• 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

Official Predator Platform review thread!!

Our season opened yesterday here in KY so I used it yesterday and today. Mine developed a squeak also this evening. Anytime I shifted my weight it squeaked. Not good for trying to maneuver for a shot. Didn’t cost me anything this evening though, too hot. I’ll try some graphite tomorrow on the bushings and see if that helps. Other than that, no complaints. Really like it so far.
 
TonyGreenway said:
I don't have my platform yet, so I'll ask those of you that have: Do the sharp edges some people have mentioned affect anything other than wearing out your pack and being rough on your hands? I was thinking it might actually increase grip on your boots when leaning or pushing off to position for a shot. I know I could just wait until mine arrives and find out myself, but I'm feeling left out of the conversation. :disappointed:
Click to expand...

I'll say this about the sharp edges I commented about on mine. They are not serious whatsoever. If you really raked your hand across one of the very worst ones you might(and I do mean might) be able to cut yourself a little bit, maybe(no worse than a paper cut in my opinion), if at all. The worst of the sharp edges seem to be more in the corners where you couldn't slide your hand across them anyway. I also think I'd really have to search for a sharp edge that bad to even be able to do that. It does have potential to make little snags in the strap but no more than what tree bark would(IMO). I don't think they are anything that would make your grip any better. I truly believe that 95% of the little edges I'm talking about on mine would wear off from contact from my boot where it occurred. Probably by the first hunt. I don't believe them being there or not being there we'll make any difference in how well you grip the platform. I'm just going to take a file and quickly knock these little edges off before I paint it, just to smooth them out. It may help the paint stick better and it may not matter. As far as rubbing and damaging the inside of a pack, it's metal and has little raised teeth all the way around the outside edge of it. If it rubs on any fabric for any amount of time repeatedly it's going to wear through something. If anyone's concern is damaging their pack I'm sure there's going to be lots of innovative ideas that come off of this site on how to reduce that type of wear while carrying the platform. I really can't imagine anyone thinking that they were going to take a metal object and put it in a cloth bag and there wasn't some potential for damage to be done to the weaker material by the stronger material. I believe it'll be a pretty easy problem to mitigate.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
So this was my third test of the predator platform. It has developed an issue in the strap clamp. It seems as though the spring used in the buckle is a shade too long and is catching the strap and tearing it up. While trying to set it up 5 ft off the ground I couldn’t do it as the end of the spring kept catching the strap.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
c5a93a81fd2a84ac4d6988e9e2561109.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Check where the pen is pointing. The strap is getting caught on the stub end of the spring and tearin the hell outa the strap.
e26989fec2813d84373aadda34c84a7b.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
denots said:
I'll say this about the sharp edges I commented about on mine. They are not serious whatsoever. If you really raked your hand across one of the very worst ones you might(and I do mean might) be able to cut yourself a little bit, maybe(no worse than a paper cut in my opinion), if at all. The worst of the sharp edges seem to be more in the corners where you couldn't slide your hand across them anyway. I also think I'd really have to search for a sharp edge that bad to even be able to do that. It does have potential to make little snags in the strap but no more than what tree bark would(IMO). I don't think they are anything that would make your grip any better. I truly believe that 95% of the little edges I'm talking about on mine would wear off from contact from my boot where it occurred. Probably by the first hunt. I don't believe them being there or not being there we'll make any difference in how well you grip the platform. I'm just going to take a file and quickly knock these little edges off before I paint it, just to smooth them out. It may help the paint stick better and it may not matter. As far as rubbing and damaging the inside of a pack, it's metal and has little raised teeth all the way around the outside edge of it. If it rubs on any fabric for any amount of time repeatedly it's going to wear through something. If anyone's concern is damaging their pack I'm sure there's going to be lots of innovative ideas that come off of this site on how to reduce that type of wear while carrying the platform. I really can't imagine anyone thinking that they were going to take a metal object and put it in a cloth bag and there wasn't some potential for damage to be done to the weaker material by the stronger material. I believe it'll be a pretty easy problem to mitigate.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Thanks @denots, I appreciate the response. That sounds like common sense to me. I'm probably going to strap mine to the outside of my pack, so I'm not worried about the wear on my bag, but I know some people are considering making sleeves for packing their platforms, so I was curious how bad it really is.
 
I closely examined my lone wolf sticks. They do not have the protruding spring on their buckle. I don't think you can mess with it. I think that is what allows the buckle to be sping loaded. Hate to have to buy another strap to make the 169$ predator work correctly
 
Nevermind I saw your previous post I don't know how I missed it before. I have not had any issues with that piece catching on my strap. I looked at my straps that came with my Hawk sticks. It's definitely just part of the design of those type of buckles but on the hawk it is a little more flush and the strap is not near as thick to hang up. I wonder if a small dab of silicone would stop the strap from wanting to get caught on that little piece of spring that is protruding? I think that's what I'm going to try on mine just to make sure it doesn't snag it. Here's a picture I took of my Buckle that came with the straps on my helium sticks.
a435f98acb4180638a915eac055ff384.jpg


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
The lw straps have what looks to be the same buckles. The spring looks to be sticking out the same amount. I’ve been using my sticks for years and they haven’t frayed. I used my platform once on 4 trees and I can see where it is starting to catch. Although the straps and buckles look the same as the Lw apparently there is a difference. One gets caught up the other does not. I know some guys are saying not a big deal but this is a new piece of gear it shouldn’t be fraying. Kinda silly to have to take one of my lw straps to use on a new platform. I haven’t had the time to look at it other than comparing it to the lw. I hope someone comes up with a way to avoid this. I will say this. I spoke with Ernie and have emailed Greg and they stand behind there product. I haven’t brought up the strap but they are aware. Let’s hope they figure it out and get replacements.
 
Drslyr said:
I closely examined my lone wolf sticks. They do not have the protruding spring on their buckle. I don't think you can mess with it. I think that is what allows the buckle to be sping loaded. Hate to have to buy another strap to make the 169$ predator work correctly
Click to expand...

My strap has caught one time and frayed it a little bit but, it hasn't been an issue since. It seems like your buckle may not be quite right if it's catching all of the time. Just email tethrd I'm betting they will make it right.
 
I just received one of my platforms today. Haven’t put on a tree yet but first thing I noticed was some slight warping. Nothing serious enough to make me not use it. I tried to roll the spring pin out to the side some to avoid the fraying most people are getting and being spring steel that’s a no go with as small of protrusion there is. I think the strap is more to blame than the spring. If you fold the predator strap over you can see the edges open up which would without a doubt catch that spring. I’ll run it like it is for practice but will most likely go with a lw or other more tightly woven strap.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top