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Treehopper Tree Suit

G

GeoFish

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
May 5, 2021
Messages
2,457
Location
Kentucky
Looking for the perfect platform just like alot of saddle hunters.
Been using a EDP platform. Since I am a weight weenie, the 4lbs 3oz is more then I want. But I need a platform big enough so I can stand vertical, take a leak, put on or take off a coat.
I ordered a Treehopper Tree Suit. It weighs 2lbs 8oz. But the weight reduction when you hold the two seems to be alot more. Since it uses a cam over buckle adding a couple squirrel steps should work well.
Hung out a little this morning on it and I like this platform. At $120 each or a 3 pack at $250, the price is very competitive.
I have no relationship with Treehopper, I just think this platform is overlooked.
Can't weight for deer season to start.
 
I have been using one for 3 years and have loved it. The only negatives I can think of for me is 1) it sometimes squeaks on the tree and 2) it won't go on a smaller tree that other platforms will go on (this is my biggest complaint). Other than those two issues I think it's a solid platform. I am planning on getting either an EDP, CRUZR mini seeker, or a predator so I can sit in smaller trees when I need to. There have been several times when my best setup would have been in a smaller diameter tree with more cover, but the tree suit was too big for it so I had to settle for a larger tree with no cover.
 
I don't know about a squeak. Mark told me he made a design change. I could always go with a ratchet strap if I have a problem.
 
It's a pretty sweet little platform. I use an OCB and for the price, weight and simplicity I don't see a better alternative. No squeaking for me, and I finally figured out how to work with the aggressive teeth on install. Only a 1-stick rappel fettish kept mine in the bullpen this past year.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
 
The older versions were smooth on the back and would squeak a little on the tree when you shifted your weight. The newer versions have teeth on the back side to keep this from happening.

I modified an older version platform with "bolt teeth":
Screenshot_20230228-151450.png

I also ran a cam strap thru the back tube so that it could be used for climbing too. This configuration eliminates the squeak because the bolts contact the tree instead of the smooth painted surface.

It also allows you to get the platform super tight without an OCB because the top bolt makes the platform tip forward when you tighten the strap. Then when you weight the platform, it cams itself downward, causing the bolts to dig in and the strap to pull away from the tree, tightening up the whole system.

Screenshot_20230228-151423.png

Adding a 3 step aider allows you to climb with it like you would the one-stick method. I would recommend using some sort of progress capture though, because this method can introduce a lot of slack if you don't.
 
I wish I could fully stand on my Tree Suit. It is just slightly too small for me to take the weight off my tether and balance on it. Mark at Tree Hopper said he might make one that was a little bigger.

To save weight and noise, I have mine setup so that I attach it with an amsteel daisy chain using a trucker's hitch.
 
raisins said:
I wish I could fully stand on my Tree Suit. It is just slightly too small for me to take the weight off my tether and balance on it. Mark at Tree Hopper said he might make one that was a little bigger.

To save weight and noise, I have mine setup so that I attach it with an amsteel daisy chain using a trucker's hitch.
Click to expand...
I am 6 foot 3 with size 14 boots and I have no problem standing.
I got mine last year. How old is yours?
 
The other benifit is you can use it at ground level as a tree seat. Not as comfortable as my pac seat. But I hunt public, if I go to my spot and someone beats me to it and I have to go to plan b, plan b may be a ground set up.
 
Mine have the teeth and still squeaks some on certain trees. It's a great platform though especially if someone is wanting to save money.
 
GeoFish said:
I am 6 foot 3 with size 14 boots and I have no problem standing.
I got mine last year. How old is yours?
Click to expand...

Mine is a 2020 model without the teeth on the back.

I an stand. I just have to hold onto the tree or tether. I can't stand like on a predator where I can just hang out without touching anything.

I wear size 12s.

I've only used it a few times. Maybe I've always been on a leaner or the stand was leaning a bit (due to slack) and that's what was making me go off balance.

I'll try it again.
 
I've built 5 over the years to use as pre sets (steel, not aluminum) and I like them quite a bit.

@GeoFish I've taken mine a few times to duck hunt flooded timber. It's a great seat for that.
 
DB4x4 said:
The older versions were smooth on the back and would squeak a little on the tree when you shifted your weight. The newer versions have teeth on the back side to keep this from happening.

