Possible hip pinch solution

[Bwhana]

I learned this method from @mtsrunner and have since incorporated it it with soft saddles to completely eliminate hip pinch, especially with a TX-5 Lonestar's HPR. Nothing more comfortable available for the size and weight on the market.

That is a 7/64" amsteel daisy chain thst allows you to find rhe perfect loops and I still stay connected with my regular tether/rappel rope, so this has zero safety requirements, so yes I use small wire gate carabiner for it.

I don't bow hunt anymore, and can shoot guns left or right handed, so I do not need to move very much to shoot.

 

[djlr55]

Anyone ever consider using a rigging plate to spread the bridge?

I can think of a couple possibilities to do this:

1. Thread the bridge through the outer holes on bottom row and clip tether into the center top.

2. Tether clipped top center. Split the bridge and run two beaners up to the plate and use desired holes on bottom row.

 

[Marmuzz]

Not knocking the idea but I would be willing to bet a large sum of money that is waaaaaaay too much metal for some people’s systems.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

This is the basis of a tree squeeze or buck squeeze similar to lineman belt connections.. You have yours too close together to safely grab you in the pics above. The carabiners need to be around the 8 and 4 o’clock positions. I showed people this at the meet up last year. It definitely helps with hip pinch by naturally keeping the saddle from angling inward however unless you have a very very long bridge, it will only work in the leaning position.

 

[sdonx]

I just ordered another prussic to give this a try. It may be a nice change up on all day sits.

 

[DedicatedShooter]

Had a thought the other evening while sitting in the tree with uncomfortable hips. For anyone that's played football, remember the hip pads?

I was wondering if you bought an Under-Armor type long underwear that has the 5 pockets for foam football pads (Thighs, hips, tailbone) then only inserted the hip pads....would that provide enough cushion to eliminate hip pinch? Wouldn't be uncomfortable either and you probably wouldn't even notice them on since most boxer briefs these days are made out of that type of material. Just a thought but maybe worth a shot.

 

[mtsrunner]

Had a thought the other evening while sitting in the tree with uncomfortable hips. For anyone that's played football, remember the hip pads?

I was wondering if you bought an Under-Armor type long underwear that has the 5 pockets for foam football pads (Thighs, hips, tailbone) then only inserted the hip pads....would that provide enough cushion to eliminate hip pinch? Wouldn't be uncomfortable either and you probably wouldn't even notice them on since most boxer briefs these days are made out of that type of material. Just a thought but maybe worth a shot.

I’ve tried it and [mention]Bwhana [/mention] has, too. For me, it didn’t make much difference at all and the girdle was generally not very comfortable just walking around.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Had a thought the other evening while sitting in the tree with uncomfortable hips. For anyone that's played football, remember the hip pads?

I was wondering if you bought an Under-Armor type long underwear that has the 5 pockets for foam football pads (Thighs, hips, tailbone) then only inserted the hip pads....would that provide enough cushion to eliminate hip pinch? Wouldn't be uncomfortable either and you probably wouldn't even notice them on since most boxer briefs these days are made out of that type of material. Just a thought but maybe worth a shot.

There are some saddle manufacturers that used to provide cushion in areas of common discomfort. TX5 used to do it I believe. Old Aerohunter evo’s had padding. It helped some but if you sit with pressure in one place for two long, you will still feel it. I tell people, the seat in my truck is super comfy but if I sit down and drive from my house to Atlanta, I am still stopping the car somewhere along the way and switching positions or getting out and walking around. Even truckers with air ride seats stop at rest areas along the way. It’s not just to sleep crap or shower, it’s because after a while pressure is pressure. The wider the surface area the pressure is across, the less painful and longer it’ll take before changes need to be made to alleviate the pressure.

 

[DedicatedShooter]

There are some saddle manufacturers that used to provide cushion in areas of common discomfort. TX5 used to do it I believe. Old Aerohunter evo’s had padding. It helped some but if you sit with pressure in one place for two long, you will still feel it. I tell people, the seat in my truck is super comfy but if I sit down and drive from my house to Atlanta, I am still stopping the car somewhere along the way and switching positions or getting out and walking around. Even truckers with air ride seats stop at rest areas along the way. It’s not just to sleep crap or shower, it’s because after a while pressure is pressure. The wider the surface area the pressure is across, the less painful and longer it’ll take before changes need to be made to alleviate the pressure.

Yea I can understand that analogy, makes total sense. I know some of the football hip pads have a plastic outside bonded to the foam on the inside. That might help distribute the pressure.

Either way...a lot of the problems or discomforts we have with being in a saddle are just some of the cons of being in a saddle. What you sacrifice (and I don't see many of those) with saddle hunting, is made up with the overall field flexibility of using this method I guess.

 

[kyler1945]

Well Over half the hunts made by members of this forum are less than half a mile from access.



