Climbing saddles

[kfd518]

Looking for some recommendations on brands and seat/tie in types for a saddle to get going with. I don’t want to spend a fortune but also don’t want to be looking at a new saddle as soon as I get in some trees. There is no one around here that keeps this stuff in stock so everything will be mail order with no ability to try on before I buy.

What saddles run true to waist size and how much +\- other that aren’t true to size are.

Budget $250 +\-

I will piecing things together as I go as far as a kit goes. Ground work will be paying for equipment to get me in the air.

 

[Rob Stafari]

Unfortunately with money comes comfort and quality. I made the mistake of buying a harness and then wanting a different after the first climb and purchasing a new one not too long after. I know others with the same regrets. The first one still has a purpose as it is fall arrest/work positioning, but I could have gotten a better one that worked well for both and had just one harness in the end. I have the treemotion and am happy with it though. Being a treehouse builder and spending a lot of time hanging in the harness I often wonder if I'd of been slightly more comfortable in the buckingham ergovation, which also has a certified fall arrest upper add on. As far as in that price range, the weaver cougar has good reviews. Most of whom have done the 'liger mod' to it. @BrokenSVT got one and did the mod. Not sure how much time he has in it, but perhaps he'll stop in and have some input as to how he likes it.

There are some other options out there in that price range, but I don't know much about them. I will say regardless of brand/price that a floating bridge, rope or otherwise, is a must for good functionality. Whatever you do, keep in mind it is life support and safety matters most. Read reviews, don't buy used, take care in proper storage/keeping away from hazardous materials that may degrade the materials. Stay safe. Feel free to ask any questions as you start gathering gear. I'll answer as best I can.

 

[J. Loe]

Check out the masterblaster and treebuzz forum.
TreeStuff has something called Luke’s floor.

These are all decent places to find 2nd hand kit.
But you’ll need a saddle, lanyard, helmet, friction cord, binders, handsaw... spikes if you’re gonna do removals.

*s-word adds up.
I’ve seen stuff on CL as well.

Good luck man. We all started the same way..

 

[kfd518]

Unfortunately with money comes comfort and quality. I made the mistake of buying a harness and then wanting a different after the first climb and purchasing a new one not too long after. I know others with the same regrets. The first one still has a purpose as it is fall arrest/work positioning, but I could have gotten a better one that worked well for both and had just one harness in the end. I have the treemotion and am happy with it though. Being a treehouse builder and spending a lot of time hanging in the harness I often wonder if I'd of been slightly more comfortable in the buckingham ergovation, which also has a certified fall arrest upper add on. As far as in that price range, the weaver cougar has good reviews. Most of whom have done the 'liger mod' to it. @BrokenSVT got one and did the mod. Not sure how much time he has in it, but perhaps he'll stop in and have some input as to how he likes it.

There are some other options out there in that price range, but I don't know much about them. I will say regardless of brand/price that a floating bridge, rope or otherwise, is a must for good functionality. Whatever you do, keep in mind it is life support and safety matters most. Read reviews, don't buy used, take care in proper storage/keeping away from hazardous materials that may degrade the materials. Stay safe. Feel free to ask any questions as you start gathering gear. I'll answer as best I can.

I know you stated that you don’t know much about many of the lower line saddles, but what are your thoughts on the Buckcat/Viking from Buckingham? It seems it’s in the same class as the weaver cougar.

Does anyone know if the liger mod can be done to it if I so choose later?

 

[Frank H]

As Rob mentioned price usually sets the bar for comfort. A lot will depend on your body shape, size and what type of climbing you will actually be using the saddle for. If you have friends or a dealer near by then I would try a few on and hang in them for a little. Most saddle have some tweaks that can help with comfort but you must also consider how much gear you want to carry. Some guys only carry a couple things up the tree, some guys carry the kitchen sink. Both ways work but not usually with the same saddle.

 

[Ryan Browne]

I'm not a climber, but I'd at least look at the Monkey Beaver saddle. The guys making it put a lot of research and testing into it and are only selling directly to consumers as I understand it. Worth a gander anyway.

 

[Frank H]

I'm not a climber, but I'd at least look at the Monkey Beaver saddle. The guys making it put a lot of research and testing into it and are only selling directly to consumers as I understand it. Worth a gander anyway.

Any of the New Tribe stuff is ok. I liked my Onyx, they are making August's saddle (Monkey Beaver). The Matt Cornell saddle (MCRS) if what I switched to but it is off the market unless you can find a used one. A lot of guys like the Teufelberger saddles but they pitch my boys.

 

[J. Loe]

I Love my treemotion.

The city supplies me with a cougar that I’ve liger modded but the tree motion is what I’ve been on for a while and I’m used to it.
Monkey beaver looks nice, so does the onyx.
The liger is bulky and heavy and would probably be a decent enough removal saddle..


I think an important consideration when getting your start climbing is where are you, what kind of trees will you be climbing, what do you know about them?

