What are your thoughts on tree saddles?

seem safe enough if you watch the YT videos. But all the trees I look at around my place have a shite ton of little small limbs growing off the trunk. I don't ever see the same nice "clean" trees the guys climb in the YT videos.
My point being, a saddle seems like a whole lot of extra work to me. But to each his own.

When I was 16-22 yrs old I would have tried it. In my early 50's and someone who eats to much boudin ..... nah, I'll pass and hunt out of box blinds.

Just bought a Buzzard Roost saddle. Just waiting on my rappel kit to come in. Preordered some Latitude carbon sticks but I need to figure out another set until they come out. Couple of guys at work love it, so easy to pack in and out.

They can be really safe as long as you do what you’re supposed to. Use a lineman and a tether and don’t unhook from one until you’re hooked to the other. You stay connected to the tree all the time.
As for comfort, they’re ok. Definitely not summit climber comfort, but also not terrible. Get some good knee pads, I recommend latitude knee pads. I also recommend a latitude method 2 saddle. I think any 2 panel will be more comfortable than a 1 piece. I actually just woke up from about a 40 minute nap in mine lol
If you plan on packing your gear definitely get some good sticks. I have the tethrd one sticks but the beast sticks are great too. And these new latitude sticks should be pretty good too. One sticking would be the lightest option but I havent tried that out yet.

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Do you feel safe?

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Absolutely. As another poster said, stay attached to the tree at all times, and you are safe. Don't undo your lineman belt unless you attached your tether, and vice versa. The act of climbing is probably where people try to take shortcuts and not attach themselves to the tree. Don't do that. You are able to climb just about any tree even with a lot of branches. Like I said, just make sure you stay attached while navigating the branches.

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Are they comfortable?

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I find them to be pretty comfortable. I did at least 5 all day sits this season (5am-6pm), and I'm 46 years old with back/knee issues. My old lock on wouldn't have been any better because I can't sit for long. I have to stand up every once in a while anyway. As far as the saddle is concerned, I do switch positions between sitting, leaning, and standing, but I move very slowly. I have fallen asleep while waiting for sunup, so that should say something about comfort and feeling safe.

Another comfort benefit is when you set up in a tree that leans away from you. You can stand, lean, turn around and lay, etc. I find that to be the most comfortable type of tree to be in.

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Is it awkward drawing a bow?

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I don't find that it is, but I use a predator XL platform. I've drawn back with both feet on it, one foot on it and another on my top step of my climbing stick, with a knee planted into the tree, etc. I haven't had an issue with it.

Am I saying it's 100% the answer? Not at all, but I prefer it to my lock-on. I also go up to 3 miles in, and no way I'd carry my lock-on that far. If I had my own land, and I may lease some this year, I'll hang my lock-on with an extra set of climbing sticks in a prime area.

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seem safe enough if you watch the YT videos. But all the trees I look at around my place have a shite ton of little small limbs growing off the trunk. I don't ever see the same nice "clean" trees the guys climb in the YT videos. My point being, a saddle seems like a whole lot of extra work to me. But to each his own.

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Gotta do some offseason prep on trees, and keep a hand saw on the ready.