Nutterbuster's Treehopper Recon Sling Video

[neonomad]

Things happen and I get that but if he wants to have a business then he needs to respond to a simple email. I own a business myself and have worked 80+ hours a week for the past 8 years so I know of what I speak. You do what needs to be done or hire someone to help but you don't neglect your customers. If it's a hobby or part time then let everyone know and then we can decide if we want to deal with a part-timer or not but if this is your livelihood then you best treat it like one. I'm sure he's a great guy and hope all is well with him but I just choose not to deal with a company that can't or won't communicate.

This is going off on a real tangent, but sometimes I think small business owners don’t realize that you can - for example - outsource some basic customer service to India for low cost. Hire a part time assistant there and at a minimum have them create the follow ups from your emails, the more time that passes the better they get at it. Not expensive.

I consider myself lucky I ordered a Recon in early October and got it fairly quickly. But there were two other items missing in the shipment. I figured I’d follow up with TH in the offseason to try to rectify that.

 

[Rich1201]

This is going off on a real tangent, but sometimes I think small business owners don’t realize that you can - for example - outsource some basic customer service to India for low cost. Hire a part time assistant there and at a minimum have them create the follow ups from your emails, the more time that passes the better they get at it. Not expensive.

I consider myself lucky I ordered a Recon in early October and got it fairly quickly. But there were two other items missing in the shipment. I figured I’d follow up with TH in the offseason to try to rectify that.

Same here. I love my recon and consider it worth the wait but there were several missteps along the way that were frustrating. I bet he's just overwhelmed. I think if people go into this with realistic expectations, even if he sets unrealistic ones, they will be happy with the quality of gear. Not sticking up for the guy, but just expressing my happiness with his product.

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[MN_Bowhunter4]

I'm going to repeat what I said a page or so back. Call him. If you're waiting, pick up the phone and give him a ring!

I ordered mine (as a result of this thread and others, mostly) on November 1. I then sent an email saying which size and bridge option I wanted. Payment hit my card and I received a receipt from paypal, but nothing from the Treehopper website. On Tuesday, 11/3 I submitted an inquiry on the 'Contact Us' page just asking if there was anything I needed to do to make sure I secured my place in line. On Thursday, having not received any email back I called. Left a voicemail. Mark called back within 5 minutes and I was all squared up, order on the way.

I know emailing is easier, but seriously, give him a call. It's a lot easier to ignore an inbox than it is a phone ringing. Not that I ever felt I was being ignored to begin with, but still.

 

[Romulan]

This is going off on a real tangent, but sometimes I think small business owners don’t realize that you can - for example - outsource some basic customer service to India for low cost. Hire a part time assistant there and at a minimum have them create the follow ups from your emails, the more time that passes the better they get at it. Not expensive.

I consider myself lucky I ordered a Recon in early October and got it fairly quickly. But there were two other items missing in the shipment. I figured I’d follow up with TH in the offseason to try to rectify that.

Wow - there were a couple of things missing in your order?! I don’t think we should have to consider ourselves lucky to get what we paid for - if there are issues (which during these times are very understandable) then just please let us know on their website. I kinda regret pointing some guys to his website that needed equipment within this month for a trip (I’ll let them know to hold off until things settle down for them). My dad had his own business and when we had our busy times we’d hire temporary help for the most menial tasks (like checking orders to be shipped with purchase orders - or have an automated email letting us know the lag).

Well - I guess I’m SOL cause I needed the sling prior to my trip

 

[Allegheny Tom]

I'm going to repeat what I said a page or so back. Call him. If you're waiting, pick up the phone and give him a ring!

I ordered mine (as a result of this thread and others, mostly) on November 1. I then sent an email saying which size and bridge option I wanted. Payment hit my card and I received a receipt from paypal, but nothing from the Treehopper website. On Tuesday, 11/3 I submitted an inquiry on the 'Contact Us' page just asking if there was anything I needed to do to make sure I secured my place in line. On Thursday, having not received any email back I called. Left a voicemail. Mark called back within 5 minutes and I was all squared up, order on the way.

I know emailing is easier, but seriously, give him a call. It's a lot easier to ignore an inbox than it is a phone ringing. Not that I ever felt I was being ignored to begin with, but still.

