Saddle Build Question - wider saddles

[jhunter13]

Curious if any of the saddle builders out there ever tried wider saddles so the saddle body itself extends further past your hips?

I really like having two pouches on my saddle, but hate not having them at my 3 and 9 o'clock positons (they currently sit more closer 4/5 and 7/8 o'clock positions). Id like to move them more toward the sides, but that means pushing the start point of my bridge loops and linemans loops further out.

Just curious if anyones played around with this and what you found out.

Thanks!

 

[jhunter13]

Basically from this

To this

 

[EricS]

Everything saddle hunting is a preference. For me the farther your bridge loops come out the more re likely you are to allow the carabiner on your linesman’s belt to contact your sticks steps etc. I guess on your particular saddle the linesman’s loops can be left farther back but you would still have those bridge loops to do something with. The farther you can get those bridge loops the less leverage they have to try to pull the top and bottom of the saddle together so their are comfort benefits.
The downside to having the pouches where you want them is if you have an extra three inches on each hip sticking out you just became a lot wider walking through the woods. I’m already wide enough in the middle.

 

[Treehopper2]

I personally try to build my saddles where if you tried to touch the two bridge loops in the front they would be around 2” apart.
This for me allows the least amount of hip pinch and let’s my linemen loops set forward where I can see them better and would also allow you to place the pouches at 3/9 o’clock position.


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[Fl Canopy Stalker]

Keeping in mind this is all subjective, because body types are different but here are my experiences and thoughts on saddle builds. I size mine so that the edge of the saddle body should be about even with the end of the hips. What I’ve found is the material and slightly longer bridge loop placement helps keep the material from pulling across the hip. This also allow me a reference point for the area I want my lineman’s loops to land so that they are easy to get to but not so far forward that they get in the way. Nice looking saddle by the way.
A couple other things that help some, the top strap that connects your leg buckles, if it’s sewn directly underneath your top chassis webbing instead of with a gap between them, it will make the top strap act more like one continuous piece of thicker webbing which seems to add extra support to the back area.
Having tight mollies attached to the top webbing doesn’t allow as much stretch as a looser mollie will do if you ever feel hot spots up top, try making your mollies an 1/8” longer. They will still fold fairly tight when you’re in your saddle, but not so tightly that you feel the pressure from them.

 

[tailgunner]

 

[tailgunner]

Its been done.3 n 9

 

[tailgunner]

This brings us back to bridge loops.why would your saddle have a hole in it where your pockets should be.

 

[tailgunner]

Oh ....bridge loops are garbage.the geometry cause hip pinch and ride up...one day i will draw it out and post a thread on it.i feel its my duty to the people who use them.

 

[Iron_llama]

Nothing says you have to put all of your pouches - or even any of them, for that matter - on your saddle. I've use Velcro Onewrap, zip ties, and paracord to put MOLLE pouches on gun belts with great success; there are also products made to do exactly that.

If you like having them on your saddle, a possible solution would be to slide them forward so the rearmost MOLLE slot on the pouch ties to the foremost MOLLE slot on the saddle. Then use a bungee or something as a belt to connect them in front of you and keep them stable, while allowing access to you linesman's loop. Not sure if I'm articulating that well.

 

[Still Kicking]

That is why I added a battle belt and chest harness. I can hang all my equipment and carry it in comfort. Not for the minimalist guys, however.

 

[tcg144]

I made mine 28” wide, which puts it how you are talking about. I’ve only done a couple shooting sessions in the yard with it so can’t say how comfortable it is for multiple hours but what I can tell already is that by making it that wide it tends to try to bunch at the end because the bridge loop angle. I should have made it shorter at the ends to account for that.

 

[jhunter13]

Thanks for all the input everyone. The question is more toward late season. The heavy outer layers make my torso less able to twist amd my ability to get stuff in my saddle bags harder. Was thinking of they were moved forward it would clear that up.