Video so good I had to like and follow! Agreed with some folks about the extra aider due to thick clothing. I'm buying this exact setup, can't wait to start tinkering with it!
Awesome demo. Grabbed a one stick platform from ape canyon and just got my saddle harness yesterday. Eager to get out and do some dry runs the rest of summer to feel comfy and ready in fall. This video solidified any and all questions I had!
Great video, love the new gear and showing it all off! Awesome to see you change from the carabiner to the Link on the end of your Tether from your first video to this one! Safe hunting this year and hope yall are successful!
The end of my pull up rope I use a small plastic carbineer and hook it to my quick link. also use figure 8 to pack up the rope and it will not get tangled.
Really great video. I have done a lot of lock-on hunting in the past and I plan to get into saddle hunting this year. This one-step with built in platform and 2 assist steps below is awesome. Using the self locking belay device to rappel is awesome as well. Haven't seen this full method before. Love it. As a rock climber that has used multiple types of belay devices many times, I recommend you tie a stopper loop knot in the middle of the rope just below the belay device when you are in your setup or reaching down to move the one step. If the self locking belay device fails (very rare, but can happen), the stopper knot will not allow the rope to slide through the device and prevents a fall. Failure of these devices is very rare, yet redundancy in safety always good. Great video overall.
I put a little piece of paracord in my cam lock so it doesn’t click when you slide your rope out when climbing. It’s just big enough for the cleats not to touch but doesn’t affect the bite on the Amstel. Great video. Good luck this year
good info. ive found i need a 4 step aider because in the North there is zero chance I can get my leg as high as you with my bibs and tall muck boots. made the mistake of first making it with only 3 steps and it worked great when i tried it in Jeans in yard, but the first day I went out with insulated bibs, it made it so much more difficult due to the lack of range of motion.
I would suggest getting dynaglide for your bow rope and either a spool to manage it or figure 8 it, really reduces tangles. Nice to see you switch to a quick link for the tether, I really don't think a carabiner would break because we don't put a shock load on it, but best to be safe. I think I am going to switch to the lockdown saddle this year because of where those dump pouches are and I like the big pouch over the roll up for the 40 foot of rope. Good tutorial!
@@trxe420 I nit pick the crap out of my setup and my pull rope no matter what I did was a pain in the ass. I even tried a chaulk line holder which works but doesn't hold enough rope. The fly reel was perfect. I found smaller diameter rope that is still static and high strength that I can fit more rope on the reel. I just tie a loop in the end and then put a small piece of kayak bungie on it so I can wrap it around the part of the reel that would attach to the pole. then I clip that same bungie to my harness.
I've been in a similar setup for a couple years now. One thing you didn't mention that I'm curious about: How do you safely navigate around limbs while you're climbing the tree without using a separate lineman's belt? I know you can just undo your tether, go above the limb, and reconnect it, but probably not the best move 20' up a tree. One slip can be catastrophic. Enjoyed the video though!
Are you ever concerned about relying on the safeguard solely at the end of your tether ? I’ve considered running a short rope tether to climb with a kong duck and prusik knot backup at the top for the sit. Then transitioning to the 40’ rope tether and safeguard for descend only?
That’s actually a pretty solid idea! Might be something I test out! I think about that from time to time, being concerned abt just the one safety measure especially getting a touch older.
U are never going to break a carabiner tethered to a tree, i dont care what they say on saddlehunter. Also its much easier to climb if you keep your bridge short while u climb. The 3rd step allows u to set your stick, so it is usefull. A carabiner works fine if u turn it the right way on your tether. U got the gate to the tree, needs to be facing out. That is dangerous even with that quicklink.
