• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Undecided

AccPrnHunter

Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2020
Messages
79
Location
Abingdon,Md
I’m considering making my own saddle and climbing sticks, because just like a lot of others I really don’t have $1000-$1500 to just go and buy everything I would need right away.
I’m needing some help figuring out what materials I need, like the saddle mesh itself and the straps that are used. Also where can I get these materials? If anyone has these things and are willing to part with them that would be appreciated. Just let me know what you want for it. I’ve found some aluminum stock that I can make the climbing sticks with on Amazon. It’s going to take a bit of work on my part to fabricate everything, but once that’s done the build should be pretty straight forward. Thanks everyone.
 
If you’re building sticks check out @DanO at eastern woods outdoors. Also hawk helium’s are cheaper than building....... Id try a diy fleece saddle or pick one up cheap on classifieds lot of mantis saddles to be had for the $160-175 range. You can get setup for less than $400 if you look around, at that point not sure how much savings diy is gonna be????
 
You could get a saddle set up for $400-500 I think.

-sit drag/rock climbing harness
-hawk helium sticks/Wild Edge steps
-tree hopper ROS or xop seat/platform
-ropes/carabiners for linesman and tether.

Id guess you could spend around 100 in each category or so. Second hand might help too. Check Classifieds here, the hunting beast or eBay.
 
LW sticks used - $100
Scout Platform - $65
Sitdrag - $25
Climb spec tube webbing for bridge - $10
Used tree strap and bridge - $25-50
Use a safety harness I assume you already have.

$250 and you have everything I’m currently hunting with after trying 7 saddles. The sitdrag and scout are minor DIY mods.

Let me know if you need pictures or have any questions.
 
You will soon find out that a diy saddle like your thinking will end up costing you more than buying one! A much much cheaper/smarter/safer choice would be going into a used saddle for a season or two.... the classifieds on here are filled with very discounted gear!
I thought the exact same way you did when I started looking into this, when you consider what a hunter spends on everything else this is a relatively average priced piece of hunting gear! You definitely do not need to spend 1000 to get into this! I'm into it now about 550$$$ and that's buying 95% brand spanking new saddle and WE STEPS. I did buy a used perch platform and some other goodies from here!

Also, do a search for diy saddle materials! There a threads dedicated to that very subject!
 
If you have the time, you can get into this fairly cheaply. But you are paying with time. I have 50 dollars in the material for an average diy saddle build, but you have to get a machine at a good price, and you have to do any repairs needed on it, etc etc etc. it can be done for very cheap, but requires research and patience


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I agree that your price range is on the high side. I just bought everything new,phantom and platform and rope for DRT climbing and am $700 in the hole. Seems like a lot but it's the last tree hunting system i will buy. It is less than most people spend on their bow set ups.
 
If you are able to be patient, you will find everything that you need right here on the classifieds. I have been a member for about a month and have been able to get a $145 Mantis saddle, a set of cut down API sticks and some AmSteel. I am waiting on the right platform to come along now. There are always sticks, saddles, ropes, platforms, aiders, etc. for sale here at great prices. The season is a long way away...
 
If you are able to be patient, you will find everything that you need right here on the classifieds. I have been a member for about a month and have been able to get a $145 Mantis saddle, a set of cut down API sticks and some AmSteel. I am waiting on the right platform to come along now. There are always sticks, saddles, ropes, platforms, aiders, etc. for sale here at great prices. The season is a long way away...

This is great advice, slow and steady wins the race. It seems like there is always a mantis for sale these days compared to 5 minute turnover just a few months back. This could be a low cost way to get some nice gear. Many of those for sale have upgrade options like micro fit adjusters, back bands, etc


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
LW sticks used - $100
Scout Platform - $65
Sitdrag - $25
Climb spec tube webbing for bridge - $10
Used tree strap and bridge - $25-50
Use a safety harness I assume you already have.

$250 and you have everything I’m currently hunting with after trying 7 saddles. The sitdrag and scout are minor DIY mods.

Let me know if you need pictures or have any questions.
Thanks I will. Is this stuff you’re selling or estimated costs?
 
If you have the time, you can get into this fairly cheaply. But you are paying with time. I have 50 dollars in the material for an average diy saddle build, but you have to get a machine at a good price, and you have to do any repairs needed on it, etc etc etc. it can be done for very cheap, but requires research and patience


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
What is the machine you’re referring to?
 
What is the machine you’re referring to?
I think he is referring to a sewing machine. Kind of a must have for a DIY saddle.
I agree with most of the fellas above. While DIY is satisfying, the amount and reasonable cost of commercial equipment out there now makes it kind of a mute point. DIY is expensive if you go down the rabbit hole. A new Phantom (im not Tethrd affiliated, but the reviews cant be ignored) is actually a god deal new, considering the testing and experience behind it.
 
Diy isn’t for saving money. Go ahead and buy a juki, a cnc mill, and tig welder. Let me know at what point you start saving money.
There are two money saving options.
Option one is cheap.RCH plus fleece saddle budget climbing rope and prussik.

