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Tree Stand vs Tree Saddle Debate - First Purchase

D

Doug2020

New Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2020
Messages
10
Hey all,

I am not new to hunting but brand new to saddles and tree stands.
During my info gathering I have had a couple people direct me to this site and have even talked over the phone with some members, great community and great people we got here!

Right now I do not own a saddle or a tree stand and I am debating on a couple options to purchase prior to this fall. I am looking for some advice from people that have maybe gone through my process already, I like hearing what other people have experienced and suggest. Below is a quick summary of my situation:

Hunting Situation - Public land bow hunting that required me to walk in and out
Purchase Idea 1 - Buy higher end tree steps and a cheap stand (leave stand in tree carry sticks out, ideally buy used)
Purchase Idea 2 - Buy decent tree steps and a decent stand (carry both in and out, ideally buy used)
Purchase Idea 3 - Buy decent steps and a used saddle (although I cant find any)

Living in Canada my pickings of saddles is pretty low unless I fork over the heavy conversion factor, shipping, duty and wait time (not something I want to do considering I have never even climbed tree steps before).

As for stands I would be looking at either picking up the cheapest used heavy big stand I can find and just leaving it in the tree or try and get something smaller to carry in and out. I have heard good things about XOP stands in terms of a price point and quality perspective.


Now for the questions:
1. Whats your thoughts on my purchase ideas?
2. If you buy a tree stand that comes with a harness can you attach a linemen belt to it so you can safely climb up tree climbing sticks or do you need a rock climbing harness or saddle to use a linemen belt
3. If I buy a rock climbing harness can I use a small stand like a lone wolf assault similar to a saddle set up if I buy a tether? Any disadvantages?
4. Any suggestions on Canadian suppliers for climbing sticks like XOP, Lonewolf, Hawk...etc

Hope you are all doing well and I look forward to any helpful suggestions.
Doug
 
Watch here , archery talk you can find out very thing your after at a decent price. You can but quality used gear just be patient.
 
Doug2020 said:
Hey all,

I am not new to hunting but brand new to saddles and tree stands.
During my info gathering I have had a couple people direct me to this site and have even talked over the phone with some members, great community and great people we got here!

Right now I do not own a saddle or a tree stand and I am debating on a couple options to purchase prior to this fall. I am looking for some advice from people that have maybe gone through my process already, I like hearing what other people have experienced and suggest. Below is a quick summary of my situation:

Hunting Situation - Public land bow hunting that required me to walk in and out
Purchase Idea 1 - Buy higher end tree steps and a cheap stand (leave stand in tree carry sticks out, ideally buy used)
Purchase Idea 2 - Buy decent tree steps and a decent stand (carry both in and out, ideally buy used)
Purchase Idea 3 - Buy decent steps and a used saddle (although I cant find any)

Living in Canada my pickings of saddles is pretty low unless I fork over the heavy conversion factor, shipping, duty and wait time (not something I want to do considering I have never even climbed tree steps before).

As for stands I would be looking at either picking up the cheapest used heavy big stand I can find and just leaving it in the tree or try and get something smaller to carry in and out. I have heard good things about XOP stands in terms of a price point and quality perspective.


Now for the questions:
1. Whats your thoughts on my purchase ideas?
2. If you buy a tree stand that comes with a harness can you attach a linemen belt to it so you can safely climb up tree climbing sticks or do you need a rock climbing harness or saddle to use a linemen belt
3. If I buy a rock climbing harness can I use a small stand like a lone wolf assault similar to a saddle set up if I buy a tether? Any disadvantages?
4. Any suggestions on Canadian suppliers for climbing sticks like XOP, Lonewolf, Hawk...etc

Hope you are all doing well and I look forward to any helpful suggestions.
Doug
Click to expand...

Welcome glad to have ya....for your questions my first question to you is are you going to hunt the same tree all the time? Or be mobile? I see you mentioned leaving the stand in the tree is why I ask first. Now on to yours..

1. With you being in the north country you need look at how much clothing you need to justify staying warm. A iwom, body heater suit, or warm bag won't be any benefit to using a saddle. I know trees can be hard to come by to hunt from up there too depending where you are. So a saddle can help you in smaller tree situations but may cause issues with possibilities of keeping warmer on them.very cold Canadian days.
2. Yes you can attach lineman belt to safety harness and help you climb up although there is safety lines you can install on your stands and hook your safety harness.strap to it amd just take it up as you climb. Thats a more safe option
3. A rock climbing harness can work with a platform but i am not real knowledgeable on that. Others will need to answer.
4. @Ontariofarmer may can help you with finding distributors your way as he is in Canada too. If you find things on forums like archery talk or here id be glad to buy it and have it sent to me and ship it to you for you.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 
My suggestion is if u planning on using this stuff this coming season go ahead and buy your choice of what u gonna use to get up the tree and get to practicing.....getting up the tree is the hard part...the thing your sitting in/on is less important IMO. Whatever climbing method u choose u need to get practicing. Most tree stands will come with a harness with linesman loop but they are junky.
 