They are not designed to be side loaded. Please do not spread bad information. Guys look for recommendations on here. People have died from side loading them in the past
If you look at the side loading information from the manufacturers. It’s states that a side loaded caribiner will be about 50% of the 20Kn that most are rated. Does anyone who understands math or physics think that a saddle hunter on a short tether will generate 8-10kn of force of the slip off the platform? Or have any kind of fall? “A kiloNewton is equal to about 225 lbs., which is a force of gravity rating, not static weight or mass. If you remember back to algebra class, force is equal to mass times acceleration.” A side loaded carabiner is safe n a saddle hunting situation. Those d rings you are running are not rated for side loading g either! But since the screw together they are theoretically stronger! Make your own choices based on data!
Jon, have you considered dynaglide as a pull down rope instead of paracord that is weaker with so much stretch? Also if you figure 8 the cord when you’re done, you get no tangles. Lastly, do you use or have you considered the Ohm tether locker from innovatingtheoutdoors? I love mine. I got the flexi, it works much better.
@genesoutdoors Buy a cheap fly reel for your line. You can get a carbon fiber reel that adds next to no weight, then remove the clicker. It works great with the dynoglide.
My MadRock Arm is REALLY REALLY Hard to pull down when trying to rappel down the tree........ Is that normal??? I am 225lbs. not sure if that factors in...
Just a suggestion - and i think the manufacturer recommends, back up the madrock. $20, and it can be rigged such that the friction hitch will self tend. One is none, etc.
Hey guys im new to this saddle style of hunting but intrigued about it, where is the best place to learn every ins and outs of saddle hunting and what every knot is, what saftey measures you can use, and most importanlty the most effiecient ways of climbing and detailed how to's. A place to learn Information thats kept up with the times, not 2010 ways because im sure things have got easier and items more effiecient. Most of the climbs ive seen a lineman rope, did this guy not need one for some reason?
A guy on one of the saddle pages on Facebook has been selling them for a while. I can get him looked up, but I’m sure a few people are producing them now.
I still dont see how youre getting around branches safely or understand how the rope comes down with branches below it those 2 parts werent obvious for me but looks pretty slick.
For going around limbs I use a very short lineman rope for safety. When you pull it down it’s really easy for the most part. Even with a tree full of limbs it’s comes down the same way you do. What I’ve found is that as long as after I pull it loose from the trunk to keep that tension on it so it doesn’t flop in to some kind of fork or something and get stuck. Fortunately I haven’t had that happen just yet but I can see that it could.
Carabiners aren’t meant to be side loaded and can fail. Aka break and send you to the ground. An oval quick link or delta quick link are probably the most common to use in place of a carabiner. Thanks for watching!!
Shew. I would have to put some numbers down! I pieced it together over a couple of years getting it how I want it! Let me see what I can come up with!!
I guess this makes me nervous because you mentioned something about what not to do with your carabiner and I didn't catch on to what your were saying. I know you mentioend side loading but i don't know what that is. I use mine for my linemans belt. but you mentnioend not to use one for a tether?
Carabiners stregth are rated end to end in a straight line but when you put it on a small tree its not pulling end to end its pulling from the sides with tree pushing in the middle.
I still don't understand why so many use a quick link for this. It is a terrible option and makes climbing more difficult in many cases. They are a pain in the ass. All you need is a triple -lock biner or a screw lock. I picked up an ansi gate petzl. As for dropping stuff, the Three Finger Hooker is awesome.
That looks like an absolutely preposterous amount of work to get up a tree….and then doing that in the dark & reverse to get down???? I think the convenience and weight of a couple extra sticks far outweighs the Lite weight advantage of one sticking. Wow, no thank you!!
@@rodneyrandolph2128 I call bullshit on the zero effort part. I have a saddle & have used it several times. It’s definitely more mobile than lugging around a hang on stand, but it’s an untruth to say it takes no effort. I’m going to stick with the lightest of all and keep ground hunting. Good luck to you this season.
Well, if your not coordinated enough to climb you shouldn't be up a tree in the 1st place. Especially hanging by a rope hooked to a saddle. If you rig it wrong and slip your gonna hit the ground. 😢this video is for people who have rope and climbing knowledge. Who are proficient enough in thier skills to make a climb with ease and not die while going it. Better stay on the ground in a blind, it's "safer".
