First tim saddle hunter. Overall, I like the kit. The M-L saddle is little large on me, 5 ft 9 200lbs and 34 inch waist. I did not like the cam buckle for my sticks and made 1/4 inch amsteel rope lashes to fit lager trees and a more silent attachment method. The sticks are rock solid and stick to everything. I switched out my tether to a long 30 foot rope and added a new and longer prusk loop to my tether along with a safeguard belay device. I use both the prusk loop hitch and my safeguard and a knot be below on my long rope. I like the platform and over all, I like hunting out of a the saddle more than a climber. I also enjoy hanging a hang on stand with the saddle and use my saddle when hunting out of a hang on.
I think there’s a major problem with how sharp the edges are on the actual steps.. I got single step aiders for the sticks, tonight was my 5th hunt on those sticks/aiders. I was on my way up, on the 4th stick when the aider got CUT in half by the sharp edge of the step, causing me to fall a couple feet resulting in that same sharp edge to slice my arm wide open. The aiders are 1/8” Amsteel with 2500lb breaking strength, it lasted 5 hunts.. I’ll attach pics of my jacked up arm. A lesser man probably would of climbed down for some first aid, and maybe some stitches, but I figured if I stuck it out, karma might reward me with a booner walking by.. So I made a makeshift bandaid and dawged it out like a man. And of course, I didn’t see a damn thing.
The sticks work great, they bite deep into the tree. But they will also bite deep into your bicep on the climbing side of the step.
I’m not a review guy but I wanted to give a heads up if you use aiders. Wear your lineman, or else it could be worse.
Pics attached.
I have 4 platforms, EDP is the easiest to lock on the tree and most stable platform of the 4