Tree Saddle

[moojpg2]

I used to climb trees for a living. I don't even need the trunk of a tree to to get quietly up in the air. Branches don't matter either, actually a large diameter one can be a nice place to sit if you anchor above it. Check out arboristsite and Sherrill Tree for real climbing gear and techniques, most of the crap they market to hunters as tree saddles and tree climbing gear is just that, it's utter crap, and barely what I would call safe. I'd use a work positioning harness or a real tree saddle, 100ft of static rope, and a throw ball for a basic tree climbing setup.

edit: fixed some typos

 

[Mark from MA]

I used to climb trees for a living. I don't even need the trunk of a tree to to get quietly up in the air. Branches don't matter either, actually a large diameter one can be a nice place to sit if you anchor above it. Check out arboristsite and Sherrill Tree for real climbing gear and techniques, most of the crap they market to hunters as tree saddles and tree climbing gear is just that, it's utter crap, and barely what I would call safe. I'd use a work positioning harness or a real tree saddle, 100ft of static rope, and a throw ball for a basic tree climbing setup.

edit: fixed some typos

I feel this way too that saddles are overpriced crap. Id rather buy a real arborist saddle than one of the ones marketed for hunters.

 

[BigTimber]

Pass. My climber is like an apartment in the sky. It is cool though.

 

[Mark from MA]

Pass. My climber is like an apartment in the sky. It is cool though.

I like my summit too. I can pack it a long ways. I think this saddle thing would be for more of a scout/hunting endeavor. Then if the spot looks worth it bring in the climber.

 

[Mark from MA]

I ended up buying a fusion zipline saddle off of amazon for about 150 bucks. Made in USA

Looks much more substantial comfortable and safe than the hunting saddles out there.

It may be a bit much to wear in. I have to try it out. If I dont like it, its amazon and ill return it for a lighter weight tree arborists saddle. But I dont think ill find anything else with more comfort and support than this.

ill just need to get an amsteel rope bridge and be good to go

 

[Mark from MA]

I got the above saddle in last night and it works great. Ill fashion a bridge from climbing rope and be good to go.

its not that bulky and I can walk with it fine. Goes on quick and easy. I feel this thing is built to last and made in usa.

 

[pupchow]

Another saddle video

 

[pupchow]

I haven't bought into the saddle thing, yet. But after using climbing sticks to mount a hang-on stand today, I'm thinking I might as well. What a pain in the ass that was.

 

[peterk123]

I haven't bought into the saddle thing, yet. But after using climbing sticks to mount a hang-on stand today, I'm thinking I might as well. What a pain in the ass that was.

Most of my hunting now is on the ground but I have access to a farm that has a creek with a lot of shrubs and some trees. These trees are loaded with little annoying branches for the first ten feet and then gets a little better, not much though. To add insult to injury, they all lean. These things suck. But this thick, nasty area is loaded with whitetail. You are not hanging anything on these trees. But with the saddle I can set up on a leaner, deal with the branches and hang from a tree that is barley more than four inches in diameter. They just work. My preference now is to stalk on the ground but it is nearly impossible with whitetail and a bow.

 

[Mark from MA]

I haven't bought into the saddle thing, yet. But after using climbing sticks to mount a hang-on stand today, I'm thinking I might as well. What a pain in the ass that was.

He's the deal with that......once you get into the saddle and are tethered up, hanging everything is easy, stands, steps, etc.

I don't like to sit in the saddle for hunting unless I'm going way in, I still use a stand. It just adds to the versatility of the stand experience, as you can shoot off edges of platforms, seats, etc.

I do however use the saddle for 100% of my safety harness now, and usually I have a small light stand Millenium M7, and Skeletor steps with it. About 14 pounds total.

I also now have gotten into repelling down as well, with either a figure 8 or other type descender, the easiest is a madrock safeguard, as you can use that like a rope ascender as well, and it never leaves your rope. I back it up with some type of friction hitch into my saddle. But , as you descend, you can just hang there and collect your gear effortlessly.

For those of you that haven't got into these rope gizmos, the Kong duck and Ropeman are really neat as compared to dealing with prussic hitches and the like on your tethers and linesmans ropes.

The newest and best thing I've been doing is using a seat from and old lonewolf climber, and using that as a platform and the saddle as a seat and walking up the tree that way. No sticks, which is nice and the LW platform is only like 6 pounds and that's all you carry in. After your hunt repel down. That is a full saddle method though.....but I like not dealing with carrying sticks and the climb is easy.

 

[Bigfudge16]

These setups have gotten my interest lately just because they look comfortable and quiet to climb. I have a couple climbers that i use almost exclusively and leave them on the trunk of the tree occasionally if I like a spot, my only gripe is the noise they make climbing in the dark.