I’d recommend a rock climbing harness and a fleece saddle. They can be really comfortable if you get everything adjusted right. For sticks, I think that the hawk helium’s are some of the best for the money. They just came out with the new mini sticks so you can look into those too. For a platform, if you’re on a budget you can try repurposing a super cheap stand. I made a video on the one I made.
.
 
I would buy a recon, to save some money. $149 US If you skip it USPS brokerage and duty is less than UPS. The recon is well built pretty comfortable and a reasonable price.

I would one stick. I would sell you one stick if you wanted but EWO sells great sticks. I would rappel down using a kit from Eastern Woods Outdoors.
USPS is slow but brokerage fees are low through Canada Post You will have to pay gst and of course exchange on the dollar.

For the cost I would use squirrel steps or a solo scout for a platform.

Treehopper

www.treehopperllc.com www.treehopperllc.com

doublesteps.com

Eastern Woods Outdoors

Home of DoubleSteps and the Ultimate One-Stick
doublesteps.com doublesteps.com

Look on the Canadian saddle hunter page on Facebook. Sometimes there is gear for sale there

I sent a pm
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
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May not be in tune with what the crowd here hums, but I recommend a simple climber to anyone new to hunting from trees. There is no simpler system. Maybe that's biased because it was my journey, but I think all the complications lie in the climbing method. Once you get to height it's 6 vs half dozen.
 
elk yinzer said:
May not be in tune with what the crowd here hums, but I recommend a simple climber to anyone new to hunting from trees. There is no simpler system. Maybe that's biased because it was my journey, but I think all the complications lie in the climbing method. Once you get to height it's 6 vs half dozen.
Click to expand...

I used a climber as a new hunter 6 years ago. I switched to saddle hunting 5 years ago and never regretted it.
I have two fixed stands at home too.
If he lives nearby I can help him get started


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
Ontariofarmer said:
I used a climber as a new hunter 6 years ago. I switched to saddle hunting 5 years ago and never regretted it.
I have two fixed stands at home too.
If he lives nearby I can help him get started


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...


Thanks for all the replies guys, I really appreciate the info.
Ontariofarmer we actually spoke on the phone and you are the one that introduced me to this site!
I will reach out to you again.

I think being my first year I am going to try and go the cost effective route and just get comfortable being up in the tree.
Before I start one sticking and repelling I think just the standard 3 stick climb up and down might be a little easier to jump into.

I like Weldabeat's suggestion of just getting up the tree for now and figuring out the stand after.
I am unsure of the exact tree or trees I will be in so I may find a saddle or a stand works better pending where I hunt.

To address Blinginspe
As for leaving the stand in the tree the only reason I was thinking that was because if I am limited on budget (which I am) I can just hull out a heavy one once and not worry about the weight bringing it back to the truck every day. Once its out there I can move it around a little easier without the long walk in and out.
 
Doug2020 said:
Thanks for all the replies guys, I really appreciate the info.
Ontariofarmer we actually spoke on the phone and you are the one that introduced me to this site!
I will reach out to you again.

I think being my first year I am going to try and go the cost effective route and just get comfortable being up in the tree.
Before I start one sticking and repelling I think just the standard 3 stick climb up and down might be a little easier to jump into.

I like Weldabeat's suggestion of just getting up the tree for now and figuring out the stand after.
I am unsure of the exact tree or trees I will be in so I may find a saddle or a stand works better pending where I hunt.

To address Blinginspe
As for leaving the stand in the tree the only reason I was thinking that was because if I am limited on budget (which I am) I can just hull out a heavy one once and not worry about the weight bringing it back to the truck every day. Once its out there I can move it around a little easier without the long walk in and out.
Click to expand...
U on the right track with your thinking IMO...start out with 3 sticks and get comfy before trying a more advanced climbing method. Gotta crawl before u can walk. 3 little sticks and an aider or 3-4 full length sticks will get u plenty high and as u gain confidence u can expand to other options
 
Weldabeast said:
U on the right track with your thinking IMO...start out with 3 sticks and get comfy before trying a more advanced climbing method. Gotta crawl before u can walk. 3 little sticks and an aider or 3-4 full length sticks will get u plenty high and as u gain confidence u can expand to other options
Click to expand...
Agree

I can send you trophyline to test if you like pending your body size.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 
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My adventure into saddle hunting began with a sit drag and a rock climbing harness. I thought it was very comfy. I just used an old tree stand I already had hanging around.

I then bought a heavy duty sewing machine and have made multiple saddles.

I agree with what everyone said so far. Eastern woods outdoors (Ontarioalfarmer's link) sells sit drags and all the things you may need to get started. It is kind of the one stop saddle shop.

I have a rock climbing harness I would be willing to send. But just so you know I do not have good luck sending things internationally. I sent a package to Australia that was stuck in customs for over a year. If you're interested in the rock climbing harness, send me a pm.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 
elk yinzer said:
May not be in tune with what the crowd here hums, but I recommend a simple climber to anyone new to hunting from trees. There is no simpler system. Maybe that's biased because it was my journey, but I think all the complications lie in the climbing method. Once you get to height it's 6 vs half dozen.
Click to expand...
Yeah, you and me are definitely not on the same page as that.

