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What's going on at AeroHunter?

Chrighton

Chrighton

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2017
Messages
2,277
Location
SE Michigan
Looks like their saddles sales have been shut down. I'm interested in what the inside scoop is. The links to the Shrike and Revolution are no longer active.
I have owned all their offerings with the exception of the Revolution and I figured I would give it a try at some point.

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Didn't they do something like this last year? Shut down sales while finishing their testing of a new design and starting preproduction before announcing it?
 
the wording at the top of the accessory page makes it appear to be permanent:

PLEASE NOTE Sales of Aero Hunter products are closing. Any items still listed here are available to buy until supplies are gone. Thank you for your confidence in Aero Hunter. It's been a pleasure to serve you.
 
GCTerpfan said:
That's a shame if it's permanent. You could argue that all of the current popular saddle features came from Aerohunter. The current single panel design with bridge loops originated with the Kestrel, mesh saddles with the Kite, Pleated saddles with the flex, etc.
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Even the two panel designs that are individually adjusting share traits with the old evo. I say that all the time, there isn’t a saddle company out that can’t say their builds are influenced by aerohunter and if they do claim that, they are liars
 

So are we just not going to talk about the Aerohunter Revolution?

I’ve been waiting for a discussion thread to pop up since they put it up on their site, but just haven’t seen it. Their descriptions sound like what I want to hear, but hey don’t they always. Definitely doesn’t look like my other saddles though. It’s available for preorder now, has anyone been...
saddlehunter.com
 
Pretty sure their arborist saddles are only sold through retailers now. The New Tribe website directs to Monkey Beaver, not sure if it is related to them in ownership or partnership, I have no idea. Honestly I can't imagine the hunting market was all that profitable and we are the biggest whiners.

The Flex was a really, really good saddle that hit all the right notes for the broadest part of the market. People whined because an immaterial facade fabric coating was rubbing off, so they ruined that design by making it double the fabric. Then the Shrike design was deeply flawed overcomplication and the Revo is a niche of a niche of a niche design. I don't think internally they really knew a lot about the SH market and I think they had some questionable advisors on the design side.
 
elk yinzer said:
Pretty sure their arborist saddles are only sold through retailers now. The New Tribe website directs to Monkey Beaver, not sure if it is related to them in ownership or partnership, I have no idea. Honestly I can't imagine the hunting market was all that profitable and we are the biggest whiners.

The Flex was a really, really good saddle that hit all the right notes for the broadest part of the market. People whined because an immaterial facade fabric coating was rubbing off, so they ruined that design by making it double the fabric. Then the Shrike design was deeply flawed overcomplication and the Revo is a niche of a niche of a niche design. I don't think internally they really knew a lot about the SH market and I think they had some questionable advisors on the design side.
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Looks like New Tribe’s online storefront is still operational.

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elk yinzer said:
Pretty sure their arborist saddles are only sold through Monkey Beaver now, I'm not sure if New Tribe is related to them in ownership or partnership, I have no idea.

The Flex was a really, really good saddle that hit all the right notes for the broadest part of the market. People whined because an immaterial facade fabric coating was rubbing off, so they ruined that design by making it double the fabric. Then the Shrike design was deeply flawed overcomplication and the Revo is a niche of a niche of a niche design. I don't think internally they really knew a lot about the SH market and I think they had some questionable advisors on the design side.
Click to expand...

Monkey Beaver is a "separate company" owned by August Hunicke but he worked with New tribe on the design and they helped produce them as the first gen was largely based off the New Tribe saddle. However Monkey Beaver has seemed to bring more and more of their stuff in house recently.

You can still buy the New Tribe Onyx on their website but all Aero Hunter Facebook pages have been quiet lately as well.
 
DB4x4 said:
^ There's your answer

Saddle Hunters: We want a cheap, simple Kite.
Aero Hunter: No. Here's an expensive, overcomplicated harness nobody asked for...
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Pretty much nailed it. Unfortunately their two best saddles, the kestrel and kite, hit the market at the time saddle hunting started to go mainstream. Every mom and pop place started making saddles “different” with their own spin trying to innovate.

AH got caught up trying to do the same thing and unfortunately lost sight of what actually made a saddle good. Now it’s all come full circle and ppl are realizing how good the stuff was now that the smoke has settled.
 
bodark said:
AH got caught up trying to do the same thing and unfortunately lost sight of what actually made a saddle good. Now it’s all come full circle and ppl are realizing how good the stuff was now that the smoke has settled.
Click to expand...

I have a size 1 Kestrel and size 1 Kite. I started in the Kestrel and bought the Kite shortly after for my wife. After two years in the size 1, I realized I would probably be more comfortable in a size 2. I tried to order a size 2 Kite right when they discontinued it.

I literally begged them to make one more for me. They wouldn't. I looked around to find the next closest thing. I settled on a size 2 Cruzr S, which ironically is also now discontinued. It is still my primary rig.

Then Aero Hunter offered the Merlin for a screaming deal. I jumped on it. I was so excited. Then they emailed me and told me there was a mistake on their website and the price of the Merlin was much higher than originally advertised. I cancelled the order. That was the day they became irrelevant for me.

I had recommended Aero Hunter to everyone up until that point. I started sending folks to the Cruzr website after the Merlin fiasco.
 
DB4x4 said:
I have a size 1 Kestrel and size 1 Kite. I started in the Kestrel and bought the Kite shortly after for my wife. After two years in the size 1, I realized I would probably be more comfortable in a size 2. I tried to order a size 2 Kite right when they discontinued it.

I literally begged them to make one more for me. They wouldn't. I looked around to find the next closest thing. I settled on a size 2 Cruzr S, which ironically is also now discontinued. It is still my primary rig.

Then Aero Hunter offered the Merlin for a screaming deal. I jumped on it. I was so excited. Then they emailed me and told me there was a mistake on their website and the price of the Merlin was much higher than originally advertised. I cancelled the order. That was the day they became irrelevant for me.

I had recommended Aero Hunter to everyone up until that point. I started sending folks to the Cruzr website after the Merlin fiasco.
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That’s sad. I had nothing but excellent service from them. Wonder what happened.
 
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