Tree saddle
- Thread starter Thunderflight
- Start date
- 25,155
- 261
Yep. Mine is older than my children and one of them has graduated college. I love em. I will be getting one of the newer styles as they are more user friendly than the style I have. I’m done with the hang on stands for mobile hunting. I may just too clumsy to set them up quick and quiet. The newer saddles I could do.
I'm just plain uncomfortable, which makes me fidget about and feel the need to do arts and crafts while in stand.You're just fidgety, Mike.
Being a cheap bastard I bought a rock climbing harness off amazon for 45.00. I alread had the ropes and I made a platform out of an old tree seat.
Man.... this is the way to go. I need 5o make a sest sling for long sits, but for short 1.5 to 2 hour hunts it works pretty darn good.
Man.... this is the way to go. I need 5o make a sest sling for long sits, but for short 1.5 to 2 hour hunts it works pretty darn good.
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I use one but also still use my lw hand climber. I am still figuring out the comfort thing because leg straps ride up. I feel like i am more figity in stand at this point. However i can be more quiet on the climb with sticks. I think a bigger platform may help but the weight of platform vs lwcg .5 weight kind of negates some of the benefits. But i am still working the links out of the setup.
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Some pics
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Yep I'm a saddle hunter. I've been using a hand-me-down old TrophyLine that I will be upgrading this winter/spring. My biggest struggle getting started was finding a platform or foot option that worked for me. I tried a couple of WildEdge steps first. Then I used a Hawk tree seat. I ended the year using a DIY platform a buddy had used. I didn't like any of them that much. I bought the Tethrd Predator this spring and it's been awesome for me. I like the LW style attachment because it's what I'm used to from treestand hunting. It fits inside my pack, quiet to hang, quiet to hunt on, and rock solid. It's worth the money, in my opinion.
I think the biggest adjustment is just how you set up in the tree. As a right hander, the only real hard shot for me to pull off is a deer to my right. It involves either twisting and getting the bow on the other side of the tree or turning and standing on the platform, back to the tree. I, personally, set up putting the least likely place for a deer to be, to my right, for that reason. I shoot my recurve more or less vertical with no cant, so I can shoot off the edge of the tree easily. Shots to the left and even behind you are really easy once you get in the saddle and shoot a little.
I won't be going back to a hang on treestand. I had a Lone Wolf Alpha that never made it to the woods last year. This year I loaned it to a friend who needed an extra stand for hang and hunts. For me, it's really comfortable and it fits better with how I'm hunting.
I think the biggest adjustment is just how you set up in the tree. As a right hander, the only real hard shot for me to pull off is a deer to my right. It involves either twisting and getting the bow on the other side of the tree or turning and standing on the platform, back to the tree. I, personally, set up putting the least likely place for a deer to be, to my right, for that reason. I shoot my recurve more or less vertical with no cant, so I can shoot off the edge of the tree easily. Shots to the left and even behind you are really easy once you get in the saddle and shoot a little.
I won't be going back to a hang on treestand. I had a Lone Wolf Alpha that never made it to the woods last year. This year I loaned it to a friend who needed an extra stand for hang and hunts. For me, it's really comfortable and it fits better with how I'm hunting.
I actually tried trophyline saddle about 15 years ago with ring of steps. I hated it but not many options then.
I think the biggest issue is just finding the system that works. Yes you can do a lot of DIY stuff but i think in long run you will spend more. I had the lw sticks/assault combo that pretty much sat around the last 10 years because the hand climber was compact and easy to brush bust with. Now i got beast sticks with cable aiders. Double steps are money, which ever stick you use. So much easier to pack. I got the OOAL Ridge runner but not completely sold on it.
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I think the biggest issue is just finding the system that works. Yes you can do a lot of DIY stuff but i think in long run you will spend more. I had the lw sticks/assault combo that pretty much sat around the last 10 years because the hand climber was compact and easy to brush bust with. Now i got beast sticks with cable aiders. Double steps are money, which ever stick you use. So much easier to pack. I got the OOAL Ridge runner but not completely sold on it.
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You may already know this, but check and make sure your Ridge Runner isn't one of the platforms that has a faulty strap. A buddy of mine uses one and he got an email from OOAL that he was to get a free replacement strap. I read on a FB page for trad hunters that a guy had his strap break. Luckily he had his saddle connected to the tree, but the strap gave and broke off.
Yah i read that and got the email. Actually just saw it happening to mine. Matt at OOAL is sending new strap. Luckily the beast strap works till i get the replacement here. It is a good reminder to always have tether connected prior to stepping on any platform. Linemans belt is not going to protect you if something goes wrong.
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I've been hunting out of one this season. I diy everything so I built a typical looking saddle over the summer and liked it a lot but recently built a 2 panel saddle and am really loving it, and being able to move the 2 panels around to find that sweet spot has been a game changer as comfort goes.
After researching for a couple of months I decided that I wanted a two panel saddle. It was between the ESS (Eberhart Signature Saddle) by Tethrd and the Recon by Treehopper. I went with the Recon. Made in the USA and cheaper than the made in China ESS. I'll report back when I try it out. I'm working on my platform that will attach to my top Hawk Helium mini.
I think you'll like it and I read alot of good stuff about the recon.
If you can weld these platforms are super easy to make and only weigh 2.5 lbs. Main part is a primal step, the one I built out of a shooting rail off a ladder stand and the other was made out of electrical conduit. They don't fold up flat but I've got an ideal for that.
Wish I woulda used a tape measure cause obviously my eyes are way off LoL
Wish I woulda used a tape measure cause obviously my eyes are way off LoL
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