I just came back from taking a buddy to Iowa to prep stands for him to hunt this fall. He had never been to Iowa. On the way home, he said to me that he now sees what I meant about using a climber on these properties...99% of the trees were not feasible for a climber. ARE there feasible trees there? Yeah but they might be 70 yards from where the deer patterns are.
There are lots of areas where it's the climbers dictate where a guy can hunt. Thats a backward approach. I want to find the absolute best location and THEN utilize the best method of being in the tree. Climbers are not nearly versatile enough for me.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
Yeah, you and me are definitely not on the same page as that.

I just came back from taking a buddy to Iowa to prep stands for him to hunt this fall. He had never been to Iowa. On the way home, he said to me that he now sees what I meant about using a climber on these properties...99% of the trees were not feasible for a climber. ARE there feasible trees there? Yeah but they might be 70 yards from where the deer patterns are.
There are lots of areas where it's the climbers dictate where a guy can hunt. Thats a backward approach. I want to find the absolute best location and THEN utilize the best method of being in the tree. Climbers are not nearly versatile enough for me.
Click to expand...
A good amount of NE, IA, KS, MO trees don't lend well to climbers. Sometimes it's even hard to find a tree good enough to put a full length stick on.
 
My 1st season of hunting i didnt know any better and opted for a climber based off what I saw other hunters using. I hated it. Limited tree options and I felt unsafe during the climbing portion. Once at heighti was ok....switching to a hang on I was much more confident. I had experience with safety harness through work and the linesmans felt much more stable. The model of climber may have contributed to my negative experience. I have a bad back so I could only sit or 3-4 hours and i had to get down and hated carrying either climber or hang on through the thick stuff where I like to hunt. The saddle has made my hunting experience a pleasure....
 
If I lived in Canada..and lacked saddle hunting supplies that would be a business opportunity. That being said, i used sticks chained to trees (to prevent theft) for years before the platforms came out. Used a ring of steps..my ring of steps were other sticks attached around the tree. All steel. its workable if you can preset. I have even seen pictures of people using the complete stands as their platforms (standing on the seats). i even at one point used lonewolf sticks as my first two sticks and took them with me when i left. saddle hunting and lonewolf sticks or steppladder steps allow you to hunt trees you couldnt climb conventionally. as for the saddle, i would spend the money as its your safety device. You need the time before season to master your technique. How do i shoot, how do i deploy my gear. Whats the order of deploying my gear. how do i move my bow or gun to the opposite side, No trip to the woods is worth not being able to walk home and tell the stories about the big one you missed.(or was that fishing).
 
lawrence said:
If I lived in Canada..and lacked saddle hunting supplies that would be a business opportunity. That being said, i used sticks chained to trees (to prevent theft) for years before the platforms came out. Used a ring of steps..my ring of steps were other sticks attached around the tree. All steel. its workable if you can preset. I have even seen pictures of people using the complete stands as their platforms (standing on the seats). i even at one point used lonewolf sticks as my first two sticks and took them with me when i left. saddle hunting and lonewolf sticks or steppladder steps allow you to hunt trees you couldnt climb conventionally. as for the saddle, i would spend the money as its your safety device. You need the time before season to master your technique. How do i shoot, how do i deploy my gear. Whats the order of deploying my gear. how do i move my bow or gun to the opposite side, No trip to the woods is worth not being able to walk home and tell the stories about the big one you missed.(or was that fishing).
Click to expand...

I have thought about making or importing saddles for Canada only. But I have not found a good seamstress and I don’t want to sew.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Jtaylor said:
A good amount of NE, IA, KS, MO trees don't lend well to climbers. Sometimes it's even hard to find a tree good enough to put a full length stick on.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I went to Indiana last year to figure out my climber had met its match, where I wanted to be, trees were either too wide to get on the bottom of the tree or too crooked to climb. Not to mention the bulk and extra weight I was hiking to get to where the deer were.

I ordered a saddle when I got back home and don’t plan on looking back.

I will say each have their place and positives but if I had to choose just one it would now be a saddle. Learned the hard way through sweat and frustration.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
elk yinzer said:
May not be in tune with what the crowd here hums, but I recommend a simple climber to anyone new to hunting from trees. There is no simpler system. Maybe that's biased because it was my journey, but I think all the complications lie in the climbing method. Once you get to height it's 6 vs half dozen.
Click to expand...
X2...
While I climber may not work in every situation, it will in most. It simplifies things due to the fact that it's a way to climb the tree and hunt from. You can get really creative with climbers, as I have mine, making it into a frame, someone makes a kit to make it into a deer cart and you can even totes a saddle along to be used as a platform.
I think it will boil down to what your style of hunting is, what you goals are, how much weight you're willing to put up with and so on. That said you can become quite successful in a climber even though they arent the "next big thing" anymore!

Hell, if your interested in a climber, I even have an extra summit open shot that you and I can figure how to get it up to the great white north as cheaply as possible!
 
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