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Slings and MORE from Treehopper

kelly.jayp said:
Hey this thread came back from the deleted pile!


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Yeah. I was misidentified as a vendor, so as per forum rules announcements by vendors are not allowed. But since Im not a rep, prostaff or employee of Treehopper, the thread was reinstated.

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Allegheny Tom said:
They can be a little confusing when you pick one up...the do look like a tangle of webbing. But there is a little trick that makes it easy. Just grab it my the bridge and extend your arm. It wants to lay hanging down perfectly organized. With the Anderson, there was no top or bottom so it didn't much matter which end went up. With the TH, the web with the bridge loops is always "up".

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Did he stick with the original Anderson design of a single piece of webbing to form the two sections or two completely separate sections, hard to tell in the pics? If so, that will help keep the entire saddle more organized and less prone to tangles. That was a mistake I made on the original Wraptor and had to remedy by sewing the rings in place. Also interested to see how the belt is done vs. version 2 of mine. This is kind of a like seeing a woolly mammoth brought back to life from DNA cloning; can't wait to see it in the wild again!
 
It looks good. I was hoping to see them borrow the leg strap design from the tactisaddle. That’s like the one thing I liked about it that could transfer over to an Anderson type sling. Looking forward to getting to sit in one.
 
The new hand drills are really nice. If the new products tree hopper has coming out have the same type of simple ingenuity than i am really excited.
 
Bwhana said:
Did he stick with the original Anderson design of a single piece of webbing to form the two sections or two completely separate sections, hard to tell in the pics? If so, that will help keep the entire saddle more organized and less prone to tangles. That was a mistake I made on the original Wraptor and had to remedy by sewing the rings in place. Also interested to see how the belt is done vs. version 2 of mine. This is kind of a like seeing a woolly mammoth brought back to life from DNA cloning; can't wait to see it in the wild again!
Click to expand...
It is not 2 separate sections.
Mark did try a few prototypes with 2 separate sections that terminated at rings and also ones that each section were hard stitched together (near the bridge loops).
One prototype fit one of my buddies very well. He liked it and thought it was perfect. But it wouldn't conform to the body shape of 3 others of us. When the guy that liked it finally got to try the final design, he realized how much better the Anderson design really is.

What we found was the unit could not "self adjust" for different user's body types or even different positions of the same user.
When each of the 2 sections work as a unit, they self adjust and offer full support regardless of where the sections are placed on the user's behind.

This thing is the bomb. The upper section can be pulled high if desired and act like a low back rest, and it also keeps my coat from riding up. And it can achieve that without effecting the placement of the lower section which can be positioned best for sitting, or for leaning and still offer full support.

That's the problem with saddles...you can pull them down, or you can pull them up, but its one unit and has a finite position for comfort...it doesn't conform to where you want support. This sucker cradles me no matter how I position myself. And I have no straps laying on my hip pointers so no hip pinch for me whatsoever.

I really believe in this thing. I think a lot of guys will like it.

Initially, these may seem a little confusing when they are 1st picked up. Don't be intimidated. Grab it by the bridge and hold it at arm's length and it will hang perfectly organized and easy to see how it goes on. I've not had any confusion or tangles once I stumbled upon that method of holding it before I step into it.


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EricS said:
It looks good. I was hoping to see them borrow the leg strap design from the tactisaddle. That’s like the one thing I liked about it that could transfer over to an Anderson type sling. Looking forward to getting to sit in one.
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I have not had a tactisaddle in my hands, Ive only watched the videos. So I can't say how these leg straps compare with the tacti straps.
But the design concept of these 2 slings have some differences so it could be misleading to compare the leg straps to each other.
I can say that the leg strap design on the Treehopper work well on it...might be apples to oranges to compare them to the function on the tactisaddle.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
I have not had a tactisaddle in my hands, Ive only watched the videos. So I can't say how these leg straps compare with the tacti straps.
But the design concept of these 2 slings have some differences so it could be misleading to compare the leg straps to each other.
I can say that the leg strap design on the Treehopper work well on it...might be apples to oranges to compare them to the function on the tactisaddle.
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To be fair I’ve never held either in my hands and the version on this may be even better. I just remember watching the tactisaddle video and thinking that if someone wanted to put leg straps on an Anderson that that was how they needed to do it.
 
