Aight saddle guys real question here

Do y’all really like these things or just trying to like it? I been hunting out of one this year. Comfort is fine but getting set up is aggravating as all get out compared to a climber. I’m carrying 3 sticks with aiders but still about 20 foot is a push. Sure you can shoot 360 but do you really think you can get swung all the way around without a deer seeing you? I can shoot 360 out of a climber just takes movement probably less than a saddle. I want some honest opinions just to see if I’m really only one that feels like this. If you say a saddle is anything but the bee’s knees on saddle hunter pages they go absolutely crazy.

Let me know if you’re trying to get out of it. I’m trying to get in with a used one. I have a LW Alpha II Id trade if you’re done with saddles.

Other than the annoying set up, how has the comfort been for you? What saddle do you use? How long have you used it (in total sits)?

Did you go from a climber straight to sticks and a saddle? I went from a climber to sticks and a lock on this year and it has taken some time to adjust. What I mean is that transitioning from a climber to not only sticks but a saddle too was large change and it may take even longer to get use to.

The key to hunting out of a saddle is telling everyone every chance you get that you are a saddle hunter 😂

Sorry saddle hunters, I couldn’t resist.

I’m not quite ready to give up yet. Is a aero kestral. I have used it 6 times I think. Around 4 hour sits each probably. Comfort is so so. I catch myself moving a lot more than a stand. Sit a while lean a while, adjust it on my butt a couple times. I got my setup backpack and all to about 16 pounds and it packs quiet so that’s a plus. I’m thinking about trying one of them rope climbing methods that works like a climber. Sticks are just aggravating to me. I do think it will be good on WMA hunts where I walk a long ways so not giving it up yet

Gcr I sorta did. I hunt out of lock-ons some but there preset like a ladder stand.

Sure I can climb any tree but we in Alabama. When your limited to 15 to 18 feet you gotta look hard for a tree with some cover that low. Sorry I can go on and on.

😂😂😂

By god, if you run across one that does uses a saddle and does CrossFit you ain’t gonna have to guess about it!

y’all speaking the truth. I jumped in this head first end of last season. I done spent a ton of cash learned how to tie all kinds of cool knots with amsteel. Definitely put some extra excitement into waiting for season.

😂😂😂 I about spit coffee!

I’m reading and cyphering on getting one. I can use one of my old loc ons at about <6#, drill and bolts, plus cold weather gear, snack and water bottle and still be pretty light. I figure a saddle will cut about 4#. I am supposed to get up with Hoss and demo his saddle.
I’m concerned about hip pinch, remember the old rubber swings on the playground with rubber sling seats?

Climber is easier setup but real big and bulky to carry thru woods allowing stand to hit every tree branch. It is easy to transport a saddle and sticks with a lot less bulk, weight and also quieter. On my lease I have pre set trees with screw in steps and sticks already in place so all I have to carry is saddle and platform. I keep a set of sticks at home for when I want to try a new spot. Seems to help me with setup. I try and setup with a lot of back cover so I can get away with alittle movement.

Hey RTH, what saddle are you using? And what are pros cons so far on the saddle ?

JMO but I cannot understand how people think you're more "mobile" and quite with one of those setups than any lightweight climber.

David, look into buying and learning how to use tree gaffs. It’s much easier. I think I enjoy not toting a stand more so than hunting out of my saddle. I bought into the saddle deal because I’m a knot, rope, repel, type of guy, and enjoy that type stuff.

How could it not be? I have the lightest climbing stand made, my saddle setup shaved 4.5lbs off that and doesn’t make any noise walking through the woods. I can also hang from any tree that will support my weight.

Just for reference I don’t use a saddle but I want to. When this happens y’all gonna hear about it 😂

Sounds like saddles are the "6.5cm of treestands"

To answer your question, if I could wiggle my nose and be sitting in a summit or a saddle, I’d probably pick a summit. If I had the choice between a standard lockon, an x stand, or a saddle, I’d pick the saddle. I was real skeptical of a saddle because of the weight/ climbing sticks. Just as heavy as an x stand and more of a pain to get up the tree. That’s why I went with tree spikes. It’s the only way that made sense to me. Lighter than sticks, way more compact, easier to get up the tree, faster than a climber, etc. I’ve used a saddle every hunt this year. Last night I had time for a quick hunt. I had my summit in my truck, but grabbed my saddle to walk 200yds and run up a tree.

Exactly the way I feel. It’s the point from the truck to being settled in a tree that the saddle shines. As for the actual hunting part, it’s been a bit of a learning curve and I’d prefer to be sitting in a real comfortable climber that I’m well versed with.

Just dont like the idea of having to setup climbing sticks. Didnt think about the ability to be able to climb any tree though. I guess that would be a big plus.

OP, what straps are you using on your sticks? I switched to the straps without the buckle and it shaved wait and time off my set up. I’m looking to go to daisy chains next.

Will you share your setup is? What saddle spurs etc...