There’s a really good solution to hip pinch, foot fatigue, etc. available to all of us.

One of its main drawbacks - weight, is largely negated by the fact that most of us can carry that additional 4-7lbs with no issue if the hike is less than half a mile….



Also, I wanted to tweak the treesuit style/treesqueeze style connection outlined above. Basically a tree strap, with a second layer of strap over top of it. Your two connections would be to this second strap. It would allow you the “no hip pinch” thing, plus be able to walk around the tree completely, unlike the above connections.

I found the hybrid. I stopped messing with it…

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Yea I can understand that analogy, makes total sense. I know some of the football hip pads have a plastic outside bonded to the foam on the inside. That might help distribute the pressure.

Either way...a lot of the problems or discomforts we have with being in a saddle are just some of the cons of being in a saddle. What you sacrifice (and I don't see many of those) with saddle hunting, is made up with the overall field flexibility of using this method I guess.

Yes and no. A saddle shouldn’t be uncomfortable. In fact if you have the right one for your body type it should be comfortable enough to use day in and day out. Amount of time will vary. In my eyes saddle shape can play into hip pinch as well as correct sizing and material. Everyone’s tolerance for pressure and in why areas of the body are different. I’ve rarely ever experienced hip pinch. Most saddles I tried, created pressure in the lower back or in my thigh. I don’t mind back pressure too terribly much but I can only tolerate pressure on the back of my thighs for so long before I need to change positions for a bit to alleviate it. Some guys think bridge loops are the problem, I would disagree, some have created inserts for the side to “reduce hip pinch” again didn’t see that do anything for comfort for me. It did help keep the bottom strap from sliding up as badly but it didn’t make the saddle itself anymore comfortable to me. I think the shape, and material make the biggest differences and if you are truly feeling pinch, using the tree squeeze design as a tether with you bridge in a more natural open position will help reduce or even eliminate (depending on the size of the tree and size of your torso) that particular pressure point

 

[Samcirrus]

Oh this is what I'm gonna try! Its from JRB's Fakebook group!

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Oh this is what I'm gonna try! Its from JRB's Fakebook group! View attachment 74825

I saw this on someone’s post and all I can imagine is a slip off the platform and that metal bending enough to impale someone’s abdomen…. The tree squeeze idea does the same thing but without anything there to fall out or stab you.

 

[Samcirrus]

I saw this on someone’s post and all I can imagine is a slip off the platform and that metal bending enough to impale someone’s abdomen…. The tree squeeze idea does the same thing but without anything there to fall out or stab you.

But the forces squeezing it together won't change regardless of a slip and fall if all your weight is already on your bridge. It stays flat no matter how your bridge twists. I am gonna use a carbon fiber tube and my sit last night with a quick pvc pipe fix was enough to convince me that it is the best saddle modification I've ever seen! I hate my Phantom saddle for the hip pinch, but was absolutely comfortable last night..... I do agree we'd need to use appropriately strong materials.

 

[Fl Canopy Stalker]

But the forces squeezing it together won't change regardless of a slip and fall if all your weight is already on your bridge. It stays flat no matter how your bridge twists. I am gonna use a carbon fiber tube and my sit last night with a quick pvc pipe fix was enough to convince me that it is the best saddle modification I've ever seen! I hate my Phantom saddle for the hip pinch, but was absolutely comfortable last night..... I do agree we'd need to use appropriately strong materials.

You’re incorrect about forces and the spreader bar. Because the bridge still has a singular connection point going down to two connection points since the singular connection point is narrower than the spreader bar, that force will change in a fall

 

[Samcirrus]

You’re incorrect about forces and the spreader bar. Because the bridge still has a singular connection point going down to two connection points since the singular connection point is narrower than the spreader bar, that force will change in a fall

Ah yes, I do see how it'll compress more rappelling. I was think more in a slip or spin around. However, it's something you only put on while at hunting height during the sit, then put away on decent as it does get in the way of climbing and rappeling.
That being said, if you use something strong in compression, like my planned reinforced carbon tube, NOT pvc, then it should withstand such forces, or be one of the least of your worries should you fall!? Those tent poles of the OP can handle compression and flexing quite well.

 

[BlackpowderGuy (AJHS)]

For the OP: what height is that tether set at in the first picture? Any reason (other than money) not use a ropeman on the other side too? More adjustability?

 

[Weldabeast]

Can we go ahead and name that the bi*ch bar?.....hahahaha

I would definetly never ever hit my release on that ever

 

[Empostarr]

For the OP: what height is that tether set at in the first picture? Any reason (other than money) not use a ropeman on the other side too? More adjustability?

Wasn't trying to introduce more metal into the system. I already had the autoblock with me.

 

[Samcirrus]

I used my new carbon fiber bar in a pvc tube and it was so comfortable. I put it on at height and away for rappel. To me it is the greatest innovation in my saddle hunting experience I've had this year!!!