Saddle Station

[LAKY]

I don't know how well this will work or not, but I had an idea and threw it together. It's a molle frame and harness. You wear it in and it straps to the tree in front of you. There's a foam knee pad for knee comfort held in place with a bungee cargo net that you can throw extra clothes layers in if needed. I put an old fanny pack at the top to store gear in right in front of you when hunting, but you could switch out to different types of bags. Sticks/platform could be attached to the back of it if needed. You could pack a deer out with it. It's basically a work station/pack that keeps everything right in front of you while hunting.

 

[Whiteoaks]

I like it !! Very resourceful.

 

[Westdesign03]

I don't know how well this will work or not, but I had an idea and threw it together. It's a molle frame and harness. You wear it in and it straps to the tree in front of you. There's a foam knee pad for knee comfort held in place with a bungee cargo net that you can throw extra clothes layers in if needed. I put an old fanny pack at the top to store gear in right in front of you when hunting, but you could switch out to different types of bags. Sticks/platform could be attached to the back of it if needed. You could pack a deer out with it. It's basically a work station/pack that keeps everything right in front of you while hunting.

View attachment 101468

So you wear the frame in like a backpack and then when you’re on the tree, you take it off and basically strap it to the tree trunk like where your body was when you were wearing it in? Just making sure I follow. Interesting idea!

 

[LAKY]

So you wear the frame in like a backpack and then when you’re on the tree, you take it off and basically strap it to the tree trunk like where your body was when you were wearing it in? Just making sure I follow. Interesting idea!

Yes, that's the idea. Strap it to the tree with a cam buckle strap or similar. The strap can be used to secure loads when wearing on your back.

 

[woodsdog2]

I don't know how well this will work or not, but I had an idea and threw it together. It's a molle frame and harness. You wear it in and it straps to the tree in front of you. There's a foam knee pad for knee comfort held in place with a bungee cargo net that you can throw extra clothes layers in if needed. I put an old fanny pack at the top to store gear in right in front of you when hunting, but you could switch out to different types of bags. Sticks/platform could be attached to the back of it if needed. You could pack a deer out with it. It's basically a work station/pack that keeps everything right in front of you while hunting.

View attachment 101468

Very cool!

 

[MattMan81]

Nice idea How does the knee pad work on the tree? Stable? Seems like a smaller tree would rock back and forth.

 

[LAKY]

Nice idea How does the knee pad work on the tree? Stable? Seems like a smaller tree would rock back and forth.

I tested on a 4x4 post, and it wasn't bad. There's not a lot of side pressure when I briefly tested it. If it looks like it could be an issue, a couple fold out standoffs could fix it.

 

[CharlieTN]

Yeah, unless I get something to stabilize it, I'm giving up on this idea. I'd have to have folding standoffs on the inside of the frame or something.

Just a thought, as I love a good modification challenge. Would it be possible to attach the waist band in such a way that when you’re in the tree you unfasten the top of the waist band, it then folds down to hang just under the pack frame. Hang the pack in such a way as the waist band is now at the correct height for your knees. Then just run the waist band around the tree to stabilize it.

Of course as I think of it, why not just hang the pack to use the knee pad and simply fasten the waist band around the tree snug as a way to stabilize the frame/pad.

Anyway, just thinking through this some as it’s something I’ve considered.

 

[LAKY]

Just a thought, as I love a good modification challenge. Would it be possible to attach the waist band in such a way that when you’re in the tree you unfasten the top of the waist band, it then folds down to hang just under the pack frame. Hang the pack in such a way as the waist band is now at the correct height for your knees. Then just run the waist band around the tree to stabilize it.

Of course as I think of it, why not just hang the pack to use the knee pad and simply fasten the waist band around the tree snug as a way to stabilize the frame/pad.

Anyway, just thinking through this some as it’s something I’ve considered.

I like that. I don't know how easy it would be to do the waist belt off and on to swing down, but I could swing down the knee pad and strap it to the tree like what's in these photos.






I'm also going to see how it stabilizes the frame with cinching down the waist belt to the tree like you suggested. Thanks.

 

[samkeath058]

I do this with a regular badlands back pack and works well everything is In front of you and not hanging up all around you.

 

[LAKY]

I really like this setup. It did well on a few different diameter trees. I really like how everything is at your fingertips. The knee pad worked great as shown. And, I can haul a deer out with it.