Ridge Runner and Squirrel Steps with Daisy Chain Strap

[Empostarr]

Hey everyone, hoping someone has some experience with this, as I'm pretty new to the whole Saddle hunting thing.

I am currently using the Ridge Runner platform, and while I love the platform I don't care too much for the strap it came with. I can never seem to get it as tight as I'd like, and I'd rather not use a ratchet strap. I was considering switching to a daisy chain strap and using either the trucker hitch or timber hitch to hopefully secure it tighter. I was interested in adding a squirrel step or two for better stability when taking shots or maneuvering off the platform.

Anyone with any experience using this kind of setup? I see the Squirrel steps being used with the OCB, but do they work just as well with a daisy chain strap and the hitches mentioned above? Anyone have success with those hitches using the RR?

Thanks!

Edit: Or am I better off adding the squirrel steps with a separate OCB strap?

 

[Gregg D Vance]

i dont have a problem getting strap tight enough but i did experiment with a amsteel whoopie sling that worked well, but watch the adding a step because ridge runner does not cam over and lock so if body weight comes off platform strap will loosen if thats what your wanting to do.
i dont see why you cant get tight enough, it eats into the tree(any type i have used on). it just dont cam like a predator, i had that problem until i read the instructions, i had been using a predator so was trying to cam it the same way but its not.

 

[raisins]

Hey everyone, hoping someone has some experience with this, as I'm pretty new to the whole Saddle hunting thing.

I am currently using the Ridge Runner platform, and while I love the platform I don't care too much for the strap it came with. I can never seem to get it as tight as I'd like, and I'd rather not use a ratchet strap. I was considering switching to a daisy chain strap and using either the trucker hitch or timber hitch to hopefully secure it tighter. I was interested in adding a squirrel step or two for better stability when taking shots or maneuvering off the platform.

Anyone with any experience using this kind of setup? I see the Squirrel steps being used with the OCB, but do they work just as well with a daisy chain strap and the hitches mentioned above? Anyone have success with those hitches using the RR?

Thanks!

Edit: Or am I better off adding the squirrel steps with a separate OCB strap?

Try both. The trucker's hitch has 3X mechanical advantage and will probably get tighter, which should help.

 

[Empostarr]

i dont have a problem getting strap tight enough but i did experiment with a amsteel whoopie sling that worked well, but watch the adding a step because ridge runner does not cam over and lock so if body weight comes off platform strap will loosen if thats what your wanting to do.
i dont see why you cant get tight enough, it eats into the tree(any type i have used on). it just dont cam like a predator, i had that problem until i read the instructions, i had been using a predator so was trying to cam it the same way but its not.

I tighten the strap down, lift on the RR and then "cam" it down, then lift it back up, tighten one more time, and repeat. At least that was the instructions included with it. I've had times where it's been super tight and solid, but other times where it wasn't and it would move with any kind of side pressure no matter how tight I tried to get that strap. I wasn't even going to consider an amsteel whoopie sling since I was considering adding the squirrel step and I'd rather have the larger surface area of a strap applying pressure rather than the thinner diameter of an amsteel rope.

@raisins point is why I was considering the truckers hitch, since I feel like I'd be able to cinch it down tighter than I can with that included strap and buckle.

I should also mention that I'm using two different climbing methods. I use sticks, which I seem to have better leverage with since I'm on a solid step when tightening the strap, like standing on the ground does. And I use SRT for presets or when I don't want to carry sticks, which is where it's a little harder to cinch that strap tight. I feel the mechanical advantage of the truckers hitch might make it easier to tighten it down while hanging from a rope.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[raisins]

I tighten the strap down, lift on the RR and then "cam" it down, then lift it back up, tighten one more time, and repeat. At least that was the instructions included with it. I've had times where it's been super tight and solid, but other times where it wasn't and it would move with any kind of side pressure no matter how tight I tried to get that strap. I wasn't even going to consider an amsteel whoopie sling since I was considering adding the squirrel step and I'd rather have the larger surface area of a strap applying pressure rather than the thinner diameter of an amsteel rope.

@raisins point is why I was considering the truckers hitch, since I feel like I'd be able to cinch it down tighter than I can with that included strap and buckle.

I should also mention that I'm using two different climbing methods. I use sticks, which I seem to have better leverage with since I'm on a solid step when tightening the strap, like standing on the ground does. And I use SRT for presets or when I don't want to carry sticks, which is where it's a little harder to cinch that strap tight. I feel the mechanical advantage of the truckers hitch might make it easier to tighten it down while hanging from a rope.

Thanks for the replies!

Yeah, I haven't messed with a Ridge Runner with caming over at all. I've used a daisy chain from amsteel on a predator and it gets super tight, you could run a step off it pretty easily using the trucker's hitch. But the Ridge Runner is a different concept.