I'm considering a TreeFlex

[pantheraba]

No epicondylitic banging around here, either...dude must be a freak.

 

[top hopper]

Odd, I've never done that. Anybody else have that problem?

Once or twice myself. It smarts, thats for sure.

 

[MasterBlaster]

ANOTHER one with freakishly long ape man arms!

 

[top hopper]

Yessir. My knuckles are bare from dragging on the ground.

What can I say? Im all upperbody, except for, well .....

 

[sotc]

feet with opposable thumbs?

 

[Frans]

You all just have freakishly short arms.
At least I don't have one eyebrow and no forehead.

 

[MasterBlaster]

And I'll soldier on without tortured funny bones!

 

[Burnham]

Frans, I'm sure you don't have ape arms...you're just short-waisted .

Though I can't speak to the eyebrow/forehead thing .

 

[Tom Dunlap]

There are several ways to tuck in the ends of the waist and leg strap webbing to keep them from flopping around. Nick's velcro idea sure is clever

The elastic straps on the back of any of my legstraps always goes baggy. I just cut them off and use 3/4" nylon webbing. I've talked with a couple of manufacturers about this and they have said that most users don't like the webbing so they're caught in the middle. The manufacturing decision has been to make the elastic part of the population content.

 

[Frans]

Tom=...make the elastic, part of the population content

Your vernacular use of antagonyms is amusing and obfuscatory (at least to me).


In my own personal talks with several manufactures of climbing saddles, I got the impression that the use of elastic straps is thought to be a better solution to allow the leg strap to move with the climber and remain located in the ideal position. Despite evidence to the contrary.

In further talks, I discovered that most manufactures create saddles by using 'proven' designs which they know will sell. Because of the limited market in tree climbing gear, each saddle created represents a substantial financial risk.
So, they prefer to market mainstream saddles with a track record of sales, and limit their market exposure with innovation.

Hence, elastic straps rather than webbing straps.


For me, I prefer to modify my saddles, but then again I am not limited by regulations and gov. mandated safety 'standards'.

 

[Frans]

For me, tucking the straps is a hassle. When cinching up the waist straps I like a bit of webbing to hold on to. Then when the saddle is properly adjusted, the waist belt does not allow a lot of room to tuck the straps. Especially when wearing heavier clothing in inclement weather.
The velcro idea seems interesting, I am thinking it might just come undone at times, and the velcro may become weak over time.
Maybe instead of sewing the velcro, begin by using velcro (hook and loop) that has a sticky side for gluing onto the webbing. If it works great you can always sew it on later.

Tom, do you have a picture at home you could post of the webbing straps?

 

[High Scale]

I'm wary of any saddle that doesn't have conventional waist cinching, with a buckle. It shore iz purdy, though!

That's funny, that's exactly why I like it, Frans is right about the side Dees, they do flop around a little.

Must send mine back soon.

 

[NickfromWI]

In my own personal talks with several manufactures of climbing saddles, I got the impression that the use of elastic straps is thought to be a better solution to allow the leg strap to move with the climber and remain located in the ideal position. Despite evidence to the contrary.

Yeah, I just climbed in my butterfly II today after not having climbed in it for many months. I was noticing how the bungee kept pulling the pad up and down and up and down. I never noticed that feeling with the straight webbing.

As soon as I get my harness, I'll sew on the velcro. I'll probably wait a few weeks before I swap out the elastic. I'll give them a chance there.

Frans, I've had the same pieced of velcro on my Master II for about 4 years now. It still holds fine, though I have noticed a reduction in holding power. I'm sure it has come open in a tree before, but not enough for me to remember. And if it does, it's a quick reach and place to get it back stuck on.

I would shy away from the adhesive velcro. I've not had good luck with adhesive velcro in situations where it has to move around and be pulled on. It is also bulkier. The sewn on stuff goes through the buckles no problem. I'm not sure if the same would be true of the stick-on velcro.

I'm thinking that a full time climber could probably get a full year to a 1.5 years with the velcro before they might want to get out the seam ripper and replace the velcro.

love
nick

 

[Tom Dunlap]

There are brushes made that fluff up the velcro loop side. Gives it a renewed grip power.

I'm going to add a tack to hold my side drings in the forward position. There seems to be a 50/50 split between climbers who like fixed or floppy side dees. Safety Technology made a manufacturing decision to let them flop.

 

[NickfromWI]

Hmm...i wonder what the advantages are to having them flop. It bothers me for sure.

Actually, my left one flops, since the lanyard is always connected there anyways. But I have to have the right one non-floppy!

love
nick

 

[Frans]

I use a pet grooming brush called a slicker to clean out the velcro (can we say velcro? or is it now hook and loop?)

 

[Burnham]

Eff, no...it's velcro with a lower case v and always will be!

What do you call those soft paper sheets in a box that you blow your nose on???

 

[SkwerI]

coffee filters?

 

[Burnham]

Errrrr...okaaaay...boy, they sure do some silly stuff down Florida way these days.

 

[top hopper]

I always liked the side Ds on my BF1. The ones that locked in either the forward position or back.

If I had to choose between fixed and floppy, Id go with fixed.

 

[sotc]

coffee filters?

remind me not to have a cup of home brewed coffee with brian if i ever get to the wrong coast

 

[Burnham]

I once used a loop of some small diameter (like about 5mm) elastic cord, aka shock cord, to keep the D's on a Weaver saddle pulled forward...tied the loop through a fortuitously located slot on the belt forward of the D's. It worked like a charm.

For unknown reasons I never tried to do it with my Ness saddle. Maybe I oughta take a look...

 

[Burnham]

remind me not to have a cup of home brewed coffee with brian if i ever get to the wrong coast

Good point, Willie.

 

[NickfromWI]

Bummer...the TF from Bailey's is now back ordered until the 11th.

love
nick

 

[Frans]

You lag, you lose, Nick