjustable 2 panel saddle. Maybe @always89y could answer. You could make your loops use two slider bars to hold the webbing as well as adjust it and you could co something similar with the up and down support webbings. It would have to be the load bearing slider bars though. If done correctly it would be more comfortable and safer than just sitting on and tying knots

Yes sir. The Viper uses 1 metal fastner (rated) and D rings. The fastener is hidden and locked. No movement at 4750 lbs of pull.

With the right hardware, you can still keep a sling very light.




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[Marmuzz]

Dang, you guys REALLY have me thinking!

Does anyone have a good resource for a 2” rated tri glide? I found some here from AustriAlpin rated to 15 kN but they’re only 1.75”. (Don’t know if that’d fit 2” seatbelt webbing or not? In my car, the seatbelt webbing measure’s right about 1.75”.)

Fixed Frame 15kN – AustriAlpin

austrialpin.net

If not, I found Strapworks carries 1.5” mil spec polyester webbing rated to 3000 lbs. That should fit.

A wider webbing strap would increase comfort. Might have to change up my design some from the first post.

 

[gcr0003]

Dang, you guys REALLY have me thinking!

Does anyone have a good resource for a 2” rated tri glide? I found some here from AustriAlpin rated to 15 kN but they’re only 1.75”. (Don’t know if that’d fit 2” seatbelt webbing or not? In my car, the seatbelt webbing measure’s right about 1.75”.)

Fixed Frame 15kN – AustriAlpin

austrialpin.net

If not, I found Strapworks carries 1.5” mil spec polyester webbing rated to 3000 lbs. That should fit.

A wider webbing strap would increase comfort. Might have to change up my design some from the first post.

I would use the 15kn frame buckles from Austrian alpine and then get 1.75” webbing. It doesn’t have to be seat belt. Remember you’re gonna have this is double basket mode so the strap being connected will only see 1/4 force.


I’m not a fan of the feel of seatbelt webbing and haven’t liked saddles that use it. I like this stuff that Overwatch Outdoors has used. It’s what I have used for the chassis on the saddles I have made.

https://www.countrybrookdesign.com/webbing/nylon-webbing/1-3-4-inch-berry-compliant-coyote-tan-with-yellow-stripes-heavy-nylon-webbing-closeout.html

 

[Marmuzz]

I literally was thinking that… actually ran to the basement to measure the webbing and hardware on my Transformer.

Now, to find some 1.75” webbing…

 

[gcr0003]

I literally was thinking that… actually ran to the basement to measure the webbing and hardware on my Transformer.

Now, to find some 1.75” webbing…

Updated my post above ^^^^

 

[Marmuzz]

I’ve got a headache I’m thinking about this so hard… now I’m wondering if by upsizing the webbing and getting different hardware, if I can’t make my own no-sew climb rated saddle safe enough to skip the RCH… for similar money.

Like an imitation ESS.

Only things which I don’t have worked out yet which are necessary are the waist belt and lineman’s loops.

 

[gcr0003]

I’ve got a headache I’m thinking about this so hard… now I’m wondering if by upsizing the webbing and getting different hardware, if I can’t make my own no-sew climb rated saddle safe enough to skip the RCH… for similar money.

Like an imitation ESS.

Only things which I don’t have worked out yet which are necessary are the waist belt and lineman’s loops.

Oh yea that’s already the case on climb rated. I’ll be thinking of lineman’s loop and belt option for ya.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Dang, you guys REALLY have me thinking!

Does anyone have a good resource for a 2” rated tri glide? I found some here from AustriAlpin rated to 15 kN but they’re only 1.75”. (Don’t know if that’d fit 2” seatbelt webbing or not? In my car, the seatbelt webbing measure’s right about 1.75”.)

Fixed Frame 15kN – AustriAlpin

austrialpin.net

If not, I found Strapworks carries 1.5” mil spec polyester webbing rated to 3000 lbs. That should fit.

A wider webbing strap would increase comfort. Might have to change up my design some from the first post.

The 15kN from Austria Alpin is good and light,but if you have any old disposable tree stand harnesses, they should have some rated steel slider bars!