EricS said:
To be fair I’ve never held either in my hands and the version on this may be even better. I just remember watching the tactisaddle video and thinking that if someone wanted to put leg straps on an Anderson that that was how they needed to do it.
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I goofed around trying all different ways to route these leg straps. Everything I was trying was basically running the straps from the lower section to the upper section in one location or another.
But with this sling, the upper section and lower section work in concert with each other yet they are independent at the same time. Having the 2 sections connected by a leg strap screwed up their independent positioning.
But when I just kept it attached solely to the bottom unit everything clicked. And these will be removable. Take 'em off and put 'em back on as often as you wish.

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rakbowhunter said:
Is the mini treehopper drill as easy to use as the regular? What's the benefit of one over the other? Looking to purchase one soon
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Its just as easy to use.
The mini uses a screw to retain the bit so its easy to change the bit, even in the field. Ive never damaged a bit, but it is possible to break the drive screw on the tip. We drill into trees that have all kinds of crap embedded in the tree so its not crazy to think you could snap off the tip. I want to be able to change it in the field. I carry a spare bit. I would hate to be a mile from the truck and be dead in the water because I broke a bit. I want to be prepared to fix it.
The full size retains the bit with a roll pin. Its not easy to drive that pin out, especially in the field. The earliest gen minis used a pin, too. I convinced Mark to change it to a screw.
 
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Allegheny Tom said:
It is not 2 separate sections.
Mark did try a few prototypes with 2 separate sections that terminated at rings and also ones that each section were hard stitched together (near the bridge loops).
One prototype fit one of my buddies very well. He liked it and thought it was perfect. But it wouldn't conform to the body shape of 3 others of us. When the guy that liked it finally got to try the final design, he realized how much better the Anderson design really is.

What we found was the unit could not "self adjust" for different user's body types or even different positions of the same user.
When each of the 2 sections work as a unit, they self adjust and offer full support regardless of where the sections are placed on the user's behind.

This thing is the bomb. The upper section can be pulled high if desired and act like a low back rest, and it also keeps my coat from riding up. And it can achieve that without effecting the placement of the lower section which can be positioned best for sitting, or for leaning and still offer full support.

That's the problem with saddles...you can pull them down, or you can pull them up, but its one unit and has a finite position for comfort...it doesn't conform to where you want support. This sucker cradles me no matter how I position myself. And I have no straps laying on my hip pointers so no hip pinch for me whatsoever.

I really believe in this thing. I think a lot of guys will like it.

Initially, these may seem a little confusing when they are 1st picked up. Don't be intimidated. Grab it by the bridge and hold it at arm's length and it will hang perfectly organized and easy to see how it goes on. I've not had any confusion or tangles once I stumbled upon that method of holding it before I step into it.


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Click to expand...
All good points and I would have gone that route too had I read the original patent (thanks again to @Navigator for sending me a copy) and had one in hand while making mine.

It still amazes me at just how right Anderson got this thing from the start with their design and dimensions. So ahead of their time! For those reading that do not know, the original did not have leg loops. With the new design, they are needed for legal and insurance purposes, but the belt and overall design will keep you safely in it while in the tree, so don't get too caught up on their design versus other saddles.
 
Bwhana said:
All good points and I would have gone that route too had I read the original patent (thanks again to @Navigator for sending me a copy) and had one in hand while making mine.

It still amazes me at just how right Anderson got this thing from the start with their design and dimensions. So ahead of their time! For those reading that do not know, the original did not have leg loops. With the new design, they are needed for legal and insurance purposes, but the belt and overall design will keep you safely in it while in the tree, so don't get too caught up on their design versus other saddles.
Click to expand...

MY modded anderson was one of the most comfortable FINICK FREE saddles I"ve sat in yet. IT jsut hugs your body and stays put. you could pull up the second section as a lower back support, and it JUST STAYED PUT. Sold mine when I needed some cash for a Christmas present for my son and had too many saddles--should have kept it and sold a different one. Really psyched to see Treehopper doing this.
 