For me saddle hunting changed the game…I hunted a summit viper for years and years successfully. “All things considered” The saddle has made getting into the woods and selecting a tree way easier. Not climbing. I’m a tinkerer by nature and an experienced climber. One sticking isn’t for me….I’m to regular.
Video so good I had to like and follow!
Agreed with some folks about the extra aider due to thick clothing. I'm buying this exact setup, can't wait to start tinkering with it!
Seem like a great dude. Love that ladder system!
Dam, smooth system. After watching, this is something I could utilize and like much better than multiple sticks.
Awesome demo. Grabbed a one stick platform from ape canyon and just got my saddle harness yesterday. Eager to get out and do some dry runs the rest of summer to feel comfy and ready in fall. This video solidified any and all questions I had!
That’s awesome man!! We love to hear that!!! Can’t wait to hear how you’re loving it!
loved last years, this one even better. Good stuff
Great video, love the new gear and showing it all off! Awesome to see you change from the carabiner to the Link on the end of your Tether from your first video to this one! Safe hunting this year and hope yall are successful!
The end of my pull up rope I use a small plastic carbineer and hook it to my quick link. also use figure 8 to pack up the rope and it will not get tangled.
Great demo sir
For retrieval line I use a kite string reel. The cheap flat ones. Works awesome and packs flat. I run dynaglide and a biner on it .
Really great video. I have done a lot of lock-on hunting in the past and I plan to get into saddle hunting this year. This one-step with built in platform and 2 assist steps below is awesome. Using the self locking belay device to rappel is awesome as well. Haven't seen this full method before. Love it. As a rock climber that has used multiple types of belay devices many times, I recommend you tie a stopper loop knot in the middle of the rope just below the belay device when you are in your setup or reaching down to move the one step. If the self locking belay device fails (very rare, but can happen), the stopper knot will not allow the rope to slide through the device and prevents a fall. Failure of these devices is very rare, yet redundancy in safety always good. Great video overall.
As a rock climber, how would you feel about an auto-block instead of a stopper knot?
I put a little piece of paracord in my cam lock so it doesn’t click when you slide your rope out when climbing. It’s just big enough for the cleats not to touch but doesn’t affect the bite on the Amstel. Great video. Good luck this year
Great demonstration. Hoping to try this method soon
Those pouches look awesome btw
good info. ive found i need a 4 step aider because in the North there is zero chance I can get my leg as high as you with my bibs and tall muck boots. made the mistake of first making it with only 3 steps and it worked great when i tried it in Jeans in yard, but the first day I went out with insulated bibs, it made it so much more difficult due to the lack of range of motion.
I found that out the hard way also
Hang the stick slightly lower then....just more movements.
Look into using a figure 8 method for storing your hoist/bow rope. No tangles and easy to to do.
I would suggest getting dynaglide for your bow rope and either a spool to manage it or figure 8 it, really reduces tangles. Nice to see you switch to a quick link for the tether, I really don't think a carabiner would break because we don't put a shock load on it, but best to be safe. I think I am going to switch to the lockdown saddle this year because of where those dump pouches are and I like the big pouch over the roll up for the 40 foot of rope. Good tutorial!
I bought a cheap fly reel and removed the clicker. It works great to wind up my pull rope.
@@tray22 Damn, that's a good idea! Raiding my garage for one now...
@@trxe420 I nit pick the crap out of my setup and my pull rope no matter what I did was a pain in the ass. I even tried a chaulk line holder which works but doesn't hold enough rope. The fly reel was perfect. I found smaller diameter rope that is still static and high strength that I can fit more rope on the reel. I just tie a loop in the end and then put a small piece of kayak bungie on it so I can wrap it around the part of the reel that would attach to the pole. then I clip that same bungie to my harness.
