Sore Hips While Hanging In Saddle - Expected?

I find tree spurs wrench on my hips. Pole gaffs are way too short. I bought a used set of climbers with a funky profile and sharped it as per B's USF guide. It's half way between pole and tree gaffs and feels good for both hard and soft woods in my area. I have the extra wide weaver pads. With my fallen arches and varicose veins it almost feels good to climb.
 
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  • #29
Well, I worked on the other tree today. Didn't finish. Got about as high as I did yesterday, and bailed cause of my hips. Had some time, so I went back up in my Camp harness. Hips felt better, but crotch was sore :^D Of the two, I'll take the sore crotch. That's just an irritant, and I can work with it.

So... I'll be looking for a new saddle. Still leaning towards the Spartan cause I've been looking at it forever. If I get anything else, I'll be wondering "What about the Spartan?". We'll see. For rope only work I can use my Camp til I make up my mind.. Thanks for the insight everyone. It's greatly appreciated :^)
 
Heeey…. I might have something for you.
Tell me, is your green 4D saddle modular? Can you take the actual belt with buckle right off and separate the upper belt with pad and hip Ds from the lower part and butt strap?
 
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  • #31
Not really. Separating everything would be a complete rebuild. It's all combined into a unit via stitching and rivets.
 
Ok, I just looked at what I got and it’s not what I thought anyways, it’s a buttstrap with floating D, I thought it was leg straps.
 
John, you may want to take the drive up to Gap Arborist and try on/suspend from their saddles in the shop. They had a nice rope setup in the old shop, and I imagine they moved it to the new location.
 
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  • #36
I was thinking about them. I'll checkout their site and see what they have.
 
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  • #37
Tree motion for me. I am on my fourth one. Prior to that was the tree flex.

Before that was a Swedish Brand hip crusher.
Why do you like the TreeMotion? I've been against those saddles ever since I saw them. They look plasticy to me, and they look like the edges of whatever material that is would start to roll up, bunch, and become unmanageable over time. They also look finicky to adjust. On the plus side, it looks like there's a million ways to hang gear, which is cool.

I'm asking, cause I got a 20% off treestuff coupon, so it looks like the fates have decided I'll buy a new saddle by the 19th. Going through treestuff means no spartan, but perhaps the ergo pro would be similar enough. Decision time...
 
I'm an old school djnoaur, I'm a great believer in triangulated stability, particularly on cut n chuck removals.

I distinctly recall buying a Sierra Morena floating D Saddle many decades ago, hating it so much I traded the lower D belt for a double D belt for that exact saddle, which performed well for decades after.

Fug that flopping about from side to side when handling heavy branches n logs......

Jomo
 
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  • #39
Interesting. Seems like you could capture a ring on a rope bridge to make it fixed if desired. Any reason that would be a bad idea?
 
Another modern pet peeve of mine concerning saddles?

Itty bitty teeny tiny fuggin D rings!

Probably already killed dozens of climbers!

Undoubtedly designed by idiots that've never climbed a tree, or utilized a climbing line as a secondary lanyard to get over laterals while remaining tied in.......

Jomo
 
Sentinel looks like sherrills version of the wesspur one you were looking at. Jonny is always preaching about the ergovation, but it's damn pricey. 20%off and its still more than most but it's a Cadillac
 
If your D ring's not big enough to allow a locking carabiner or rope snap thought it's ID?

It should be outlawed n recycled in this biz.......

Jomo
 
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  • #43
I was looking at the regular Ergovation also. <$600 with the coupon. I can do that.

Have you been fully suspended by rope for periods of time with that Scott? That looks similar to what I have now, but perhaps the geometry is different enough to keep from being squeezed to hard. I loved my saddle right up until I had to sit 100% in rope. I /might/ have been able to push through and finish that last tree I did, but I'd have been going slower and slower as I went, with more breaks to kneel on the tree. I couldn't wait to drop down that last day.
 
I've often wondered if I'm the only climber that ears ergonomics Moto/X knee braces?

Kinda like transforming from from Clark Kent into SuperMan once I've got my carbon fiber braces n Wesco's on!

Which together weigh over twenty pounds....

Jomo
 
The TreeMotion does look like a bunch of plastic lol but I don’t think there’s anything else that can be adjusted and customized like it can be. My biggest gripe is the waist buckle on the 2018. The TM SuperLight can be cinched up tighter, but with no releasable buckles on the leg straps, it’s kind of tricky to don and doff.

I’m not sure what the difference is between Ergovation, Ergo Pro, and Ergo Spartan. Just different materials and different weights and colors? All 3 look the same.
I highly recommend the Ergovation, I’ve never been so happy with a saddle, and I have an old TreeMotion and a pretty new SuperLight. Ergo is very comfy, stays put even with a bigger saw hanging from it, and seems durable so far. Buckingham makes some nice stuff.
 
Why do you like the TreeMotion? I've been against those saddles ever since I saw them. They look plasticy to me, and they look like the edges of whatever material that is would start to roll up, bunch, and become unmanageable over time. They also look finicky to adjust. On the plus side, it looks like there's a million ways to hang gear, which is cool.

I'm asking, cause I got a 20% off treestuff coupon, so it looks like the fates have decided I'll buy a new saddle by the 19th. Going through treestuff means no spartan, but perhaps the ergo pro would be similar enough. Decision time...

Adjustability. Once it is set up it is very comfy to wear and use. Bit of a pain at first but once I got my first dialled in then I just set the bridge length, angles of dangle and leg loops the same as the first one.

The buckles have been greatly improved on the latest Incarnation. It also has a double bridge.

I would avoid the TM light. I haven’t heard many good things from people about that harness.
 
I have resisted chiming in till now since I am not a working climber. I have tried on lots of good saddles when Treestuff had a store in Indianapolis. I ended up choosing the New Tribe Onyx. Some days I have exceeded 1 hour suspended and never had the slightest discomfort!
 
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  • #48
There's something about the NewTribe I don't like the looks of, but enough of you have recommended it that it's still on the table. I think what I don't like is it looks 'light duty'. I'm drawn to the heavier strapping of the rigs like Buckingham makes. This time of year, I'm approaching 250# kitted out. End of summer, it might be 230#. Is that any kind of problem for NewTribe?
 
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