THIS^^^^^

 

[Romulan]

I gave him a call prior to ordering and he said that he just picked up a new batch - no mention of any delay in my ordering - if I'm not mistaken their business is heavily weighted on web-based not phone catalog or brick and mortar - do what H2 has done and post on your website of any delay or lag between orders and shipments.

I'm not trying to knock him or anything like that - be somewhat transparent in the ordering process and shipment of products that have been paid for on your web site. I was on the fence between H2 and TH Recon - chose Recon since I called him prior and he said he picked up a new batch of products to be shipped. I wish him and his business the best and I'm excited to hunt from his products (when I receive it)

 

[Olegrad]

Called Mark today and left a message. He returned my call within 15 min. Said he would check on the status of my order but certain it was shipped. And what do you know...I got home and it was sitting in my mailbox. Again, I was not expecting to get it this season (total wait time was only 2 weeks, faster than any other saddles I’ve ordered!). Just didn’t get a confirmation after order was placed. Regardless, I’m excited to try it and believe Mark to be a stand up guy (he answered multiple questions I had via email prior to my order).

 

[KeithinPA]

Called Mark today and left a message. He returned my call within 15 min. Said he would check on the status of my order but certain it was shipped. And what do you know...I got home and it was sitting in my mailbox. Again, I was not expecting to get it this season (total wait time was only 2 weeks, faster than any other saddles I’ve ordered!). Just didn’t get a confirmation after order was placed. Regardless, I’m excited to try it and believe Mark to be a stand up guy (he answered multiple questions I had via email prior to my order).

Not sure how you managed to get it in two weeks. I'm at 5 weeks and no word. Luckily I have a saddle that is working out fine, I bought this on a whim and really don't need it immediately but would just appreciate some communication. Maybe someone needs to show him how to set up an autoreply telling people not to email and just call with questions. Might save him a whole lot of grief if he's not going to return emails anyway.

 

[MN_Bowhunter4]

Received mine today. Can’t wait to give it a try in the yard tomorrow!

 

[KeithinPA]

Okay, here's the update. Mine showed up today as well. Threw it on and put my tether on the porch post to give it a try. The man may not be able to return an email but he knows how to build a saddle. There is a slight fiddle-factor to a two panel saddle but once you find the sweet spot I can tell it's gong to be a super comfortable sit. I tried it with a super high tether height and long bridge all they way down to a low chest high tether and super short bridge and I had no real significant difference in pressure between the panels. For comparison I'm hunting out of a TX5 and found it to be pretty particular with tether height/bridge length. I also had to remove the webbing bridge and replace a triad bridge from H2. The reason being is the bridge loops are really long on the TX5 which means the tether height ends up higher than I'd prefer. The higher angle put a lot of pressure on the bottom of the saddle and would cause my feet to fall asleep. The Triad bridge allows me to slide the bridge connection up as high as possible on the bridge loops and now the pressure is more evenly distributed and is pretty comfortable. The pressure on the Recon was very even no matter what I did with the tether or bridge which was impressive. I'm planning on an all day sit Saturday and really think I'm going to do it with the Recon. More to follow as I learn more about it but my first impression is extremely positive.

So with all that said, I would recommend the product but warn the prospective buyer to expect less than stellar communication.

 

[JFin15]

I ran without the leg loops but have since added my own paracord version just to keep the bottom panel pinned down where I like it. They work perfect and paired with a simple bungee belt I rarely have to readjust the sling even with all the standing up I do.

I have gone back to the original plate orientation and seem to prefer the way it distributes pressure. There is a noticeable difference in feel when flipping the plates.

This is exactly what im about to do. Ive got 3 or 4 sits in the recon and im selling my single panel. The only trade off for me will be while climbing(LB loops and cant carry as much weight on it) but ill gladly make this trade for the ability to sit still and not be cussing mad at my gear by the time gray light rolls around. I made some bungee 'brackets' with poly plexiglass type plastic but im still tinkering with those. I swapped the brackets over before i ever sat in it and im about to put them back the way they came...seems my body wants me to do that. I havent tried yet but i think the paracord leg loops will be the ticket for me. The only issue i have while sitting is the lower panel wants to slide up and thats because of the scentlok material im wearing right now is slick(plus i have no rump). Ill have to get used to not having so much on my saddle while walking (or i may use the belt and pull it off, idk yet) but again, thats a price im willing to pay all day long. The first sit i made in the recon i shot a nice 8pt that i would not have got had i been in my phantom, and thats a fact. I had to face away from the tree to keep from being busted and shot the deer at 4 yards. I wouldve either been busted by the amount of squirming i do or i wouldve gotten down and left that tree had i not had my recon.

