SitDrag to the MAX....More mods!!

[flinginairos]

A weekend of sitting in the ground blind with my boy got my wheels turning thinking about more mods for the SitDrag. I know some of you mentioned using a RC harness under the SitDrag as a backup and I thought that was a great idea. Never hurts to have backup!! So I thought "what if I could add some leg straps to the SitDrag and make it similar to a RC harness?" Well that's exactly what I did.

I had already sewn a 2" belt with buckle down the middle of it so I took 1" webbing with buckles and sewed them over top of the 2" belt connecting them together

After that I took the same 1" webbing and made a sling basically and sewed that down the middle of the 2" belt. Before sewing it on I stood in it with all my weight and jumped up and down and not so much as one stitch moved so I sewed it on. The purpose for this is backup to the loops where the bridge attaches on the SitDrag. The caribiner simply runs through both loops on each side

Overall I think this is about the safest minimalist saddle you could have. I feel the stock SitDrag would be perfectly safe but I always like to be on the side of caution so these mods put my mind at ease a little more. If one of the main loops should somehow fail I am confident what I have added would stop a fall. I don't believe the buckles are meant to be life saving or anything but I tested each one and all held my full weight without coming apart. I don't expect it to save me from a fall from several feet, but slipping off the platform or steps while tethered in I think I would be fine. I will test that sometime soon and let you know how it does!






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[Bogle]

Looks good. I like it.

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[g2outdoors]

Very nice. I like the backup 1" webbing. I'd probably stitch the backup loops together with the stock Sitdrag loops so there is no fumbling around with 2 different loops. You could make a mistake in the dark and accidentally only hook 1 loop. Also, I don't think you need the leg straps. I found them annoying and unnecessary on my Trophyline. I haven't used them in 2 years.

DaveT has a video on here showing how it would be almost impossible to fall out of a minimalist saddle even without leg straps. I've had the same experience.

 

[flinginairos]

Very nice. I like the backup 1" webbing. I'd probably stitch the backup loops together with the stock Sitdrag loops so there is no fumbling around with 2 different loops. You could make a mistake in the dark and accidentally only hook 1 loop. Also, I don't think you need the leg straps. I found them annoying and unnecessary on my Trophyline. I haven't used them in 2 years.

DaveT has a video on here showing how it would be almost impossible to fall out of a minimalist saddle even without leg straps. I've had the same experience.

Very good idea and I will do that. And you're probably right about the leg straps but I can always tuck them in and not use them if I want. I was thinking more of using them when climbing I don't think sitting they are needed at all.


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[kenn1320]

Your sewing with a speedy stitch? Your sewing is amazing if your using that tool.

As for the RC, we aren't using it to prevent falling through the saddle, we wear it in the event the saddle/bridge/prussic/carabiner/ropeman1/etc fail. The loose end of the tree tether gets hooked to the RC. This requires a tether in the 6ft +range.

Just measured mine and its 6ft loop to loop. Works well for me with eye height hook up and trees up to about 15" diameter.

 

[IkemanTX]

Man, that stitching is awesome. Mine looks like a toddler took after everything with a needle and thread.


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[flinginairos]

Your sewing with a speedy stitch? Your sewing is amazing if your using that tool.

As for the RC, we aren't using it to prevent falling through the saddle, we wear it in the event the saddle/bridge/prussic/carabiner/ropeman1/etc fail. The loose end of the tree tether gets hooked to the RC. This requires a tether in the 6ft +range.

Just measured mine and its 6ft loop to loop. Works well for me with eye height hook up and trees up to about 15" diameter.

It's machine done. No way I could do it with an awl lol. Would take a while at least haha. I use to do the same thing With my Web. I used a longer tether with an extra prussic and hooked it to the belay loop of my
Harness. I could do something similar with this, just a little different set up


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[BassBoysLLP]

Re: RE: Re: SitDrag to the MAX....More mods!!

Very nice. I like the backup 1" webbing. I'd probably stitch the backup loops together with the stock Sitdrag loops so there is no fumbling around with 2 different loops. You could make a mistake in the dark and accidentally only hook 1 loop. Also, I don't think you need the leg straps. I found them annoying and unnecessary on my Trophyline. I haven't used them in 2 years.

DaveT has a video on here showing how it would be almost impossible to fall out of a minimalist saddle even without leg straps. I've had the same experience.

I'd definitely want the leg straps when climbing one stick.

 

[g2outdoors]

Re: RE: Re: SitDrag to the MAX....More mods!!

I'd definitely want the leg straps when climbing one stick.

Yes, I agree. If you're using the 1 stick method, or any method where you need an additional tether to a Lineman belt to climb, I'd probably want leg straps.

 

[flinginairos]

Re: RE: Re: SitDrag to the MAX....More mods!!

I'd definitely want the leg straps when climbing one stick.

Yes, I agree. If you're using the 1 stick method, or any method where you need an additional tether to a Lineman belt to climb, I'd probably want leg straps.

