I’ve used one and have shot plenty of deer out of it. It is different for sure. I’ve done full day sits from well before sun up till after sun down without getting out. Your ‘boys’ will remind you the next day. I will say that it offers a lot when it comes to quiet. No noisy climber or creaking ladder. Also no worries of falling out if you drift off for a bit.

I don’t use it anymore. It just isn’t worth it to me.

If you want even more mobility, get yourself a good pair of pole climbers. Don’t cheap out…you need the real deal. The junk ones are near impossible to climb with.

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.

Climbers don't suck. They're mobile, comfortable and get you up a tree fast. I'm assuming you'd be an advocate of wearing a safety harness. My harness is basically a saddle and can be used in almost identical fashion. The only shot that presents a hard shot for a stand hunter is a deer coming in from the off side of the tree. I can rotate 360 on a stand with minimal movement. There's no advantage to a harness when the animal comes in from behind you. You're adjusting...with a rope in your way.

I hunt oaks in southern Maine. There's countless trees I can climb to thirty feet without hitting a limb. Northern Maine is softwoods. I can disappear in limbs and even use them to climb.

I toyed with getting a harness last year and realized they weren't a good fit for me.

you guys are weird....don't you ever just sit on a rock,,,,,or walk 3 steeps and stop?,,look,,three more....stop,,,,look.?
Glass.......
I am to ADD to wait.....

you guys are weird........