Saddle Hunting ???'s

[BenAllgood]

Let's put it this way. I had a TreeSaddle that I used for years. I sold it for a Summit Viper SD thinking it would be more comfortable and more useful in my area. I hadn't even used the Viper for one season, when I was back to a DIY saddle. I prefer the saddle much more than the Viper or the Millennium lock on's I've owned. I'll leave ladder stands out multiple years and just change the straps, but I don't like doing that with lockons. That's why I don't use the Millenniums anymore.

The safety factor is the other plus for the saddles. You stay attached to the tree the whole time. I can't say that for climbing into or out of my ladders or box blinds. I probably should use a lifeline on the ladder stands, but haven't felt the need. And, yes, I've fallen from a tree before, so I may just be dumb.

 

[Tap]

Saddles are definitely not plug and play. There are several tweaks and they are not a "one size fits all" type of thing. What works for one guy won't work as well for the next guy. But once you get it dialed in, there is no more effective way to be in a tree and I place "effective" way above "comfort" on the scale of importance. But once you get everything the way you like it, then saddles are both effective AND comfortable. I easily get 8 hours in my Kestrel and Predator platform before I start to feel it. I am more comfortable, for longer hours, in a saddle than I am in a hang on.
And I've been preaching something else about saddles for years now...
For setting hang on stands, once you've done it attached to the tree via a tether instead of a linemans belt, you'll wonder how you ever did it the old way. A saddle makes hanging stands far easier than with a traditional harness. And easy means less tiring and less tiring means I can pre set more stands in a day.
I'm a 100% saddle convert. I will never again be in a tree without one.
I just dont understand the attraction to ladders. Immobile, heavy, no option for stand height...saddle or a ladder?? No contest.