Thats the main reason for the straps. I use one stick as well as spikes so the straps add a little security for that. If I was climbing pre set sticks I wouldn't bother with the leg straps at all.

 

[g2outdoors]

That makes sense. I only climb with sticks and screw-ins, either preset or mobile, so the leg straps are pretty unnecessary.

 

[redsquirrel]

I like your idea and you did some great work. I just don't like the plastic buckles! I know you mentioned they are the weak part of the system. I think the sit and drag is pretty safe, but I would not trust those buckles if it ever failed. Those buckles are prone to popping out under pressure.

I'm not nagging you about this. Just safety first and I don't trust plastic buckles!

 

[flinginairos]

I like your idea and you did some great work. I just don't like the plastic buckles! I know you mentioned they are the weak part of the system. I think the sit and drag is pretty safe, but I would not trust those buckles if it ever failed. Those buckles are prone to popping out under pressure.

I'm not nagging you about this. Just safety first and I don't trust plastic buckles!

No worries! I had actually thought about going with some Cobra buckles but price is an issue when using three of them. Really the main safety backup in my mods is the extra loops for each side of the bridge along with the waist belt. If the SD would happen to fail the 1" sling connected to biners on both sides should stop a fall. Honestly the main tether failing is probably the main thing to worry about. If all that fails and I hit the ground I guess it was just my time! :lol:

 

[redsquirrel]

I like your idea and you did some great work. I just don't like the plastic buckles! I know you mentioned they are the weak part of the system. I think the sit and drag is pretty safe, but I would not trust those buckles if it ever failed. Those buckles are prone to popping out under pressure.

I'm not nagging you about this. Just safety first and I don't trust plastic buckles!

No worries! I had actually thought about going with some Cobra buckles but price is an issue when using three of them. Really the main safety backup in my mods is the extra loops for each side of the bridge along with the waist belt. If the SD would happen to fail the 1" sling connected to biners on both sides should stop a fall. Honestly the main tether failing is probably the main thing to worry about. If all that fails and I hit the ground I guess it was just my time! :lol:

Completely agree on all of that. I just don't want to see anyone start relying on plastic buckles.

So actually an idea I had but haven't tried out for a minimalist saddle to add leg straps was to just run some sort of runner through the biner, under the leg, and back to the biner on both sides. It won't be adjustable but it would be light weight and trustworthy. I was thinking this for SRT climbing but it would work for the one stick also. I don't have any concerns about falling through my saddle once I'm setup.

 

[kenn1320]

I like your idea and you did some great work. I just don't like the plastic buckles! I know you mentioned they are the weak part of the system. I think the sit and drag is pretty safe, but I would not trust those buckles if it ever failed. Those buckles are prone to popping out under pressure.

I'm not nagging you about this. Just safety first and I don't trust plastic buckles!

No worries! I had actually thought about going with some Cobra buckles but price is an issue when using three of them. Really the main safety backup in my mods is the extra loops for each side of the bridge along with the waist belt. If the SD would happen to fail the 1" sling connected to biners on both sides should stop a fall. Honestly the main tether failing is probably the main thing to worry about. If all that fails and I hit the ground I guess it was just my time! :lol:

Corbra makes plastic buckles that are affordable and WAY stronger than what your using. They range from 1.5" to 2" width. In terms of the leg straps, yours arent ideal, but I could live with them if they had to be adjustable. Note: If you want to really twist in your saddle like Dave, leg straps will hinder that movement. If you walk around the tree, leg straps are fine. I really like what you have done with your SD, well done!

http://milspecmonkey.com/store/hardware-diy/372-itw-gt-cobra-buckle.html

 

[g2outdoors]

If you want to really twist in your saddle like Dave, leg straps will hinder that movement.

The leg straps do hinder twisting in the Trophyline tree saddle. I stopped using the shoulder (except for walking and climbing) and leg straps 2 years ago and never looked back. For all intents and purposes I've been using a minimalist saddle that happens to have a whole bunch of unnecessary crap attached to it. With my custom SitDrag I feel like I've opened Pandora's box.

 

[flinginairos]

Knowing how I am i'll probably have the leg straps cut off after two hunts anyways :lol:

 

[g2outdoors]

I'm exactly the same way!

 

[Boudreaux]

If you want to really twist in your saddle like Dave, leg straps will hinder that movement.

The leg straps do hinder twisting in the Trophyline tree saddle.

Just wondering how two straps that have no weight on them hinder twisting?

Thanks,
Boswell

 

[flinginairos]

If you want to really twist in your saddle like Dave, leg straps will hinder that movement.

The leg straps do hinder twisting in the Trophyline tree saddle.

Just wondering how two straps that have no weight on them hinder twisting?

Thanks,
Boswell

I think he means twisting your hip in the belt not pivoting with the bridge. DaveT showed doing that in his video to take certain shot angles using the top belt of the Evo.