I modified an older version platform with "bolt teeth":
View attachment 82198

I also ran a cam strap thru the back tube so that it could be used for climbing too. This configuration eliminates the squeak because the bolts contact the tree instead of the smooth painted surface.

It also allows you to get the platform super tight without an OCB because the top bolt makes the platform tip forward when you tighten the strap. Then when you weight the platform, it cams itself downward, causing the bolts to dig in and the strap to pull away from the tree, tightening up the whole system.

View attachment 82199

Adding a 3 step aider allows you to climb with it like you would the one-stick method. I would recommend using some sort of progress capture though, because this method can introduce a lot of slack if you don't.
Click to expand...
How many daggum washers u got on that thing ..... Kinda like those "guess how many jellybeans inside the jar".....I'm going with 36
 
All I've ever used beside my current soft platform were iterations of the tree suit. I don't stand up like most of the guys I see but lean back out off the trunk at an angle. The 90 degree standing surface in relation to the trunk hurts ur feet after a while with soft sole shoes.

I started making them built on an angle that would put my feet/kankle in a natural standing position while I was leaned out at the comfort zone for me and that is night and day more better.

I'd still be using it if I wasn't so weird about trying to keep metal components outta my system
 
raisins said:
I wish I could fully stand on my Tree Suit. It is just slightly too small for me to take the weight off my tether and balance on it. Mark at Tree Hopper said he might make one that was a little bigger.

To save weight and noise, I have mine setup so that I attach it with an amsteel daisy chain using a trucker's hitch.
Click to expand...
How are you running the daisy, through the tube or under?
What size daisy?
 
GeoFish said:
How are you running the daisy, through the tube or under?
What size daisy?
Click to expand...

It's an 8 foot long chain made of 1/8" amsteel and the links are 4" long between double brummel locks.

The chain is girth hitched around each vertical post in a way that keeps the chain on the stand unless the entire chain is fed back through each loop (see pics). I leave a free loop for the hitch, pick the next loop inline and girth hitch, move the tag end of that to the next post and then pick the closest matching loop for distance and girth hitch to that post as well.

I drilled a small hole at the bottom side of each vertical post on the side opposite the tree. I then put a thin bolt through this hole by going inside the tube with the bolt and put a nut on the outside and covered the bolt with stealth strips to keep it from fraying the amsteel and put an elastic cord on the end of the daisy chain. The hole is only through one layer of the aluminum tube and is small and far from the platform so that it doesn't compromise strength, since the bolt will not hold significant weight (so small bolt through 1 layer is fine).

One pic shows the thing when carried (chain wrapped around vertical post and then elastic on one of the bolts).

In use, I trucker's hitch the thing to the tree as usual with a daisy chain. This brings the daisy chain back to the nearest vertical post. To terminate the trucker's hitch, I go around that nearest vertical post, then across to the opposite vertical post and go around it once (just a loop), and then possibly do that a few more time. I end by just wrapping around both posts (like how I had it stowed in one pic) and plopping that elastic cord on one of my bolts I added. The bolts keep the wraps from sliding off the posts and give me a place to stow the elastic cord. All the wraps keep the post square on skinny trees.

It is lightweight, quiet, gets tight, and works really well.
 

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I used one for a year in 2020, killed several deer off of it. I ran the strap through the v shaped tube and put 3 squirrel steps on it. I used a ratchet strap. On trees that were leaning away from me I could stand up pretty easy. Straight trees were more challenging. Trees leaning towards me at all we’re a no go for standing up without grabbing something. I had a couple hunts where I knew if a deer passed me on my weak side I would be screwed so I upgraded to a bigger platform.
 
John 35 said:
I used one for a year in 2020, killed several deer off of it. I ran the strap through the v shaped tube and put 3 squirrel steps on it. I used a ratchet strap. On trees that were leaning away from me I could stand up pretty easy. Straight trees were more challenging. Trees leaning towards me at all we’re a no go for standing up without grabbing something. I had a couple hunts where I knew if a deer passed me on my weak side I would be screwed so I upgraded to a bigger platform.
Click to expand...

I was going through the tube at first also (with an OCB). I setup on a too skinny tree once and once I put my weight on it, the vertical posts bent out enough to go around the tree and the leverage bent the ends of that tube the strap was through.

wouldn't happen on normal trees....but something to keep in mind....I didn't think it would happen until it did. I'm still using the same stand because damage wasn't severe.
 
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