I’m using climb rite aluminum spurs and an H2 saddle

I’m using Klein spurs with the Tethrd Mantis. I’ve got a 12’ flip line (lineman’s rope) that has a carabiner at both ends with a KlimAir 2 way Gibbs ascender that allows me to go around limbs without unhooking from the tree. I’ve also got the predator platform to stand on. One of these days I’ll buy some aluminum or CF spurs, but what I have now is good enough.

Are spurs legal on WMA and Refuge land on Alabama?

I have a aerohunter kestrel. It is comfortable but will take time to get used to it. I do about 50%leaner and 50% sitting. Definitely a learning curve to it, can’t just take out of box and use first time and fall in love with it. Big change from loc ons and climbers. Got numerous ways to adjust for comfort so takes time to fit for each individual person.

No, and I don’t know why. I can take you to several trees that I have worn slap out with spurs over the last 10 years and they are perfectly fine.

I honestly like mine. I was very skeptical at first but I wouldn’t trade for any climber, lock on, or anything else. I understand some guys complain about hip pinch but I haven’t had yet. I hunted out of my mantis for the first time today from 6:30 to 11:30. I had to work at his afternoon or I would have stayed longer. I will say I do need a platform, I have a double step on my LW stick so it’s bearable but definitely will order a predator at the end of the season. I’m not sure if it’s the saddle or because I’ve been following the hunting beast website but my deer sightings have doubled. I’ve sat 6 times on heavy pressured public land and I’ve seen deer on 3 sits. I saw 3 this morning and had two walk underneath me which has never happened and the other (a shooter) at 25 yards.

Saddlefit....oh know he dident

Sounds sucsessful.

There I was, in my saddle.
I’d had a marvelous CrossFit workout before heading to the woods.
My 6.5 Creedmoor was across my lap, ready to go.
I heard a twig snap and I knew a buck that would make even Timber Blankenship proud was headed towards my strategically placed corn pile.

The perfect storm

That seems legit!!!

Id like to try the tethrd brand..honestly...to me..there is no point in one if youve got private land to hunt..i loved my ol man multivision...weighed about 30lbs but i could always sit in comfort and had a good rifle prop. I do what i do now only out of necessity..id rather not climb trees like i do but the fact that i have to almost exclusively hunt public land and mediocre land at that has forced me to adapt to being as light as possible...and that little tethrd saddle is super light. One day i hope i can find me a good club that i can afford and if i cant hang me a loc on or..my personal favorite...a 20ft ladderstand...ill probly be back to totin my ol man...cause i just want have a need for my loc on an one stick method...but when you walk a true mile to 2 miles in somewhere just to kill a deer...im gettin a little tired of it...i walked a mile an a half yesterday to get to a spot with good wind an the chance at killin a nice buck...to me thats all a saddle is good for..a lightweight necessary item to replace the weight of an already light loc on.

That makes since... I’ve always hunted clubs and pre hung most of my stands, but just as you said I’ve got an older aluminum ol man stand that is super light weight and sits flat to my back, I can take anywhere and sit with ease if I was to want to look at a new spot and hunt same day.. saddle can’t be much easier to carry or set up as that

I get where you’re coming from, but just because you’re on private land doesn’t mean you park the truck and walk a couple hundred yards to your ladder stand or shooting house and hunt. I enjoy throwing my stand/saddle on and going scouting. Friday afternoon, I walked probably 2 miles until I found the best sign to hunt. I’ve hunted this property for 10 years now and have some permanent stands in places where deer walk a lot, but those spots are not always the best place to be at that given time. I also have the little millenniums that I carry in hunt out of. I very rarely hunt out of a ladder stand or climber any more.

I don't know why its got to be the end all of what you use to hunt. Its just another tool in your arsenal, I hunt mostly out of a lone wolf loc on, but I have a lone wolf sit and climb and a guidos web. I don't understand why you have to sell out completely to just one way. If I were made to choose one method and one stand for the rest of my life, it would be a simmons drill with bolts and a loc on, but I don't have to choose and I'm glad. I've pulled all day sits out of each stand that I've listed.

It’s just a tool, like your boots , bow, rifle or whatever. Every person will choose to use whatever they want. Will it be the best fit for their needs, or just the way they always done it. I say try another tool to do the job if it might make it easier. I am gonna give it a fair shake and compare. I have read more stories of people liking the saddle than not, so far.

BuckRidge17 - don't see how a saddle couldn't be more mobile! A Summit Viper is 20 lbs. A Mantis saddle fits into a big cargo pocket and weighs 15 oz. I've been hanging and hunting with an 18 lb lock-on and 3 Hawk Helium sticks this year, and I can't keep thinking how much quicker I could set up in a tree without having to hang the lock-on. Not to mention having 18 lbs less to lug in and out on my back. Can't wait to try the saddle setup personally.

What are you doing to setup a lock on that takes so long?

Although Brad likes to question a lot of folks 😂, this one very valid. The saddle will lighten your load a ton, but as far as setting up it’s not going to change that much. Actually, I can set up my millennium faster if I had to bet, just because I’ve hunted out of it a lot more. You’d have to really be struggling with a loc-on to save any time.

On gun hunts, do you just hang your rifle up like a bow?