I've been in a similar setup for a couple years now. One thing you didn't mention that I'm curious about: How do you safely navigate around limbs while you're climbing the tree without using a separate lineman's belt? I know you can just undo your tether, go above the limb, and reconnect it, but probably not the best move 20' up a tree. One slip can be catastrophic. Enjoyed the video though!
Was looking for hunting videos but found mountain climbing video
Are you ever concerned about relying on the safeguard solely at the end of your tether ? I’ve considered running a short rope tether to climb with a kong duck and prusik knot backup at the top for the sit. Then transitioning to the 40’ rope tether and safeguard for descend only?
That’s actually a pretty solid idea! Might be something I test out! I think about that from time to time, being concerned abt just the one safety measure especially getting a touch older.
Thank you
U are never going to break a carabiner tethered to a tree, i dont care what they say on saddlehunter. Also its much easier to climb if you keep your bridge short while u climb. The 3rd step allows u to set your stick, so it is usefull. A carabiner works fine if u turn it the right way on your tether. U got the gate to the tree, needs to be facing out. That is dangerous even with that quicklink.
They are not designed to be side loaded. Please do not spread bad information. Guys look for recommendations on here. People have died from side loading them in the past
@@arborxtreenc2051exactly!!
Kong dna carabiner is what I use
If you look at the side loading information from the manufacturers. It’s states that a side loaded caribiner will be about 50% of the 20Kn that most are rated. Does anyone who understands math or physics think that a saddle hunter on a short tether will generate 8-10kn of force of the slip off the platform? Or have any kind of fall? “A kiloNewton is equal to about 225 lbs., which is a force of gravity rating, not static weight or mass. If you remember back to algebra class, force is equal to mass times acceleration.” A side loaded carabiner is safe n a saddle hunting situation. Those d rings you are running are not rated for side loading g either! But since the screw together they are theoretically stronger! Make your own choices based on data!
@@FliesforstripersI like to ask the guys who say people have died, who specifically has died? That usually stops the conversation pretty quick.
Jon, have you considered dynaglide as a pull down rope instead of paracord that is weaker with so much stretch? Also if you figure 8 the cord when you’re done, you get no tangles.
Lastly, do you use or have you considered the Ohm tether locker from innovatingtheoutdoors? I love mine. I got the flexi, it works much better.
I recommend dynaglide over the paracord but just warp it between your thumb and pinky it won’t ever tangle then
I’m working on switching to the dynaglide! I have been figure 8ing it so it doesn’t become tangled anymore. Thank you!!
@genesoutdoors Buy a cheap fly reel for your line. You can get a carbon fiber reel that adds next to no weight, then remove the clicker. It works great with the dynoglide.
What rope do you use to tether to the tree
Put bow string wax on your quick link it’ll quiet it down significantly
My MadRock Arm is REALLY REALLY Hard to pull down when trying to rappel down the tree........ Is that normal??? I am 225lbs. not sure if that factors in...
Honestly, I wouldn’t think so! What size rope are you runnin?
Just a suggestion - and i think the manufacturer recommends, back up the madrock. $20, and it can be rigged such that the friction hitch will self tend. One is none, etc.
Yea I need to take a look at that!
Do you leave your Sitka tool belt on your back while hunting or do you hang it on the tree?
Where did you get the 40 ft descending rope and is there a curtain brand to go with?
We’ve linked them in the description!
Hey guys im new to this saddle style of hunting but intrigued about it, where is the best place to learn every ins and outs of saddle hunting and what every knot is, what saftey measures you can use, and most importanlty the most effiecient ways of climbing and detailed how to's. A place to learn Information thats kept up with the times, not 2010 ways because im sure things have got easier and items more effiecient. Most of the climbs ive seen a lineman rope, did this guy not need one for some reason?
Look into thr V3 quickie instead of the quick link. Its way quickier if you have to go around branches.
Will do. Thanks for the recommendation!
Amsteel pull down rope and figure 8 when you store it.
Where did you get that silencer kit from?
The company doesn’t make them anymore.. I just reached out to buy a kit.
