aluminum snap on cougar saddle?

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canadiantreeman said:
I likes me cougar just fine. Though I'm sure I'd like to spend $700 on a saddle that allows me to do fundamentally the same thing, but more ergonomically. I put a batten seat on mine, though, which makes it super comfy, IMO. Only thing I want to do is buy some suspenders that would fit for carrying larger saws aloft.

I've yet to try out a TM, but I'd like to. For now, however, I have a saddle that works just fine. While everyone should tune their systems into exactly the way they want, a good climber should be able to strap on a floating D $200 weaver and kick ass just as well as with a $700 TM.
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Don't try the TM unless you are willing to part with 500 bucks...;) 700.00??? where is it that much? it is 499.00 at treestuff.com
 
It may be THAT comfortable, but my Weaver sliding-D suits me just fine. 'Bout $150 off ebay. I don't see how a saddle could get much more comfortable....padded leg straps, wide padded belt, shucks, all it's lacking is a drink dispenser! :lol:

Now if that Nikosi ever makes it back down south, I might give it a try. And if it's THAT comfortable, I MIGHT buy one.....eventually. :|:
 
I had 10 saddles in 3 years, trying new ones all the time, everything from weaver sliding "D"'s to the treeflex and in between.

for me it was like this , they were all good in someway, for me and thousands of other climbers, the TM is better in pretty much every way.

I don't tout it for nothing, I really have tried that many saddles...lol :)
 
I've never "tried" any, really. Asplundh stuck me in one 26 years ago, and I soon bought one like they had for my own use. The first one I climbed in with Asplundh didn't even have side D's, only the two on the ends of the butt strap. I never bought one without side D's, however, though the first two I wore out were buttstrap variety. I then bought a Weaver 4-D with leg straps, which I retired a few months ago. It still has some use left in it, but is getting rather worn where the straps pass through each other. Reckon I'm gonna have to order me a small, as I have a time keeping the medium on. Weaver changed their sizing a few years ago, it seems. I climbed in a medium for 25 years, and now, even with it cinched to the last hole, I have to hike it quite often when I'm standing in the spurs.
 
Cary, I'd like to give the TM a shot...even at 500.00 that purchase is at least a year or two away from me. I believe when they first came out they were selling for 700.00....obviously I haven't done my homework.

For now, I should say, the cougar works.
 
canadiantreeman said:
Cary, I'd like to give the TM a shot...even at 500.00 that purchase is at least a year or two away from me. I believe when they first came out they were selling for 700.00....obviously I haven't done my homework.

For now, I should say, the cougar works.
Click to expand...

when you do try it? it will be the best 500 bucks you will ever happily part with, I know it was for me, you can do a mod on the cougar to make it more TM-like though, the "liger" mod ;)
 
Yeah, I've seen the vid. I'm going to get into that when I get some free time. Looks fairly basic to do.

You had the leg straps on that thing didn't ya? I feel that the seat makes it far more cozy, but it wasn't designed as well fo sho. The bridge thing sure has me worried. I have a good bend radius with the pulley I use, but its been about a year since the replacement bridge was put on, so I've got to do something about it soon. I inspected it today and it seemed fine, nothing in the bridge had me worried.

Except, of course, the failures associated with it!
 
Hey Dylan do you or one of your buddies own a 4 door Jeep? I was listening to CBC FM radio today on the work tune muffs,when I heard this story this guy being interviewed saying that a couple of guys in a Jeep rescued him and his 90 yr old dad when their ATV broke down in the bush near Penticton. He threw his chainsaw into the Jeep and after being dropped off in town, he forgot about the saw and the Jeep drove off with it.
He said the saw was a small price to pay for being rescued especially when he had his 90 yr old dad with him, but he wouldn't mind getting the saw back. All he knew one guys name was Dylan.

I have carpenters suspenders on my Cougar saddle. No stretch in the front webbing, stretch in the back. The alligator clips grip the little rings nicely. If your worried about the rope bridge swap it out for the more expensive ones available on the market.
I trust my bridge, I just keep the 4 rubber grometts on top of the bridges splice stitching so the pulley doesn't run over them.
 
Wow! Coincedence, wasn't me though. My buddy owns a 2 door CJ, but we recued no one from the bush on our four by's during the summer.

Yeah, I might go pick a pair of those up on the weekend. Sounds good. I trust my bridge too, but I should swap it out in the next three months.
 
It should, but a D or pear shaped biner would work better. That and the pulley (I assume you will attach it to your bridge) seems to have fairly rough edges. Best to use a hitchclimber or a smoother edged pulley like this.

The problem with the snap and pulley you selected, IMO, is that the angle of the top of the snap which I'm assuming you would attach to the pulley on your bridge might cause the pulley, when loaded with your weight, to press its edges against the bridge (but maybe not, I've never tried the set up you suggest). This is a problem if the edges of the sheaves on the pulley are rough, rather than rounded like those of the hitchclimber or pulley I linked above.

Thoughts?
 
I agree with Dylan. Since the problems with the high mod line that makes up the bridge, smooth edges and bend radius are large considerations. Inspect daily with use.
 
The problem with high mod lines in this app is how hard it is to really get a feel for the degredation. I'd replace that pos right this minute with a proper piece of plain jane 11-13mm polyester.

Not to draw the conclusion that I think high modulus rope is a bad product...it's the application that's wrong, imo.
 
Sure, no doubt in my mind. If I was going to pick a line to use for that myself, I'd be thinking Blue Streak. 8100 lbs. tensile, good level of abrasion resistance, mid-range flexible so a ring or pulley would run nicely, but not too fast.

There is a lot to be said for a full 1/2 inch arb rope, not an old design, but not one trying to reach out into the edges of technology in terms of diameter, weight, and materials. A solid, trust-worthy rope.
 
I was thinking of replacing my bridge with the PI line until I could have Nick splice me a bridge of Arbormaster .... Why I ask. I have some pieces about that would work ....
Sorry I re thought the previous post and it seems as such it runs fine over friction savers and what not...
 
Right you are.

Not to make the argument that a spliced bridge is not fine, nor that Nick's work is anything less than sterling, being a repeat customer myself...but I'd just tie the dang thing up with scaffold knots and be done with it :). I like the consistent hand right up to the termination that a tied tresse cord or bridge provides. I just don't care for the change in diameter and flexibility that eye splices give on short rope segments. On a climb line termination, it's another story completely :).
 
Makes perfect sense to me my friend. I have always leaned more toward knots. Pretty much the only exception being my bee line eye2eyes and dead eyes for rigging.
 
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