What else do I need? Saddle setup

[Crjones8]

Genesis 3D has some cool inexpensive products. I have 3D printed hook for my platform and sticks that let me go up in one trip easily.

 

[Macintosh]

Im just getting into this. Most guys climb with just a linesman belt, correct? Then tether once at platform height.


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“Most guys” hang a stand and leave it all season and never do any of this stuff. I believe most people hanging a stand during a hunt use only a linemans belt, both for the convenience of leaning back hands-free to deal with sticks, as well as for safety should a stick break or kick out. Someone mentioned using the tether in addition—which will be more secure. However, it’s a lot less convenient, and is even more difficult to use around branches. Some folks don’t have to deal with branches a lot, where I hunt many trees I hang in have a lot of branches I have to climb around, so sliding anything up the tree is a total 100% no go. In order to pass any obstacle and stay somewhat attached to the tree, you have to have either two lineman belts or a linesman belt, and a tether. They’re basically the same thing, so it’s always a good idea to have them handy and usable in order to pass a branch or something—climb up to rhe obstacle, put 2nd belt above branch, unclip lower belt, keep climbing. If you want the extra security, you can certainly use the tether as a tether in addition to the lineman belt. Falling onto a lineman belt results in some abrasion usually. But it reliably works and will keep you from falling down the tree. Since falling is such a low likelihood occurrence, I am happy to climb with only my lineman belt, and if a few abrasions are the risk that’s fine with me. Low likelihood+low risk=no worries. For me. If you have a different situation by all means do it, eliminating a risk is never a bad thing by itself.

Also, when I say a linemans belt is the same thing as a tether, I mean that my lineman‘s belt and my tether are interchangeable, they are the same cord, same length, same prussik tied onto it, so I can interchange them at will with zero effect. The linemans belt goes from one side of my harness around the tree back to the other side and uses the prussik to connect and adjust length. Or I use the same thing and girth hitch it around the tree above me and clip the prussik into the bridge on my harness, and voila, its a tether. Same same.

 

[xglosses]

Im just getting into this. Most guys climb with just a linesman belt, correct? Then tether once at platform height.


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that's correct.

 

[xglosses]

So far I have:

3 tethrd one sticks
Predator platform
Predator pack
Shoulder straps
Phantom saddle
The pouch and roll up.
Hys strap w/ the bow hook
The recliner
11mm tether w/ ropeman

Buying a 11mm lineman’s belt w/ ropeman

What else do I need to get out in the woods this upcoming season? Or what would make it easier?

Couple things I found really helpful. do a few practice climbs and descents in the dark with a headlamp. Take your time and don't feel rushed even if you're running late to the hunt, it's not worth the potential error that comes with rushing a climb.

Arc'teryx Combat Knee Pads are the best, pricey, but they're worth every penny.

As others mentioned, nite-eyes, good gloves, dump pouches for gloves and things.

 

[nosajnh]

Im just getting into this. Most guys climb with just a linesman belt, correct? Then tether once at platform height.


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Some do and I did until I had that stick kick out on me and my linesman belt kept me close to the tree but didn't stop me from falling a few feet down onto my next stick. I got ripped pants and scraped up however some people have had some pretty nasty puncture/laceration wounds from landing on their sticks. When you climb with a tether you can only fall as far as you have slack in your tether. It is a little more cumbersome, however it gets second nature after a few times.

 

[Hedro7]

You are getting deep into it. You have everything you NEED. Now the more you go, or the more you practice you tweek your system a little here and there. I would recommend knee pads. for sitting with your knees against the tree. Put your stuff together and figure out your system routine. That will help you choose the best pack for your needs. A good pack that keeps everything where YOU want it is huge to being efficient when hunting. You could throw it all into any pack but if it's not set up for your routine, you'll have a yard sale at the base of the tree every time you hunt. Saddle hunting is awesome but there is a learning curve with climbing, set up, and comfort. it just takes practice and making small adjustments to dial it in perfect, and you will have an incredible versatile system

 

[M go Blue]

I’ll just reiterate what others have said as I found it to be the most valuable when I started saddle hunting.

Practice, practice, practice.
Smooth is quiet, smooth is fast.
Knees pads are essential to being comfortable on all day sits
Practice every shot scenario you can think of, and practice some more.

It may seem unorthodox at first, however I think you will enjoy it far greater than traditional treestand hunting

 

[FuddRucker]

Good point on something to carry sticks/ platform up. I was able to get a little 3D printed hook I use to hold platform on saddle while I climb and little paracord with mini buckles to hold sticks. Believe I got them off Etsy pretty cheap, could easily make something though

No need to buy or make something elaborate. I tie loops of paracord on either side of me for a stick or two each and an additional loop on the back for the platform. I hang them by the brackets with teeth so they're facing out and never had one fall or make a bunch of noise or anything.

Just make sure your loops are long enough to easily get them in and out but not so long that they are swinging everywhere.

Other than that, your setup seems complete.

 

[Macintosh]

A trick I like for this^.

4 sticks. Tie a paracord loop about 2” long onto the top step of all your sticks, and your platform.

Get 3 lightweight wiregate climbing carabiners—they are under 1oz each. Rattle can them if color bugs you. Your saddle should have a clip-in point on left, right and back (3:00, 9:00, 6:00). If not tie a short paracord loop there too.

Setting up, put first stick on tree from the ground. Take second stick, put it on ground, but untie the strap and loop it over top of the first stick.

Third and 4th stick go on left and right side of saddle on a carabiner hanging by the pcord loop. Platform at 6:00 on carabiner. Now climb the tree with linemans, pull the second stick off the ground by the strap, 3 and 4 off your harness. Place the platform off your harness as well.

Get set in the tree, then place your accessory strap with bow/gun holder around tree. Take the 3 biners off your harness and clip those to the strap. Pull up your bow and any other gear—now you have a place to hang bow, but also places to clip quiver, call, water bottle, pack, etc without really any extra weight or bulk. I like stuff that can be used for multiple things, rather than more things.

I dont use knee pads. I have a spare prussik loop that lives girth-hitched to the grab-loop on my pack. In the tree, I hang it from the biner directly in front of me by the prussik, so the pack hangs at knee/thigh level. This makes for easy access to stuff inside, keeps it out of the way of bow, and it also functions as a knee pad.

My sticks with their p-cord loops: