Pardon my ignorance

[rjk021]

I'm considering trying to shoot out of a saddle as someone who is used to hunting with a family of people to help set up/take down treestands now adjusting to rolling mostly solo. I'm also just mostly curious what the hype is about.

However, one major road block is the cost of all the saddles/platforms i'm seeing (I think I would want to shoot off the platform instead of the rings). The saddles themselves also seem to be going for a ton of money.

My question is; what's the difference between the tree saddles that I see frequently mentioned, and me just buying a tree climbing harness off Amazon that seems to look similar in design?

Thanks for the help.

 

[pesqimon]

Comfort. Tree saddles are made so you can stay in the tree for hours while minimizing pressure points.


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[BCHunter]

I'm considering trying to shoot out of a saddle as someone who is used to hunting with a family of people to help set up/take down treestands now adjusting to rolling mostly solo. I'm also just mostly curious what the hype is about.

However, one major road block is the cost of all the saddles/platforms i'm seeing (I think I would want to shoot off the platform instead of the rings). The saddles themselves also seem to be going for a ton of money.

My question is; what's the difference between the tree saddles that I see frequently mentioned, and me just buying a tree climbing harness off Amazon that seems to look similar in design?

Thanks for the help.

Kinda like the difference in sitting in a hammock instead of hanging by a banana hammock.

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[Allegheny Tom]

By all means...don't buy a new generation saddle. Buy the piece of crap off Amazon and be uncomfortable and dissatisfied.
Then come back after a season and spend the hard earned cash on a real saddle.
Then you will understand that, with all things considered, saddle hunting isn't any more expensive than having a dozen hang on stands...and 1 saddle takes the place of 50 hang on stands.

 

[GCTerpfan]

The main difference like mentioned above is comfort. Arborist saddles aren't designed to sit in one position for hours.

It does seem like a big investment at first, I stuggled with making the initial investment also but, switching to a saddle has added another level of fun/enjoyment to my hunting that I never experienced in hangons and climbers. My 17 yr old son switched to a saddle this year after seeing me hunting in mine last year and he has hunted more days this year than he did the past two years combined. He says it's just more "fun" in a saddle.

There are a couple of ways to get into saddle hunting a little cheaper to see if it's something that you like. Search "sit drag" and "fleece saddle" on this site and you will see a couple of cheaper options.

 

[dalton916]

Your 17 year old son is muy correcto

 

[cb750]

I bought a used Aero evolution it wasn't super expensive and the sale of two used tree stands would cover the cost in my situation. The common trend here as well is that the more you do this (saddle hunting) the more efficient you try to become. It lends itself to this because of how light the saddles are. But we also look for economy of effort from start to finish. Walking in with a saddle has been great for me. Changing positions from seated to leaning/standing is easier and can be done more discreetly than a hang on. The new saddles whether it be the Mantis or Kestrel or Kite are all very light weight and purpose built. There are also hybrids that are from all accounts very comfortable and add efficiency in terms of being able to be used as a pack. Those are the big differences between that and the other options out there. The cost for myself was not a big deal but I already had a climbing method. I built my own platform from stuff around the house. If you have a decent rock climbing harness already pick up a sit drag maybe that's a fairly economical way to go. And going back to economy of effort the sit drag has multiple uses as the name implies. I won't mislead you I will end up spending more money on this venture whether its a purpose built platform or supplies for more DIY stuff. But the initial investment wasn't crazy and now I have a better understanding of what it is I need and want.
So the hype is about:
Efficiency (lightweight and only 1 set up needed)
Economy of Effort (Can wear it in or up the tree there's nothing to pull up but your bow most times once in the tree movements are more discreet and more available shooting angles/opportunities from the same set up etc..)
Versatility (can be used in more trees than Many stands)
Comfort (by far the most comfortable experience for me tree hunting)

 

[Bdg848]

I just started using a saddle. Mine is a diy fleece saddle paired with a rock climbing harness. If you are trying to save money, buy a rock harness and get a $7 rectangle of camo fleece from Walmart to use as your"saddle" for comfort. It's basically a hammock. It's super comfy. I also would like to have a platform vs a ring of steps but haven't had a chance to work on it. I'm just sitting in my saddle and standing up for shots using the top of my climbing sticks and a few screw in steps.