The fact that i got a shot that i otherwise wouldnt have got, not to mention on the first sit in the recon, is enough to convince me to spend a little time to work out my system and get rid of my single panel.

 

[atwoodnative]

This is exactly what im about to do. Ive got 3 or 4 sits in the recon and im selling my single panel. The only trade off for me will be while climbing(LB loops and cant carry as much weight on it) but ill gladly make this trade for the ability to sit still and not be cussing mad at my gear by the time gray light rolls around. I made some bungee 'brackets' with poly plexiglass type plastic but im still tinkering with those. I swapped the brackets over before i ever sat in it and im about to put them back the way they came...seems my body wants me to do that. I havent tried yet but i think the paracord leg loops will be the ticket for me. The only issue i have while sitting is the lower panel wants to slide up and thats because of the scentlok material im wearing right now is slick(plus i have no rump). Ill have to get used to not having so much on my saddle while walking (or i may use the belt and pull it off, idk yet) but again, thats a price im willing to pay all day long. The first sit i made in the recon i shot a nice 8pt that i would not have got had i been in my phantom, and thats a fact. I had to face away from the tree to keep from being busted and shot the deer at 4 yards. I wouldve either been busted by the amount of squirming i do or i wouldve gotten down and left that tree had i not had my recon.

The fact that i got a shot that i otherwise wouldnt have got, not to mention on the first sit in the recon, is enough to convince me to spend a little time to work out my system and get rid of my single panel.

Here is another idea besides using paracord leg loops. I'm using shockcord that is about half the diameter of paracord. Tie two 4-5' long sections of shockcord to the lower panel (one for each leg), and center the tied area such that you have 2.5-3' of shock cord on each side of tied area. Once you get situation in tree, grab the two ends of the shock cord and wrap it around your leg, and then hold them together and tie an overhand knot, but instead of pulling tag end through, just leave a loop. It literally takes less than five seconds to tie each leg, and the elastic in the shock cord flexes a little and keeps things snug. Then when done, pull the loop to untie the overhand knot, and then I take each end and pull behind my leg and tie an overhand knot in it again so the two ends are not flopping around while walking through the woods. That process takes five seconds or less as well. Hopefully that descriptoin is enough, as I would have to get my kid to show me how to make a video. I'm also fiddling with different idea for bungee belt, and that definitely is the way to go versus the factory belt. I don't carry anything on the saddle while walking. I tried carrying tether in a dump pouch, but got sag. Using the lineman's belt as make-shift suspenders helps some. I attached by dump pouch to bottom side of my Treesuit platform and put my tether in it. Put the Treesuit on the tree, and then pull the tether out of the dump pouch. I think I'm liking that.

 

[SouthMsBowhunter]

Just wanted to add a note on my experience with Treehopper so far. I order a Recon after first calling and discussing with Mark. I felt I needed a Medium based on my body size etc... Mark gave his input and suggested the Small but I stuck to my guns and ordered the medium.

Order came in at about 3 weeks and after trying it and making adjustments low and behold I think I need a small .

I had issues which were my fault in one stick climbing and decided to sell it instead of returning it.
Had a a couple hits on it but no takers of the slotted plate model.

It was comfortable while using in hunting mode so decided to exchange and keep it.

I had called Mark and sent and email and he answered the mail within a day and I had missed his call back. So while listening to his VM. He calls, we discussed the exchange and a few things I liked and didn’t.

So I’ll be sending back tomorrow and looking forward to see what Mark comes up with base on our discussion.

I know others felt Mark was slow in communicating and this and that, but his business has took a rapid trajectory with the Recons exposure. Thanks to Nutterbuster

So I say be patient, work with him as he go through the growing pain. And as Tom says he listens and try to make what we want!

 

[Jimmyfunk60]

You guys that are one sticking in the recon what position are your panels in while climbing and are u tightening waist belt and bridge down all the way ?


