Before I say anything I have to disclose up front that these were the first two saddles I have ever used with a sliding bridge. Back in the day we had Buckingham butt strap four Dee saddles without leg straps. The New Tribe I upgraded to a few years back has the central pear attachment, and the saddle rotates on me when in extreme positions. I just dealt with it as I had for many years in all the other saddles I've owned and used.
After the past two days I will not be going forward 'without' a sliding bridge saddle. What a difference!
Saddles: New Tribe Nikosi and the Treeflex by Safety Technology.
So, on to the saddle report:
Both saddles are easily stepped into once you have made sure nothing is twisted out of position. The Nikosi has a single buckle on the left and the fit of the waist belt was easily adjusted. Likewise, the adjustment on the Treeflex belt portion is also simple and secure; there are two buckles on its waist belt.
I alternately tightened and loosened the various straps to change the position of the Nikosi saddle on my body. There seems to be a 'best' position for finding your center of gravity and overall comfort. If I strayed too far from that setting for position I was pinched or pulled in a manner that decreased comfort, especially finding more of the saddle pressing upwards into my rib cage if the leg straps were positioned too loosely.
The Treeflex was a simple saddle to position and the only real variable was the leg strap tightness and that too had a limit before it changed comfort level. Once dialed in, the Treeflex felt more like a part of me and less sloppiness, fitting tightly and close to the body. This could be a benefit in thickly branched pin oaks and other 'grabby' trees..
Both saddles are great as far as positioning, both upright or inverted, side-reaching way out on the end of long limbwalks, and ascending or descending whether SRT (Frog and Monster Munter) or DRT.
The Nikosi does 'flop around' a good bit more when not sitting in it, but not to the point of being annoying. Then again, probably due to climbing in a New Tribe Work saddle for the past few years I may be more used to this floppiness.
One thing that surprised me was hanging a heavy saw on the left side of each saddle. I seemed to feel the weight more and it rotated me a bit on the bridge. Not much but I noticed it. I use a shoulder strap on my current New Tribe that transfers the weight across my right shoulder. Perhaps that would cancel this added 'rotational torque'.
If you look at the picture in the prior post of how the Nikosi hangs low you'd think it would 'hobble' you while walking. Perhaps if the leg straps were tighter it would, but I felt it moved up and down freely enough as I walked around, though I didn't hike into a remote tree with it on.
The Treeflex definitely has less comfortable leg pads than the Nikosi if you have to sit for any length of time, as when cabling, but it was fine for active pruning and moving about the tree. The straps at the back top of the Nikosi leg pads are solid webbing and keep the pads located in a specific place. The Treeflex utilizes an elastic webbing and the location of the leg pad is determined by its attachment at the front of the saddle.
I was aware of the tendency to have more saddle 'in my ribs' with the Nikosi and the starting 'position' of the Nikosi is around the waist, well above the hips, unlike the Treeflex which is positioned exactly around the hips. On the Hitchclimber/Michoacan setup the hitch ended up a bit lower on the Treeflex, but not remarkably so. It seems the higher initial position of the Nikosi is by design.
Both saddles have sufficient attachment points for all but the most gear-lust-crazed among us. I have always used saddles with large Dee rings and the Nikosi standard rings though easy enough to 'find' when grabbing at with a lanyard were too small for my liking.
Assessment:
In the end I would like to have a Treeflex fitting saddle with a bit larger leg pads like the Nikosi.
Okay, who is next? (warning! we are heading out to a bonfire, so I won't see your replies until the morning, but can coordinate shipping it out by Tuesday)
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