A guy on one of the saddle pages on Facebook has been selling them for a while. I can get him looked up, but I’m sure a few people are producing them now.
What size one stick did you get ? I see they offer it in 12”, 15”, and 18”.
I use the 15”. I’m just short of 6’ and it works great for me!
just curious how tall are you? trying to decide on my aider separation distance
Roughly 5’10” with boots. Spacing is 15” each step
I still dont see how youre getting around branches safely or understand how the rope comes down with branches below it those 2 parts werent obvious for me but looks pretty slick.
For going around limbs I use a very short lineman rope for safety. When you pull it down it’s really easy for the most part. Even with a tree full of limbs it’s comes down the same way you do. What I’ve found is that as long as after I pull it loose from the trunk to keep that tension on it so it doesn’t flop in to some kind of fork or something and get stuck. Fortunately I haven’t had that happen just yet but I can see that it could.
What was wrong with the carabiner over the quick link? So I can change it up before something happens.
Also Great video
Carabiners aren’t meant to be side loaded and can fail. Aka break and send you to the ground. An oval quick link or delta quick link are probably the most common to use in place of a carabiner. Thanks for watching!!
@genesoutdoors Thanks, will make the change.
@@genesoutdoorsWhat’s this silencer for the Mad rock any chance you can provide a link he mentioned it was a Facebook link
I put my tether on the tree first as high as I can , then set my stick ..
Whats the total investment? Stick/Platform, 40' of rope, ascender, paracord. Carabiners saddle?
Shew. I would have to put some numbers down! I pieced it together over a couple of years getting it how I want it! Let me see what I can come up with!!
@@genesoutdoors what size rope are you running?
Instead of a scaffold knot try a buffalo hitch. No matter how many times you load it its still easy to undo. Plus its failproof. Hell of a video
I guess this makes me nervous because you mentioned something about what not to do with your carabiner and I didn't catch on to what your were saying. I know you mentioend side loading but i don't know what that is. I use mine for my linemans belt. but you mentnioend not to use one for a tether?
Carabiners stregth are rated end to end in a straight line but when you put it on a small tree its not pulling end to end its pulling from the sides with tree pushing in the middle.
I’ll stay with my climbing sticks lol
I still don't understand why so many use a quick link for this. It is a terrible option and makes climbing more difficult in many cases. They are a pain in the ass. All you need is a triple -lock biner or a screw lock. I picked up an ansi gate petzl. As for dropping stuff, the Three Finger Hooker is awesome.
We’ll have to check that out! Definitely always looking for different or better ways to climb. Thank you!
Wrap all those metal components in hockey tape…cheap and silent.
Turn your shotgun mic audio DOWN.
That looks like an absolutely preposterous amount of work to get up a tree….and then doing that in the dark & reverse to get down???? I think the convenience and weight of a couple extra sticks far outweighs the Lite weight advantage of one sticking. Wow, no thank you!!
One sticker here, it takes almost 0 effort to get up the tree. The saddle holds your weight the whole time you aren’t climbing.
@@rodneyrandolph2128 I call bullshit on the zero effort part. I have a saddle & have used it several times. It’s definitely more mobile than lugging around a hang on stand, but it’s an untruth to say it takes no effort. I’m going to stick with the lightest of all and keep ground hunting. Good luck to you this season.
Well, if your not coordinated enough to climb you shouldn't be up a tree in the 1st place. Especially hanging by a rope hooked to a saddle. If you rig it wrong and slip your gonna hit the ground. 😢this video is for people who have rope and climbing knowledge. Who are proficient enough in thier skills to make a climb with ease and not die while going it. Better stay on the ground in a blind, it's "safer".
For me saddle hunting changed the game…I hunted a summit viper for years and years successfully. “All things considered” The saddle has made getting into the woods and selecting a tree way easier. Not climbing. I’m a tinkerer by nature and an experienced climber. One sticking isn’t for me….I’m to regular.