I am on my 5th year with a saddle and I have no intention of going back. But I also exclusively hunt public land and hike a good ways so the lightweight and compact style of saddle hunting really works for me. I have had many different brands and styles of saddles and the one I like the best is also one of the best priced saddles out there. I have a CGM (custom gear modifications) cobra and I am on my 2nd season with it. They are a small company out of Tennessee. When I have called in the past I have spoke to the owner who is hands on with building the saddles. Pretty cool. The cobra has a lot of really nice features that make it really comfortable.
For climbing I used to use 3 or 4 sticks but have since started one sticking and have no plans to go back. I can get up the tree pretty fast and down even faster and quieter. But it’s not for everyone. Nothing wrong with using several sticks. The tethrd skeletors are pretty nice and they are not too pricey.
As far as platforms I use 2 set ups. I have a tethrd predator platform in a predator pack backpack for my ultralight set up. For a bit heavier but more alll day set up I have been using a hybrid style system this year. I have an xop retrograde lock on that is only about 6lbs and I use it as my platform and also have the option to fold the seat down and sit down when I want to. Has been working out pretty nice so far. I still use my saddle for fall protection and I still one stick up with both set ups.
Feel free to pm me any questions. I will do the best I can to answer them and help you figure out what you need if you decide to go that route. It’s kind of intimidating at first but it’s really super simple and will probably be pretty natural for an arborist like yourself.
Last edited by ValleyDawg; 11/15/23 01:56 PM.
