Thompson Pack-Ride Saddle

[bisblue]

An add for these folks popped up and I was checking it out. I'm new to the equine and mule world. Is this something really new, or a new take on an old concept?

Pack-Ride Saddle - A Pack Saddle & Riding Saddle Combined Into One

This versatile pack-ride saddle can easily convert between a pack saddle and a riding saddle. Comfortable, durable saddle. Free shipping. Made in the US.

www.thompsonpackridesaddles.com

 

[doverpack12]

Never heard of it and all the reviews are pretty recent. Maybe they would let Rokslide review it for them?

I don’t mind the concept but it appears to be all Ralide and might have some give under heavy loads or in heat and be stiffer in cold.
The price is too high for what it is in my opinion. Find a good fitting riding saddle, use the back cinch, a breast collar and britchen/crupper if needed and you can do the same thing with a set of Mountain Ridge Gear meat bags. The saddle and bags can likely cost less and be a much better saddle for riding the rest of the year.

It’s not that different from The Wild In Us saddles on Instagram made by Trent Peterson. He has really uses his though and makes an excellent looking product made to perform and last a long time.

 

[bisblue]

Thanks, I have seen Trent's great looking saddles.

Right now I have a nice custom wade my mentor set me up with. Just curious about the design and materials, seemed very different than most saddles

 

[robby denning]

Never heard of it and all the reviews are pretty recent. Maybe they would let Rokslide review it for them?

I don’t mind the concept but it appears to be all Ralide and might have some give under heavy loads or in heat and be stiffer in cold.
The price is too high for what it is in my opinion. Find a good fitting riding saddle, use the back cinch, a breast collar and britchen/crupper if needed and you can do the same thing with a set of Mountain Ridge Gear meat bags. The saddle and bags can likely cost less and be a much better saddle for riding the rest of the year.

It’s not that different from The Wild In Us saddles on Instagram made by Trent Peterson. He has really uses his though and makes an excellent looking product made to perform and last a long time.

I've got one! They sent it to me free to review. They're friends of mine.

I haven't got the britchen/breast collar yet, so all I've done is saddled a few different horses with it--seems to fit well enough.

So far:

1) No fenders. But they can be added according to Mark and Scott Thompson

2) I used the panniers on a sawbuck this weekend, tough as nuts, and pretty big (pic way below). They roll up and go behind the cantle, along with the bracket.

3) The hook up bracket in the seat works as it should--one button push and it's in or out.

4) dimples in the seat for the "sit bones". I'll know more when I ride it.

5) haven't weighed it, but compared to my lightweight cordura saddles, I'd say it's a bit heavier but not a heavy saddle.

I just need to get to Cal-ranch and buy the britchen/breast collar. I was hoping something I had (and wasn't already on another saddle--I don't like dissassembling a system that is fitted) would interchange, but it won't.

Here's some pics:










Didn’t take any good pics of the panniers, but this will give you an idea. “Tall but not narrow”. Horse on the left



I’ll update this thread as I use them more. I've packed out more deer than I can count on a normal saddle pannier (with great success btw) so that'll be my comparison.

 

[mntnguide]

Trent's saddles are great, and made to fit an animal comfortably. These saddles look like junk to me, and no way does that look like its fitting the horse on the whithers or under the cantle well for long trips. Santa Fe slots in the cantle are nothing new, been around a LONG time. Ive considered getting one of Trent's because of the workmanship he puts into them, but ultimately, if you cant pack a normal riding saddle, then you should just be using a pack saddle in the first place. This thing looks uncomfortable as hell from a riding perspective, and putting that metal bar into the seat for a pack saddle conversion, looks to me like with heavy weight will pull into your horses back and could cause major hot spots or just flat out sore the living hell out of your animal. . Not to mention, the "reviews" on the website all come within a few days of each other and I have a hard time believing those are real world reviews and not just buddies or totally fake entirely.

Sounds like Robby can put it to the test, but for that price range, Id rather buy a good form-fitter pack saddle, and have my good riding saddle separate. Unless you are using it for low mile type trips, I do not see this holding up to the use I personally would put it through. Interesting concept for sure, but those reviews look forced, and no part of that saddle looks well developed for the animal it is going on is my initial thoughts.

 

[doverpack12]

Thanks Robby. Looking forward to your review and thoughts.

 

[wildace]

Any updates on how these worked out? I use old mcllellons on my mammoth jacks, wondering if these could be a viable replacment

 

[robby denning]

Any updates on how these worked out? I use old mcllellons on my mammoth jacks, wondering if these could be a viable replacment

I never found the time to go shop out a britchen and breast collar, only did flat ground lunging and training a pack horse. So it’s still at the “good idea” stage. I wish they’d have sent them with the saddle. I contacted them and said I’d send it back but they said keep it until I can get some time on it

Hoping this spring.

I did run their panniers on a different saddle as noted in post above. They’re solid.

 

[bmart2622]

Hard pass for me

 

[huntsman22]

kind of a modified meskin-styled McClellan looking thing.....

 

[ShootOkHuntWorse]

Robby, the people demand more horse posts!

 

[Mtaylor]

I never found the time to go shop out a britchen and breast collar, only did flat ground lunging and training a pack horse. So it’s still at the “good idea” stage. I wish they’d have sent them with the saddle. I contacted them and said I’d send it back but they said keep it until I can get some time on it

Hoping this spring.

I did run their panniers on a different saddle as noted in post above. They’re solid.

Any plans taking it out? That’s an interesting design and concept. Reminds me of the old Calvary saddles, light and fast.

 

[BuckSmasher]

I've got one! They sent it to me free to review. They're friends of mine.

I haven't got the britchen/breast collar yet, so all I've done is saddled a few different horses with it--seems to fit well enough.

So far:

1) No fenders. But they can be added according to Mark and Scott Thompson

2) I used the panniers on a sawbuck this weekend, tough as nuts, and pretty big (pic way below). They roll up and go behind the cantle, along with the bracket.

3) The hook up bracket in the seat works as it should--one button push and it's in or out.

4) dimples in the seat for the "sit bones". I'll know more when I ride it.

5) haven't weighed it, but compared to my lightweight cordura saddles, I'd say it's a bit heavier but not a heavy saddle.

I just need to get to Cal-ranch and buy the britchen/breast collar. I was hoping something I had (and wasn't already on another saddle--I don't like dissassembling a system that is fitted) would interchange, but it won't.

Here's some pics:

View attachment 897713

View attachment 897714

View attachment 897715

View attachment 897717

View attachment 897725
Didn’t take any good pics of the panniers, but this will give you an idea. “Tall but not narrow”. Horse on the left

View attachment 897724

I’ll update this thread as I use them more. I've packed out more deer than I can count on a normal saddle pannier (with great success btw) so that'll be my comparison.

Weird I have had these things popping up in my feed also. Do they come in sizes bigger than 15" seat? I am 6'4" and fit best in 17 or at least 16.

 

[robby denning]

Weird I have had these things popping up in my feed also. Do they come in sizes bigger than 15" seat? I am 6'4" and fit best in 17 or at least 16.

I just texted Scott on this. Hold tight.

 

[robby denning]

Any plans taking it out? That’s an interesting design and concept. Reminds me of the old Calvary saddles, light and fast.

Yip, I got my breast collar/ britchen fitted this last weekend. 1st trip should be in the next few weeks.