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[DMTJAGER]

I fully realize no one who owns any sling that they are absolutely satisfied with can gaurntee anyone else that it will work as well for them before they even try it on at ground level let alone actually use it for a 1/2 day to an all day sun up to sun down sit.
I have but two questions I feel are of most importance:
#1>My most important concern about anyone's reviews and evaluations of a sling is if that person is significantly smaller and lighter than myself. I feel it is a completely reasonable belief that a saddle design that a man of average hight of 5'9"-5'10" and under 180lbs finds comfortable enough for all day sits might not be capable of giving that same level of comfort to men such as myself of a considerab increase in weight by 40-50% as well as a moderate to significantly larger overall frame hips and legs.
My absolute number one must have attribute in a saddle is comfort as when I hunt when ever it is humanly possible I'm on stand long before sun up till sundown number two is it must be considerably lighter than any of my hang on stands (sorry JX3) otherwise whats the point third is it must allow as much freedom of movement as possible at least as much as a hang on stand does.
This saddle in my judgment seems to fit my 2nd and 3rd requirements very well but I am unsure if it meets my comfort requirements.
So my question to you NB is have you enough in the field testing and feed back back from hunters that are over 6' and 250lbs that have done a sufficient number of all day sits in this saddle to be able to determine with a high degree of certainty that it will be as comfortable for a considerably larger hunter as it would be for hunters of average size and weight?
>#2-How does this saddle fit and function on a larger hunter as I like myself as I described in question #1 while wearing very heavy clothing in very cold temps as cold has yet to keep me from hunting at least a few morning and evening hours. I have lost track of the numbers of all day hunts I have done when the temps never got above freezing and the low was high teens to mid 20's.

 

[gcr0003]

I fully realize no one who owns any sling that they are absolutely satisfied with can gaurntee anyone else that it will work as well for them before they even try it on at ground level let alone actually use it for a 1/2 day to an all day sun up to sun down sit.
I have but two questions I feel are of most importance:
#1>My most important concern about anyone's reviews and evaluations of a sling is if that person is significantly smaller and lighter than myself. I feel it is a completely reasonable belief that a saddle design that a man of average hight of 5'9"-5'10" and under 180lbs finds comfortable enough for all day sits might not be capable of giving that same level of comfort to men such as myself of a considerab increase in weight by 40-50% as well as a moderate to significantly larger overall frame hips and legs.
My absolute number one must have attribute in a saddle is comfort as when I hunt when ever it is humanly possible I'm on stand long before sun up till sundown number two is it must be considerably lighter than any of my hang on stands (sorry JX3) otherwise whats the point third is it must allow as much freedom of movement as possible at least as much as a hang on stand does.
This saddle in my judgment seems to fit my 2nd and 3rd requirements very well but I am unsure if it meets my comfort requirements.
So my question to you NB is have you enough in the field testing and feed back back from hunters that are over 6' and 250lbs that have done a sufficient number of all day sits in this saddle to be able to determine with a high degree of certainty that it will be as comfortable for a considerably larger hunter as it would be for hunters of average size and weight?
>#2-How does this saddle fit and function on a larger hunter as I like myself as I described in question #1 while wearing very heavy clothing in very cold temps as cold has yet to keep me from hunting at least a few morning and evening hours. I have lost track of the numbers of all day hunts I have done when the temps never got above freezing and the low was high teens to mid 20's.

You aren’t going to be comfortable in a saddle or it least not for long periods of time without adjusting periodically. That is my experience with about 15 saddles over the course of 2 years. There are pros and cons to saddles but comfort (true comfort not relative comfort) is just not one of the things I feel like saddles have going for them. I have sat 6+ hours in a few saddles without hotspots or hop pinch but I wouldn’t necessarily say I was comfortable. I think people lie when they say it’s the most comfortable hunting method and that’s why you should switch to it. Of course there are other reasons like bulk and weight but Comfort is a selling point I hear over and over. I’ve had a handful of buddies buy into that lie just to be let down And turn around and sell their gear. If you set your Expectation bar at a realistic level I think you will be more pleased with the comfort you can achieve out of some saddles. No one has the exact same hip, but, height and weight as you do so until you start trying saddles to figure out what you like you’ll never know.