Option two is buy the saddle you want to spend the next decade in. Preferably you have already spent some time in the same model.

helium’s are cheap but not much to complain about with them. doublesteps.com has the stuff to make your own premium sticks.

Then get a predator, ridge runner,ambush, or ros platform.

If you want to get into making your own gear from chunks of aluminum or piles of fabric that is great but not necessarily cheap.
 
Thanks I will. Is this stuff you’re selling or estimated costs?
These are things I have bought and the price I paid for them. It really just depends what you want and what you want to pay. I feel this is competitively cheap and comfortable and safe.
 
My custom built single stick from DanO was around $120ish all said and done.

If $$ is a concern, might be better off buying a helium stick/single stick from Cabelas/Farm Fleet/etc. As far as saddle goes, can get away with a cheap fleece saddle with RCH. All in all if someone really wanted to do the saddle route with paying as little as possible this is the route I would go. Single stick from F&F ($20), Fleece saddle ($5), cheap RCH ($40), rope for bridge/tether ($10-20), biner or two ($20) . So for around $100 you could have a mobile saddle set up if you really needed it that badly/wanted to scrap the bottom of the barrel for equipment.

**Edit: corrected price of stick**
 
Last edited:
My custom built single stick from DanO was around $150ish all said and done.

If $$ is a concern, might be better off buying a helium stick/single stick from Cabelas/Farm Fleet/etc. As far as saddle goes, can get away with a cheap fleece saddle with RCH. All in all if someone really wanted to do the saddle route with paying as little as possible this is the route I would go. Single stick from F&F ($20), Fleece saddle ($5), cheap RCH ($40), rope for bridge/tether ($10-20), biner or two ($20) . So for around $100 you could have a mobile saddle set up if you really needed it that badly/wanted to scrap the bottom of the barrel for equipment.

Niko has a nice breakdown here. I don’t want to crush your diy spirit, if you are inventive and can use friend’s equipment, finding a free sewing machine etc. then you can get make a saddle for very cheap (I spent about 30 bucks in metal for my first platform and used friends tig welders and 50 bucks on my first saddle) but it took a lot of time. You could just as easily spend all this time doing a side job and just buy one. The DIY guys here generally like tinkering and get a sick and twisted satisfaction from making and using their own gear at all costs


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Saddle: 225
tether and linesman: 100
hawk sticks: 130
platform: 175
caribiners (3): 50
ropeman (if needed 2) 100
Total 780
You could probably get by 100 or 200 dollars cheaper if bought things used. You don't "need" ropemans, you can get a OOAL podium for 100 bucks, could get a saddle used for less then 200.
 
Saddle: 225
tether and linesman: 100
hawk sticks: 130
platform: 175
caribiners (3): 50
ropeman (if needed 2) 100
Total 780
You could probably get by 100 or 200 dollars cheaper if bought things used. You don't "need" ropemans, you can get a OOAL podium for 100 bucks, could get a saddle used for less then 200.

This got me thinking of what I spent this past year on gear and based on the emails I found, just shy of a $1k.

AeroHunter Saddle - Flex
$255.00​
Wild Edge Stepps
$99.99​
sold
11mm Monster static rope
$36.50​
sold
Ropeman 1 (x2)
$89.90​
sold 1 of 2
5 Step Black Diamond Aider
$23.36​
sold
Petzl Am'D Carabiner (x3)
$68.85​
sold 1 of 3
Sold gear in bundle
-$150.00​
Amsteel Bridge & backup tether
$10.04​
Samson Rope Splicing Kit
$47.93​
Predator Platform
$179.99​
Left Hand Ascender
$63.61​
HeroClip
$19.99​
8mm Prussik cord
$9.95​
JC Knaider
$34.99​
10mm Static Rope
$29.70​
Petzl 8mm Delta Triangle (x2)
$18.46​
Custom DoubleSteps Ultralight Stick
$118.95​
Petzl 8mm Delta Link (x2)
$13.18​
Grand Total
$970.39​
 
This got me thinking of what I spent this past year on gear and based on the emails I found, just shy of a $1k.

AeroHunter Saddle - Flex
$255.00​
Wild Edge Stepps
$99.99​
sold
11mm Monster static rope
$36.50​
sold
Ropeman 1 (x2)
$89.90​
sold 1 of 2
5 Step Black Diamond Aider
$23.36​
sold
Petzl Am'D Carabiner (x3)
$68.85​
sold 1 of 3
Sold gear in bundle
-$150.00​
Amsteel Bridge & backup tether
$10.04​
Samson Rope Splicing Kit
$47.93​
Predator Platform
$179.99​
Left Hand Ascender
$63.61​
HeroClip
$19.99​
8mm Prussik cord
$9.95​
JC Knaider
$34.99​
10mm Static Rope
$29.70​
Petzl 8mm Delta Triangle (x2)
$18.46​
Custom DoubleSteps Ultralight Stick
$118.95​
Petzl 8mm Delta Link (x2)
$13.18​
Grand Total
$970.39​
Y’all just trying to scare folks off. You don’t have to spend that much to get started. Where your addiction takes you after is a whole separate thread.
 
Back
Top