I loved my Anderson Sling but parted ways with it after I got my Kestrel. The only problem I had with the Anderson Sling was hip pinch. It was a big problem if I spent many hours in it. I didn’t like the hook up to the tree but I came up with a way to make that work but the hip pinch killed me. I really did like the two separate pieces and could get it really comfortable if I didn’t stay in it so long that the hip pinch killed me.
I've been considering a Flex to try to accomplish what I could do with the old Anderson but this TH sling might be the ticket..
 
ricky racer said:
I loved my Anderson Sling but parted ways with it after I got my Kestrel. The only problem I had with the Anderson Sling was hip pinch. It was a big problem if I spent many hours in it. I didn’t like the hook up to the tree but I came up with a way to make that work but the hip pinch killed me. I really did like the two separate pieces and could get it really comfortable if I didn’t stay in it so long that the hip pinch killed me.
I've been considering a Flex to try to accomplish what I could do with the old Anderson but this TH sling might be the ticket..
Click to expand...
Isn't hip pinch controlled by alternate sitting / leaning / standing?
 
ricky racer said:
I loved my Anderson Sling but parted ways with it after I got my Kestrel. The only problem I had with the Anderson Sling was hip pinch. It was a big problem if I spent many hours in it. I didn’t like the hook up to the tree but I came up with a way to make that work but the hip pinch killed me. I really did like the two separate pieces and could get it really comfortable if I didn’t stay in it so long that the hip pinch killed me.
I've been considering a Flex to try to accomplish what I could do with the old Anderson but this TH sling might be the ticket..
Click to expand...
Was your Anderson the stock version or the modified version with the homemade bridge and tether? I have very minor hip pinch with my Kestrel but this sling gives me zero pinch.

Mark stumbled on a little trick to allow one more adjustment that can be easily done with the sling. It's hard to explain, but the direction the straps run thru those plates could have an effect on comfort for some guys. I tend to like the bottom straps routed so they come into the plates from the outside, and out thru the inside (which then becomes the top section). Going "into" the plate from the outside on the bottom moves the bottom straps away from the hips just a little. If you just twist the straps within the plates, then the bottom strap goes into the plate from the inside. It's a very subtle difference, but some of the reasons a saddle feels good or bad are very subtle reasons. Sometimes the slightest adjustment make all the difference in the world.
 
Bwhana said:
All good points and I would have gone that route too had I read the original patent (thanks again to @Navigator for sending me a copy) and had one in hand while making mine.

It still amazes me at just how right Anderson got this thing from the start with their design and dimensions. So ahead of their time! For those reading that do not know, the original did not have leg loops. With the new design, they are needed for legal and insurance purposes, but the belt and overall design will keep you safely in it while in the tree, so don't get too caught up on their design versus other saddles.
Click to expand...

I'm amazed, too. I think Anderson had 2 problems...they were ahead of their time (this forum did not yet exist so the concept of a saddle was too far out for the masses), and the other problem was the stupid, static bridge and tether. Replace those with an active bridge like modern saddles have, and employ a modern tether and the thing is crazy nice. I can't believe no other commercial gear manufacture hasn't already remade them.

@Navigator has the 1st Anderson sling I ever laid eyes on. We are buddies. He occasionally brought it over to show me when we would be messing around with saddles. I always looked at that pile of tangled webbing and snickered and thinking to myself "How could that thing be as sweet as my Kestrel?" Then, one day I decided to try it on and hang from the post in my basement. Holy CRAP! It was instant love. The thing I didn't like about it was the lack of availability and, even if I could find one, it needed to be modified. The stock bridge and tether on the Anderson was pretty stupid. In passing, I mentioned Navigator's Anderson to Mark and he was intrigued. Fast forward 8 months and he now has an improved version. And it will be available, and ready to hunt. No need to modify it and the price is better than you can find used Andersons for.

Something I have not mentioned is who will actually be sewing these. It will be by an American company that manufactures sky diving gear so it's going to be made by someone that has a history and equipment to build life supporting gear. Mark says the workmanship on the final version will be top notch. Some of the minor cosmetic details of the prototypes were not really addressed. Why go the extra mile with perfect stitches and stuff on a prototype that may need substantial tweaking, right? Mark says the attention to details on the "real" final versions will be quite professional. I can't wait to get the finished product.
 
Will this saddle hold dump pouches well and stay up when walking in? I don't know much about the original Andersons, maybe everybody just put them on at the tree?
 
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