Saddle fine tuning/ adjustments

Tree09

Tree09

Treehouser
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
12,162
Location
Peoria il
I'm still climbing on my heavily modified weaver cougar, which i love. One of the modifications i did was adding the rigging plates for my leg to saddle connection. As i was playing around with my new rrp, i started to think i might have them a bit too far in. Where do you guys have yours, as far as how close to the side ds/ where it lands on your hips?

Also does anyone fly a bosun's seat? I've thought about getting one for years, just never pulled the trigger. Yay or nay? I don't mind the regular leg loops, but I've worked in a bosun chair before and it was super comfortable. Do they suck if you have to butt scoot on a limb walk?
 
Right, don’t let me talk you out of a TreeMotion Evo or Superlight or an Ergovation that can have a batten seat. But once the rigging plates are set up to function like lower Ds and with a rope bridge tied on, the Cougar is a good work saddle, and comparable to some of the higher end ones. I could never go back to a single set of hip Ds only.

I’ve not given Weaver any business since they did a cease and desist order on Mr. Mumford and the SAKA, but if you already got the saddle it’d just be wasteful to not make use of it.

I’ve considered the bosun seat add on for my Ergovation, but it really doesn’t need it and I’m quite happy with it as is. Some rigid materials in the leg pads make all the difference in the world compared to older leg strap saddles. I spent 10 years on a Buckingham Traverse and swore I’d always want the bosun seat, but someone described the TreeMotion leg strap pads as semi-rigid and almost like a little batten for each leg.
I reckon the Monkey Beaver and Onyx and other top dollar saddles have similar construction since folk rave about the comfort of those two. Something stiffer and more supportive than just padding and leather or textile, poly sheet or something, idk.

Pretty sure the seat I’m sending for the Cougar has a piece of aluminum under the pad and textile.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7
I didn't know they pulled that on him, never again. But like you said, i do already own it, and I've done the rigging plate thing. So much nicer to have lower ds that you can hang from
 
I have a bosun seat on a 4 D buckingham, it is quite comfortable. Yeah if you are sitting on a limb between your legs it is a little tippy but NBD IMO.

Semi bosun leg straps?? I like the sound O that.
 
Jonny said:
... I’ve not given Weaver any business since they did a cease and desist order on Mr. Mumford and the SAKA, but if you already got the saddle it’d just be wasteful to not make use of it...
Click to expand...

Richard is a great guy but man, he really pushed the boundaries on the HAAS patent when he made the SAKA. It was no surprise to me when they defended what they had and I certainly cannot blame them for doing so.
 
We will have to disagree then and that's OK. I thought is was in terrible form when Richard first posted free instructions online on how to make a HAAS, shortly after Michael introduced it, and then a short time later pulled those and started selling the SAKA.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12
So I'm still questioning my inner d ring placement.... how do you guys set yours? I get that once it's set you never change it, but where do they ideally go?
 
The lower D ring placement controls where the bridge pivot point is. From what you have said about being top heavy, I would suggest setting them relatively high. That will help you to stay upright during a rope walk.
 
If you are having trouble staying upright, keep the bridge closer to you. Each adjustment needs to be tried, a small change can make a significant difference.
 
From this old climbers' perspective, a bosun seat is stupid.

If I need to refinish the wooden masts on my 85 foot schooner, I'm all over a bosun seat.

If I'm going to just be sitting in a tree for the fun of being there for a good long while, then sure, a solid bar seat sounds good.

But I have never in my entire 30+ years of working in trees had that experience.

I needed, always, to be nimble, and present a clean profile to the limbs and bole. That made my work flow best, with least encumbrance from my gear.

Bosun seats, and that objective, do not find common ground, imo.

But as I have said many a time before...what works for climber A almost always has a good chance for being at odds for climber B, C, and D, ad nauseum ;).
 
DMc said:
We will have to disagree then and that's OK. I thought is was in terrible form when Richard first posted free instructions online on how to make a HAAS, shortly after Michael introduced it, and then a short time later pulled those and started selling the SAKA.
Click to expand...

I have to invest soon in a rope walker. At risk of repeating info already posted somwheres, which is the preferred system. Thanks
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #18
Do you have an extra non handled ascender, or an extra foot one? If so, you can make one.
 
No I only have handled ones, I used to use a homemade ascent system, very clunky but it got me up there.
 
cory said:
I have to invest soon in a rope walker. At risk of repeating info already posted somwheres, which is the preferred system. Thanks
Click to expand...

There is nothing that works better than a knee and foot ascender combination, with a chest harness holding up your friction device. Having a hand ascender with foot loop over your friction device encourages bad form and will not come close.

HAAS Velox or SAKA mini for the knee ascender and a CT foot ascender will give you as good a combination as is available in the context of rope walking.
 
Granted I haven't tried these tools, I kinda like the idea of a foot ascender that doesn't stay on the boot full time. Or is the CT f a easily removable in the tree?
 
No, the CT just stays on for the duration of the climb. There are several really good foot ascenders but for me the reason I considered the CT the best for rope walking is the small size, rounded shape, a locking mechanism, and a comfortable strap.

As you develop your SRT climbing, you will be using those ascenders more often. Having them will become as natural as wearing a climbing harness. A primary reason for even going the SRT route is, when using the rope, to engage your leg muscles for upward movement at every opportunity instead of using upper body strength.
 
My Petzl Pantin stays on all the time....don't even know it is there until I need it. Sometimes on a takedown I'll just wear spurs...and then find a place where I could use the Pantin...and then realize I don't have it. You will learn to like an always there foot ascender I project.

Sometimes I realized I left it on after the work is done when I hear it jingle jangling when I walk...always gets attention at the 7-11 when you sound like a cowboy with spurs walking in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

cory
"Best" saddle
2
Replies
35
Views
2K
Eric H-L
Eric H-L
TrailBased128
Treemotion Mods
Replies
6
Views
981
TrailBased128
TrailBased128
P
Long question from a newbee
Replies
14
Views
1K
Tree09
Tree09
I
New Tribe Onyx Saddle, Carabiners, Rope, SAKA, and more - Lot
Replies
19
Views
4K
MasterBlaster
MasterBlaster
Gauge
Saddle Questions
Replies
24
Views
3K
Gauge
Gauge
Back
Top