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Tree hopper advice

Joined
Oct 28, 2020
Messages
4
I am a brand new saddler. Haven’t even hit the woods yet. I bought a tree hopper platform and have been practicing with it on a telephone pole in the yard every night. The lighted pole is the only suitable “tree”for practice in my yard now that it gets dark at like five...

My query/question: Do any of you have advice or videos on tree hopper platform setup. I am having trouble getting it tight. I am sure I just need some tips. I haven't seen any videos with this particular buckle. It is also load as all get out. Any tips or videos appreciated!

Ps: I think I will love the platform once I get it figured out.
 

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I have the Tree Suit. That's an OCB buckle. I run mine through the hole in the top tubing.

Here's a video on the OCB. You have to play with it because sometimes you feed too much strap through it and then you cannot cam it over. Or you feed too little and it doesn't get tight. This will vary with the tree you are in (a soft wood/bark will compress a bit). Your OCB is exactly the same mechanically as the one in the video but just looks different (more heavily built). So watch until you see the similarity.

 
Thank you raisins. This was helpful. I didn't know the name of this kind of buckle. Thanks.

Original post correction "It is also loud as all get out."
 
Thank you raisins. This was helpful. I didn't know the name of this kind of buckle. Thanks.

Original post correction "It is also loud as all get out."

Glad I could help. The buckle is loud on the tree as it cams over? Some of that you can't help (it has to came over on rough bark).

To keep the buckle from making metal noise, I've coated parts where safe with stealth strips and tied a bit of elastic that keeps the pieces of the buckle together until I am ready to use it.

If the platform is noisy, I think that a lot of that will be gone once you figure out how to get it tight on the tree.

FYI: A telephone pole has no bark and so is not good to practice getting an OCB tight. I have tried it. Go find a real tree. You need bark. The buckle can get caught on the pole. Do not force your buckle as you can bend the flat metal lever pretty easily if really torquing on it. I'd go to a park and practice on like 5 different trees.
 
Good advise. Ya, thats why I mentioned the pole, I know its not the best but climbing trees in the park after dark would probably get me on the news lol. I definitely plan to get it on some trees soon though. I think the barkless pole is the issue. I was scared of bending the cam, it started to like torque when I made it too tight...but otherwise I kept getting it too loose. I will keep practicing.

I will have to stealth strip the buckle. It isn't too loud "caming," just hard to keep from clanking in setup. The platform itself is quiet. No squeak issue like its previous models.

Does anyone use camo medical tape for that? I need to silence all this new gear. I thought it might be a money saver. Im not sure if it is just being used by hunters for camo or if it silences enough too.

Thanks!
 
Good advise. Ya, thats why I mentioned the pole, I know its not the best but climbing trees in the park after dark would probably get me on the news lol. I definitely plan to get it on some trees soon though. I think the barkless pole is the issue. I was scared of bending the cam, it started to like torque when I made it too tight...but otherwise I kept getting it too loose. I will keep practicing.

I will have to stealth strip the buckle. It isn't too loud "caming," just hard to keep from clanking in setup. The platform itself is quiet. No squeak issue like its previous models.

Does anyone use camo medical tape for that? I need to silence all this new gear. I thought it might be a money saver. Im not sure if it is just being used by hunters for camo or if it silences enough too.

Thanks!
.
Camo vet tape works for just about everything but stinks really bad for a while and isn't as durable. You'll have to reapply stinky stuff perhaps mid-season.

On certain trees (how hard the bark/wood is and tree diameter) the difference between a too tight OCB and too loose can be down to less than 1/2" length in your strap. It is normal to have to redo it a few times, I guess until you become a Jedi with it.
 
Hey man - I have one too - I hear you on it being pretty loud especially if you touch/hit it with anything. I’ve used insulation foam spray for the empty tubes and stealth strips with self adhesive camo foam wrap (Eastern Outdoors) - worked really well.

I’ve tried to double cam it over and also used a ratchet strap - the platform still pivots down when I step on it - it makes the angle super comfortable for leaning but feels unstable. I think majority of platforms for sale attach to tree above the platform - whereas the tree suit straps to tree below platform kinda creates a pivot. It’s a very well constructed platform and I like the “bed-liner” type of coating on top of platform.
 
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