What diseases are the prone to?
Will any of those diseases be exacerbated by my climbing them?

how strong are they?
How likely are you to fall if you can’t recognize a bad tree or tie in point.

How do they hinge? What happens if she splits over an obstacle?

What is a branch bark ridge and how do you make a proper pruning cut?

There an awful lot to this.

 

[Rob Stafari]

Any of the New Tribe stuff is ok. I liked my Onyx, they are making August's saddle (Monkey Beaver). The Matt Cornell saddle (MCRS) if what I switched to but it is off the market unless you can find a used one. A lot of guys like the Teufelberger saddles but they pitch my boys.

Whereas for me, my petzl saddle pinches the nether region bad if I'm not careful. Zero problems with the treemotion. Matt Cornell had a following till he made some off color comments and all the distributors pulled his products as they didn't want to be associated. Hear good things about the monkey beaver and other new tribe. Get one soon though. They just had to evacuate the new tribe factory for an unknown amount of time due to wild fire in the region.

 

[kfd518]

Ended up going with the Buckingham rebellion, already has rigging plate suspension so don’t have to spend the extra later. Leg buckles so I don’t have to slip it on and off and 95% of reviews are good on it.

This will not be my money maker right now, something to learn on. In order to make money to get good stuff, have to have a start somewhere though. Thank you all for your input. Treemotion, Ergovation and monkey beaver are all Above my budget at the moment. Still have to be able to piece the rest together as I go as well.
Free shipping and 10% off plus a free biner came up at $270

 

[Rob Stafari]

I know you stated that you don’t know much about many of the lower line saddles, but what are your thoughts on the Buckcat/Viking from Buckingham? It seems it’s in the same class as the weaver cougar.

Does anyone know if the liger mod can be done to it if I so choose later?

Don't know on the buckcat and viking as far as modding like the cougar. Would have to do some searching. The buckingham rebellion comes set up with the rigging plates like the liger mod. Looking at price it would be cheaper than or about the same as the cougar or the buckcat with cost of materials for the mod. It also has 4.8 out of 5 star review average out of about thirty reviews on treestuff.com Cruise on over there check it out and read some reviews to see what the people that have them say.

 

[Rob Stafari]

Thats funny, was just typing up about checking out the rebellion as you posted that. Good choice. Report back when you've taken it for a ride!

 

[kfd518]

Thats funny, was just typing up about checking out the rebellion as you posted that. Good choice. Report back when you've taken it for a ride!

It will be a while still before it goes for a ride. Have to get other stuff in hand... hardware mostly. This fun little learning excursion will mostly have me 3-4 hrs minimum from home. Learning on removals, of course starting on stuff that is lower risk of property damage. As I said before though the ground work will be putting me in the air... my mentor is only asking me to go on jobs where he can pay me what he figures is worth my time between driving and being away from my family..... he knows the agreement between me and the wife as far as what goes to the family fun budget, paying the oldest child to babysit since it’s above and beyond what I would expect her to do normally and what I get to keep to find this excursion. It come out to about 75% staying in my pocket before setting aside Sammy’s share.

 

[J. Loe]

Well you’ve got a mentor so that’s great.

The rebellion looks like a good saddle.

I think 16 strand rope is great for learners and even beyond.
I know plenty of great climbers who stick to a Blake’s hitch but I’m not one of them.

Low and slow as they say.

Double check your knots and man, don’t run a saw in the tree till you’ve done like, 15 climbs.

That hand saw is sharp as hell.

Your challenge is to not nick anything.
Nothing.

 

[Rob Stafari]

Yep safety first. Always be aware of everything, where it is and where it is headed. Action and reaction. Low and slow to start. But you have a mentor who should be telling you all this, but truth is it cannot be told enough. Its dangerous business just climbing. Add any type of saw and dropping wood...

https://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=40&item=446

Major trauma blood stopper kit. Buy it, have it on your saddle always. Hopefully you never need it. If not it will always be there as a reminder. Otherwise it is there and first aid can be applied quickly. Stay safe.

 

[blacksmith]

@kfd518 I climb quite often and I have a Buckingham saddle and I love it! It's about the middle of the road as far as price, it's a very comfortable saddle. I think that the waist does pretty much run true to size in this model as it does for me anyways. I did get mine a little big for when I have on extra clothes on when climbing in the wintertime.

Here's a picture of the model number that I have. I believe that it was $239 with free shipping. I got it from treestuff.com

 

[kfd518]

Saddle and ropes should be here tomorrow. Lanyard and carabiners should be here Thursday.

 

[Rob Stafari]

Sweet, post some pics when they show up so we can see what you got!

 

[kfd518]

Looking forward to it, got rained out last night in Houston so stayed home today 1.5” down there last nite Going to try again Friday. Kind some stuff on good sales, hoping they are still going items still there when I refuel my budget for gear!

 

[Rob Stafari]

One thing I've learned for certain... if you wait long enough there will always be another sale so save up if its not needed right away. Some things from Petzl for instance if you shop outside the treegear companies you can sometimes find better deals from the rescue gear/tactical suppliers. Happy hunting!