Others have stated before if you’re goal is to be comfortable then you should probably stay home on the sofa. I enjoy hunting but I’m not a doe hard so I like being able to sit fairly comfortably for extended periods of time. Things like comfort might not mean as much to die hard hunter and they will embrace the suck in order to be very successful at killing deer. I haven’t tried the JX3 but from everything I’ve read and seen if you want comfort your not gonna beat a cushioned seat.

I’m 6’2” 200lb and 26 yrs old I’m good shape and I’m uncomfortable in most saddles for extended periods of time. I can’t imagine being 250+ and/or 45+ years old in some of these saddles. Not trying to dissuade anyone but I think people should be realistic about what they’re getting into. The saddle is a gas right now so misinformation and hype trains can be detrimental to new users experience.

That said I think the recon is just as comfortable as most one panel saddles and is worth the price of admission. Give it a shot or find someone on here to let you borrow theirs. They come in different sizes too.

 

[Jtaylor]

I fully realize no one who owns any sling that they are absolutely satisfied with can gaurntee anyone else that it will work as well for them before they even try it on at ground level let alone actually use it for a 1/2 day to an all day sun up to sun down sit.
I have but two questions I feel are of most importance:
#1>My most important concern about anyone's reviews and evaluations of a sling is if that person is significantly smaller and lighter than myself. I feel it is a completely reasonable belief that a saddle design that a man of average hight of 5'9"-5'10" and under 180lbs finds comfortable enough for all day sits might not be capable of giving that same level of comfort to men such as myself of a considerab increase in weight by 40-50% as well as a moderate to significantly larger overall frame hips and legs.
My absolute number one must have attribute in a saddle is comfort as when I hunt when ever it is humanly possible I'm on stand long before sun up till sundown number two is it must be considerably lighter than any of my hang on stands (sorry JX3) otherwise whats the point third is it must allow as much freedom of movement as possible at least as much as a hang on stand does.
This saddle in my judgment seems to fit my 2nd and 3rd requirements very well but I am unsure if it meets my comfort requirements.
So my question to you NB is have you enough in the field testing and feed back back from hunters that are over 6' and 250lbs that have done a sufficient number of all day sits in this saddle to be able to determine with a high degree of certainty that it will be as comfortable for a considerably larger hunter as it would be for hunters of average size and weight?
>#2-How does this saddle fit and function on a larger hunter as I like myself as I described in question #1 while wearing very heavy clothing in very cold temps as cold has yet to keep me from hunting at least a few morning and evening hours. I have lost track of the numbers of all day hunts I have done when the temps never got above freezing and the low was high teens to mid 20's.

I'm around 6' 220lbs and I tried 2 different sizes 2 separate times and could not get it to work for me. I wanted this sling to work because of how compact it was. I could feel every strap cutting in after a bit and had to re-arrange every few minutes. I sold/traded both. Then again, it seems to work for others.

It looks like he's offering or going to be offering a saddle with an expandable pleat similar to the Cruzr XC or Flex sometime soon at an lower price point than those two though. I think it's called the Treehopper "Ultimate" saddle. I've found those styles to be the most comfortable for my build. As @gcr0003 said, nothing will be more comfortable than your couch at home. There's a certain amount of discomfort with each but I just try to minimize and manage it as much as possible. I'm guessing each person will be vastly different based on body type, pain/discomfort tolerance, etc.

 

[MN_Bowhunter4]

I fully realize no one who owns any sling that they are absolutely satisfied with can gaurntee anyone else that it will work as well for them before they even try it on at ground level let alone actually use it for a 1/2 day to an all day sun up to sun down sit.
I have but two questions I feel are of most importance:
#1>My most important concern about anyone's reviews and evaluations of a sling is if that person is significantly smaller and lighter than myself. I feel it is a completely reasonable belief that a saddle design that a man of average hight of 5'9"-5'10" and under 180lbs finds comfortable enough for all day sits might not be capable of giving that same level of comfort to men such as myself of a considerab increase in weight by 40-50% as well as a moderate to significantly larger overall frame hips and legs.
My absolute number one must have attribute in a saddle is comfort as when I hunt when ever it is humanly possible I'm on stand long before sun up till sundown number two is it must be considerably lighter than any of my hang on stands (sorry JX3) otherwise whats the point third is it must allow as much freedom of movement as possible at least as much as a hang on stand does.
This saddle in my judgment seems to fit my 2nd and 3rd requirements very well but I am unsure if it meets my comfort requirements.
So my question to you NB is have you enough in the field testing and feed back back from hunters that are over 6' and 250lbs that have done a sufficient number of all day sits in this saddle to be able to determine with a high degree of certainty that it will be as comfortable for a considerably larger hunter as it would be for hunters of average size and weight?
>#2-How does this saddle fit and function on a larger hunter as I like myself as I described in question #1 while wearing very heavy clothing in very cold temps as cold has yet to keep me from hunting at least a few morning and evening hours. I have lost track of the numbers of all day hunts I have done when the temps never got above freezing and the low was high teens to mid 20's.

