http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2396804&mpage=1&key=&#239680 4
I have one and love it. I hunt from it about 70% of the time. There's a TON of benefits, and yes a few drawbacks but not many. John Eberhart, a very successful Michigan bowhunter and author of "Precision Bowhunting" and "Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails" hunts exclusively from a tree saddle and dedicates an entire chapter in his book to it's use.
Pros:
[ul][*]Extremely lightweight and mobile. If you like to walk a long distance and get away from other people on public land without working up a sweat from carrying a stand on your back, the saddle is perfect.[*]Very quiet to set up and use. Much quieter than climbing with a climber.[*]You can hunt in just about any tree that hold your weight. You can't say this about a climber.[*]Better concealment. You are closer to the tree, and don't stick out from the trunk like a sore thumb. You can set up with the tree in front of where you expect the deer to be. If the deer comes from someplace else, you can slowly and silently rotate around the tree to hide behind it. I've never been picked off yet in my saddle.[*]You can literally shoot in 360 degrees. With a couple of well placed steps, you can slowly creep around the tree. I've shot deer that I could not have shot at from a traditional stand (behind me and to the right).[*]Safer than regular stands because you ALWAYS have your safety harness on. You can't possibly fall out of the tree saddle.[*]More comfortable than it looks, if you have it adjusted properly. I've slept many hours in mine. The key is to get the belt at the right height and length so you can sit instead of stand. Then lean forward and rest your head on the belt like a pillow and try not to snore too loud![*]It's the cheapest way to have alot of treestands. Let me explain. On private land I'll set up 6 or 8 trees with steps, bowhooks, and tow lines. When it's time to hunt, I'll pick a tree based on wind and I climb up, strap in, and hunt. It takes about 30 seconds and makes no noise. If I wanted to have 8 trees ready to hunt with a traditional hang on, I'd need to buy 8 treestands. For the cost of one treesaddle, I have the equivalent of 8 treestands. I figure I'm saving alot of money by not buying all those hang on stands.[*]Nobody can ever steel your stand because you wear it out of the woods with you. And nobody can hunt your stand when you're not there because there's no stand to hunt in![/ul]
Cons:
[ul][*]Of course it's not as comfortable as a some climbers or ladder stands, but it's comfortable enough for all day hunts if you stand up every hour or so for a little while.[*]Hard to pee out of. Not really a big deal.[*]I find myself wanting to move more because it's so much fun to swing around to the other side of the tree. You feel like tarzan LOL....[/ul]
Critical tips:
[ul][*]The key is the platform at the top. The best system so far is 4 Ameristep strap on steps put onto a single strap.[*]You have to have a bow holder. You can't rest your bow on your lap.[*]On private land, set up your steps before the season so you can just pick a tree and hunt.[*]For being mobile on public land, use Ameristep strap on steps. You can fit 10 or 12 in your fanny pack and they don't weigh much. They do take some time to get up to hunting height. If climbing speed is more important to you, get a set of Lone Wolf Sticks.[*]Use kneepads. The most comfortable way to sit is to put your knees up against the tree. After a while your knees will feel pressure without kneepads. Trophyline sells some nice camo kneepads for use with the saddle. I actually prefer to strap a "Thermaseat" foam pad to the trunk of the tree. Works great![*]The leather or neoprene versions are more comfortable than the mesh, but the mesh is cooler if you plan to hunt in hot weather.[*]Make sure it fits you. If it's too small, you'll have pressure points on your hips and legs and you won't be comfortable.[/ul]
I still use ladder stands in some spots because you can't beat them for all day hunts. But for mobility, you can't beat the tree saddle. Good luck.
trophyline tree saddle
