Just starting to look into treestand saddle setups for WT hunting out of state. Seems to be a good option to get into a tree and be easily mobile in areas that I haven't hunted previously where I may need to move stand locations a few times. Any one here use saddles and have recommendations on setups to look at further or any to avoid? Thanks!

Until you have to pee. Then you go wee wee on your boots. I run lone wolf with sticks for mobility. I looked at the saddles, but couldn't do it.

I’m 6’3” and just North of 250. I’ve messed with them and just can’t let myself relax. Use small platform hanging stands with a harness and have no issues. Got a multitude of tradition bow shooters I work with who LOVE them. If you can’t get many replies first hand on here, PM me and I can ask them boys for opinions.

Never had that issue. Course I use a rope climbing method to get in the trees so if I really need to get to ground for an an emergency bathroom trip, I can repel down in a few seconds, do business then come back up in a couple minutes.


I don't think there's a saddle out there to avoid really. Some are more comfortable than others and a lot of that comfortable part can be overcome with experimenting with bridge height and using a spreader bar for those larger folls.

I currently use the tether phantom . There's a forum completely dedicated to saddle hunting, saddlehunter.com that had a lot of tips and you can usually find good price on used saddles that really aren't used more than a a few sits.

My cousin uses them exclusively I’m not sure what brand. He said it’s a game changer. They are not for me. Eric

I use them for tree work for years well before they became a thing in hunting. Shot my first 3 deer with a bow at 13 and 14 not tied off sitting in forks.

Yes I have had very nice and expensive saddled for tree work but prefer just to use my climbers if and when hunting public land and want to be mobile. It's more comfortable than hanging in a tree by a rope and it's easier to sit still. Just the preference of someone that used to hang from one making a living and have more time in them than would like to admit.

Now I do use them when I'm hanging a lock on and climbing sticks to stay tied off. Honestly I would hunt from the ground before using my saddle if I could not use one of our climbers.

Some guys like gadgets. I really don't see the benefit of a saddle. They appear to be at least as time consuming to get set up in as a treestand and likely more. I doubt they exceed a fixed stand for comfort.

Light weight aluminum ladder stand for me safe, sure and easy to carry and move the best option at my age.

Saddle advantages...

You're setup so that your tree is between you and the deer.
Safest way to sit in a tree. You're always attached to the tree and when your at height there is no fall risk, youll just swing. Rope climbing is the safest method of climbing a tree.
You can rotate completely around a tree.
Not limited to straight limbless trees. Ultimate trees for saddle hunting are double/triple trunk trees.

Climbers suck.

I just started messing with saddles. Going to try out the 2 tether climbing method as soon as it cools off. Right now I use primal tree steps with home made aiders. They dont weigh much. The area I hunt doesnt have alot of straight trees for a climber so I find myself looking for a good tree instead of a good spot to hunt. you really wont know if you like it till you sit in one for hours. Its safer than my climber because while climbing im always tied to the tree. Climber i just tie myself to the tree when I get to hunting height so I could fall out on way up. saddlehunter com has alot of info. There are tons of different ways to climb and products out there. Some saddle companies sometimes have events that you can tryout the saddles. Just check their websites.

I hunt a lot on the ground, but I am starting to get back in getting elevated. Having climbed cell towers and rock climbed being in a harness is very familiar. I would take a hang on any day over anything else. That said I’ve found the advantages for me are able to pack it in far. I have a wallow I force myself to sit on every once in a while. It 3+ miles in and i can hunt to and from the wallow without ever feeling like I have a stand. Very easy to assemble a lightweight setup. Another benefit is you can get in trees you cant put a stand in. I have been hunting a river bottom choked with russian olive. They use it as a travel way and you would be hard pressed to get a regular stand in there. That is also a good mile walk and you have to ford a river. The saddles do have some advantages. Your foot platform can make or break the setup IMO

I spent countless hours and days in a good old Trophlyline ambush saddle, and also a custom rig made from one of the old greens tree slings. Started using them in the mid 1990s and within a few years I had sold all my treestands. As sniper says, there are advantages, at least for my style of bowhunting. I used the hang on steps, with bolts in the tree so I carried the same 12 or 14 steps to every tree, and 5 or 6 grizzly screw in steps for my feet. Had 30 to 40 locations over several counties at some points.

I rigged up an upper body support sling and I would fall asleep for an hour and half before legal light. I used to go into the bedding areas at 3:30 am before the deer came in from night adventures. Only works if scent is minimized enough not to get winded by deer all around and under, but if you can put in that effort it will consistently allow you to take the mature bucks at close range with traditional archery equipment- at least it did that for me. I would not put that kind of effort into deer hunting again at this point in my life though. Now I want an elevated heated box stand and a rifle if Im going to deer hunt. I was younger and more athletic in those days. But I wouldn’t trade those years swinging in the trees with a stick and string for three more lifetimes of hunting from a box stand with a rifle.

Lol......Just watched the video.Looks much more complicated and more parts to have and carry around and loose.I will stick to my climbers and ladder stands.

I’m with you Bruce, my son will be using one this year. I’ll stick to lock ons and climbers. I can sleep good in a climber while waiting on daylight, and after sometimes, lol!!

what video? What parts to lose? Minimum you need to hunt out of a saddle is, besides the saddle, two 8-12' ft ropes, a prusik cord, platform or ring of steps and a climb rated carabiner.

can sleep in a saddle and not worry about your climber kicking out if you roll over too much

That's a lot more then a tree stand.A climber you just hook around the tree and then climb.

Not sure what kind of climbers you use, but mine is solid as a rock no matter where you stand, lol. Summit Viper. I don’t roll to the side, I have a nice comfortable seat I could stay in all day long.

I can put all that in a pocket except for the platform. Cant do that with your climber. Or use your climber to haul a deer out with.

Put side pressure on a climber(leaning against the side rails or stepping on the sides of the climber, while it might not completely kick out, will give you a good puckering.

I can hunt all day out of my saddle as well.