When I was hunting out of a climber, no. In a loc-on, I hang it, but in a different spot. Not sure what I’ll do in a saddle just yet. I’m sure it’ll hang. Hard to navigate the inter webs while holding onto a rifle and swinging from a tree. 😂

It's the lock-on. It isn't designed to be a mobile setup, so it's a pain to get secured to the tree even using my linemans belt and having two free hands. And yes, it's a struggle. It has two upright posts so it's not easy to hold up one-handed, and the weight bearing strap attaches to these two eyelets via hooks that like to fall off and go clanging down the the ground........ look it's just a pain ok? XD

With a saddle, get to the top of my last stick, cinch a platform on the tree, throw the tether up, clip in, take off the linemans belt, done. Way quicker. If you're using a LoneWolf or a bracket system for your lock-on I could see how the saddle wouldn't save time setting up.

What kind of platform are you using?

Other than the packing, climbing, etc y'all may want to practice shooting out of one. Ask Johnal about that.

Shots fired!

Killed my first deer out of saddle yesterday, even though it wasn’t a big one I am extremely happy with him. First deer with bow in over 5 years.
free pic hosting site

Mighty fine deer out the saddle rolltidehunter1

Congrats!!

Congrats! I’m still trying to get that first bow kill as well. I’ve had a couple of opportunities but I passed on a doe and a small buck since the rut is kicking here.

A Summit Stoop lock on

I’m liking the predator but the new lwcg ambush is nice too however $300 may be a little steep

That’s another thing that has me leaning towards the saddle. If I’m going to spend $300+ on one stand, have to pack it in and out, and not be able to sit the perfect tree bc it has a strong lean, I’d rather invest in a saddle. It’s just infinitely more mobile and doesn’t limit tree selection as much.

That saves a lot of time. I can get in any tree that will sully my weight. It may take some quick engineering but I definitely do not wonder around looking for a tree to climb

I’d love to try it on public land that I hunt but damn that crap is expensive. Tethrd kit looks to be $500 with the platform 😬

Yeah that’s the downside. I’m like Johnny Cash... one piece at time lol. I don’t have a platform yet so I’m using a double step with one wild edge step. I have the Bullman ring of steps I’ve never used. I’ll buy a platform after this season.

I actually sold my lone wolf and bought saddle. Since using a saddle/rock climbing harness I haven’t had a need for a tree stand. I hunt public land 99% if the time so a saddle has been more beneficial for me.

I love my saddle. It’s super comfortable. I’m not really happy with my climbing situation right now due to how potentially dangerous it could be. (wild edge stepps with knaider and swaider) i just keep thinking about how bad it would suck to drop my swaider out of the tree at 20 feet and not have a way down. I think I’m gonna get some hawk helium sticks and give them a shot. As far as vs a climber, I’ll take the saddle any day. I just spent a week in Kentucky and good luck finding a tree to climb with a climber where i was hunting, I’m sure you could find a tree but probably not where the deer are. The guys i was hunting with were using a deer cart to tote their climbers in with and i was going twice as far with just a backpack and getting to set up where i wanted to and not where i had to. I could go on and on but i love mine and I’ve made about 20 sits in it so far.

Hey tfd1224 Rogers sporting goods in Missouri has the hawk helium’s for 99 dollars for a 3 pack I just ordered some yesterday and they will be here tomorrow! I was just going to pass on the info

I may get some. I’m also looking into some tree spurs

Hey tfd , put a small grapple hook in your pack. If you drop something, you can fish it back up.

On a whim I picked up an old (new in the packaging) Green’s tree saddle by trophyline form a user here this weekend. I hunted out of it Saturday evening and was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the sit. I loved swinging around the tree testing out different shot opportunities. I too have not bought a platform yet so I made a makeshift wooden platform. It also did surprising well for a 5 minute build.

This is my diy platform, yes it is big but I hunt public and private and on public it can be used as a pack frame to carry deer out after quartering our in field. Next year I will have a predator platform probably or make a smaller one. I just used an old loc on stand laying around not getting used. Cut platform shorter replace cables and took off seats and added duffle bags straps I had at home.

I have thought about taking a snatch hook and cutting the points off and carrying that

I have both wild edge and use knaider/swaider and helium’s. To me both have their place. You may or may not already but tie some small lightweight bungee to your swaider and then add a small carabiner . Can be a cheap plastic carabiner (it won’t be holding any weight just there Incase you do drop it.) and clip to your lineman’s loop. That way if you do take it off you can stuff in a pouch of your choice and will never fall to ground. Just an idea Incase you don’t have that already on your swaider.

I don’t but know a lot of people do that. I may do it. I feel like the climbing sticks with a 1 step moveable aider would get me up the tree in 1/4 of the time. I sure do like my climbing method only weighing 5 lbs though. I guess the thing that gets me is this; get to tree, put on knaider and swaider, climb tree, take off k&s at height, carefully put k&s in wild edge bag and put inside pack, put on knee pads, hunt, reverse. Seems like it would be much easier to put on knee pads, climb, hunt, reverse. Plus, the sticks with amsteel daisy chains would go up much quicker and easier than wild edge stepps.