 

[pupchow]

He's the deal with that......once you get into the saddle and are tethered up, hanging everything is easy, stands, steps, etc.

I don't like to sit in the saddle for hunting unless I'm going way in, I still use a stand. It just adds to the versatility of the stand experience, as you can shoot off edges of platforms, seats, etc.

I do however use the saddle for 100% of my safety harness now, and usually I have a small light stand Millenium M7, and Skeletor steps with it. About 14 pounds total.

I also now have gotten into repelling down as well, with either a figure 8 or other type descender, the easiest is a madrock safeguard, as you can use that like a rope ascender as well, and it never leaves your rope. I back it up with some type of friction hitch into my saddle. But , as you descend, you can just hang there and collect your gear effortlessly.

For those of you that haven't got into these rope gizmos, the Kong duck and Ropeman are really neat as compared to dealing with prussic hitches and the like on your tethers and linesmans ropes.

The newest and best thing I've been doing is using a seat from and old lonewolf climber, and using that as a platform and the saddle as a seat and walking up the tree that way. No sticks, which is nice and the LW platform is only like 6 pounds and that's all you carry in. After your hunt repel down. That is a full saddle method though.....but I like not dealing with carrying sticks and the climb is easy.

I just added a tender to the prusik on linesman. When this rain lets up, I might be able to try that out. The Mad Rock is in my shopping cart.

 

[Mark from MA]

I just added a tender to the prusik on linesman. When this rain lets up, I might be able to try that out. The Mad Rock is in my shopping cart.

Realistically, if you;ll ever repel that's the one you want, because you can use it like the Kong Duck or Ropeman, to tend slack and ascend, but also can use it to repell.

When I need to use a the linesmans, its nice to have the duck or ropeman as well. Duck takes smaller ropes which is nice.

 

[pupchow]

Sobering story.

Hunter Dies in Saddle Hunting Accident

An Iowa woman encourages the hunting community to stay safe this season after her husband died from a saddle hunting accident.

www.bowhunting.com

From the comments:

1. Brad Kaufmann
   STAFF​

   
   Hi Curt, as far as we know, he was losing blood flow from the pressure of the saddle and straps on his legs and lost consciousness due to dangling for too long, then flipped upside down while unconscious and suffocated.
   Reply
   
   Posted on Sep 28, 2022 | 8:31 am

 

[Mark from MA]

Sobering story.

Hunter Dies in Saddle Hunting Accident

An Iowa woman encourages the hunting community to stay safe this season after her husband died from a saddle hunting accident.

www.bowhunting.com

From the comments:

1. Brad Kaufmann
   STAFF​

   
   Hi Curt, as far as we know, he was losing blood flow from the pressure of the saddle and straps on his legs and lost consciousness due to dangling for too long, then flipped upside down while unconscious and suffocated.
   Reply
   
   Posted on Sep 28, 2022 | 8:31 am

This is not only with saddles but harnesses as well. You can't hang for long in one of those full body harneses either. A lot less than a saddle actually.

My whole reason for learning repelling is that if you short tether while climbing and lose a stick, or the bottom of your climbing stand or whatever your climbing with. You cannot repel down due to the short tether. Its always been a point of contention with me, especially with the climber as most use the short tether method up the tree.

If you don't have a long repel rope/repel you should be using a linesmans belt to ascend (which is nearly impossible with a climber) ....... It wont stop you as well as a tether, and you could get hurt, but you can ease your way down a tree with it.

If your stuck on a short tether.....your ass is hanging there until someone comes to help. If something goes fubar during a long rope climb, and you lose a stick or the bottom of the climber, you can always just repel down. And that is the beauty of the madrock safeguard, your climbing with in normal ascending mode. Whereas if your using a prusic, duck or ropeman, If your hanging and now and have switch to a figure 8 descender on, your screwed unless you can take significant weight off the tether rope to set the device. Madrock you can hang there and just lower yourself. Its why they are so stupid expensive and popular, because they are perfect for hunting.

On setups I use a good amount. I will set a long line, from the top to the ground the first time setting the stand, successive climbs, Ill have a rope from the ground, and its easier because you don't have to walk the tether up the tree. Its 20 bucks on sale for any variety of these safety ropes, Muddy, XOP, etc........20 bucks is worth it..

That said, I always have a 35 feet of repel line in a roll sack on the side of my saddle, so for whatever reason I can take that out and repel if for some reason I find myself on a short tether. And that is what I use as my climbing repel line when climbing with the lw seat setup, or sticks. I use Res Tech and Canyon as they are smaller more packable ropes and strong.