Totally subjective, but I am 6'2" 230# and I am incredibly comfortable in this. I don't have the mental fortitude for all day sits, but 4-5 hours in the morning and evening are no problem. I also had no issues when I wore my heavy bibs and parka during the late season. It was just as comfortable then as it was in the mid and early season.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

I fully realize no one who owns any sling that they are absolutely satisfied with can gaurntee anyone else that it will work as well for them before they even try it on at ground level let alone actually use it for a 1/2 day to an all day sun up to sun down sit.
I have but two questions I feel are of most importance:
#1>My most important concern about anyone's reviews and evaluations of a sling is if that person is significantly smaller and lighter than myself. I feel it is a completely reasonable belief that a saddle design that a man of average hight of 5'9"-5'10" and under 180lbs finds comfortable enough for all day sits might not be capable of giving that same level of comfort to men such as myself of a considerab increase in weight by 40-50% as well as a moderate to significantly larger overall frame hips and legs.
My absolute number one must have attribute in a saddle is comfort as when I hunt when ever it is humanly possible I'm on stand long before sun up till sundown number two is it must be considerably lighter than any of my hang on stands (sorry JX3) otherwise whats the point third is it must allow as much freedom of movement as possible at least as much as a hang on stand does.
This saddle in my judgment seems to fit my 2nd and 3rd requirements very well but I am unsure if it meets my comfort requirements.
So my question to you NB is have you enough in the field testing and feed back back from hunters that are over 6' and 250lbs that have done a sufficient number of all day sits in this saddle to be able to determine with a high degree of certainty that it will be as comfortable for a considerably larger hunter as it would be for hunters of average size and weight?
>#2-How does this saddle fit and function on a larger hunter as I like myself as I described in question #1 while wearing very heavy clothing in very cold temps as cold has yet to keep me from hunting at least a few morning and evening hours. I have lost track of the numbers of all day hunts I have done when the temps never got above freezing and the low was high teens to mid 20's.

The term "comfort" is highly subjective. I realize that 2 individual guys that are nearly identical in stature and weight may have vastly different levels in their tolerance of "discomfort", and the specific way each one uses a product will have a big influence on comfort. This comparison can be made in dozens of products, not just saddles.
The only way a saddle hunter can know for sure is to try it.
Don't forget that the Recon is available in 3 sizes, and the large is quite large.
Mark has been very oriented to customer satisfaction. Thus far, returns and exchanges have not been an issue if the product is original and in excellent condition. Buying from Mark has been about as much of a low risk purchase as there is.
I can only try to equate my size (and comfort) in a medium Recon. I'm mid 170s and 5'8" and I really like the medium. I know a few guys that are much larger than me and they prefer the small Recon. But if I was in the upper 200 to 300s pound range, I would be trying the large. I think that the Recon is less critical of a guy's height than one-piece saddles are, so I really don't think body height will be much of an issue...heck, tether height has more influence on comfort than body height.
My advice for you big guys...try a large. Keep it clean, try in at ground level, don't alter it, and then make your own decision. If you like it overall but it seems a little too large, return it for an exchange to a medium. Mark is great to work with.

 

[Jtaylor]

Totally subjective, but I am 6'2" 230# and I am incredibly comfortable in this. I don't have the mental fortitude for all day sits, but 4-5 hours in the morning and evening are no problem. I also had no issues when I wore my heavy bibs and parka during the late season. It was just as comfortable then as it was in the mid and early season.

What size waist are you if you don't mind me asking? And what size Recon did you go with?