Don’t Buy a Hawk Saddle Without Watching this Video!

[@justingarant9367]

Yeah as a climber for over 15 yrs, you don’t get a second chance if that rope goes. Looks to me that their trying to save a few pennies. Would not risk my life in that harness

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Yeah it’s unfortunate because of the availability I am sure a bunch have sold and more are sure to.

[@scorchedearth1894]

@@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast I was looking at the hawk hammock. But I already know better to go with Tethrd. I have both three pack and shorter four pack of hawk climbing sticks. I like them. But I don’t like the new straps. They ditched the locking cam buckle straps for a strap with no buckles at all. And they’re sellling it like it’s an upgrade when they’re just cheaping out. I tried the new strap design in the yard at home and already experienced wear and frays on the strap. So I replaced the straps with XOP locking cam buckle straps. My hawk helium ultralight is pretty awesome. No complaints about that. The seat has a weird cover that’s like a loose pillow case, and it’s not a nice fully stitched solid cushion like what came with my hawk combat. I wanna say the combat was produced 2018-2019 so they’re definitely cutting corners trying to save a buck. The shits already made in China, so idk what the deal is. I almost wish I had just gone with the XOP set up top to bottom

[@thekingassassin7992]

Ya I can see there are areas that need updated cause they do cut corners in order to get to that price point but good Video keep up the good content

[@Gibsonlife573]

Good job and thank you

[@thekingassassin7992]

Bought the same Hawk Saddle and had it two seasons now and I have never had an issue and I’m no little man in 225 5”10 good system I may have to change the ropes one day but I love the thing but good job bringing awareness to the market it may not work for everyone

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

I appreciate the comment and am glad it’s working out for you. The bridge is what scares me the most about it and can be swapped out for about 30$. If it’s working well for I would look at swapping out the bridge from someone like H2 or Cruzr.

[@basicinfo.9315]

This is not a fair review because of the fact that most of the KZbin videos I watch are people that modify their saddles with their own bridge and ropes. Even videos of people buying the expensive equipment are replacing the ropes and bridge with a modified version of their own. Hawk at around $100 and the Phantom at $250 means you can make a whole lot of Mods and still come out ahead. Just my opinion because I have used the Hawk for 3 years with my own Mods and I love it, Thanks for the video and your opinion about the hawk saddle.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

I can agree with that. I too believe, as far as the saddle is concerned, replacing the bridge will make this a viable saddle option. The main goal was to allow people to see the issues ahead time before buying and heading straight to the woods. However I would contest that buying an H2 saddle, trophyline or used Latitude Classic or Tethrd mantis would put someone much further ahead than buying a new Hawk. The comparison between cost of Phantom and Hawk is a stretch and I would agree one could do a ton of mods to a hawk saddle for the price difference, however dollar for dollar there are cheaper options than the phantom.

[@rgking03ify]

As a access climber, Tree Climber buy a comfortable saddle and built your own kit using quality climbing rope and gear

[@RangerHacker]

**Buys used saddle, doesn’t know how much or how it’s been used: “Look at the wear on this bridge!” “Wouldn’t be surprised if this is similar to winch rope” “Hawk doesn’t have your safety in mind” “John Eberhardt talks about hollow roll pins.... I don’t know what these are, but it wouldn’t surprise me if these are.” Dude if you’re gonna bash a product, at least be able to back up your claims. #tethrdprostaff 🙄 P.s.- I don’t saddle hunt 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

I appreciate the feedback. Feel free to try a Hawk Saddle for yourself, put the time in to make a video give your thoughts. These were mine. If Tethrd or any other saddle company made a product in this manner I would make the same video. I personally do not think its safe nor do I recommend anyone try this product. I can recommend you any of the many other brand of saddles in the video based on what you are looking for. Thanks again for the feedback.

[@philbuckhannon4201]

@@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast you don't feel it is safe based on assumptions? Bold move, let's see how this plays out Cotton...

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

@@philbuckhannon4201 This saddle is going to be the first saddle many get their hands on and have nothing to compare it to. Side by side there is no mistaking the bridge ( which is the main “unsafe” portion of the saddle, and the main thing preventing you from falling) is not the same quality material as any of the other saddles and I own most. The ropes in the kit are garbage so I have no reason to believe the ascender would be any better made. Observing something as unsafe doesn’t seem too far of a stretch. I mean if there was a sketchy rope bridge 20 foot up crossing a river and it didn’t “look safe” would you cross it because the bridge that looked much safer was more expensive? People are going to do what they want but the hawk saddle as it os produced is going to seriously hurt someone. Replace the bridge for 30$ or make your own from some real amsteel and it would be useable. By that point your are already into the price range of a used higher quality saddle. Thanks for the comment and please be safe.

[@philbuckhannon4201]

@@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast what about the bridge is unsafe? The Amsteel it is made of? The braided eyes? Curious how the saddle is going to hurt someone too? What exactly doesn't "look safe"? I spent the afternoon with a friend with a Tethrd saddle comparing the two so I'm interested in your observations.

[@kennethcantrell8980]

Here we are one year later and I haven't heard of anyone falling and getting killed with one of em breaking...maybe better built than your visual and no use told ya....don't judge if you haven't used

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Fair point. I would say however that I feel less people have given saddle hunting a chance based on their experiences with this saddle. I think people are going to base their opinion on their first experiences with anything and this saddle, to me, compared to basically any of the others is not going to give a pleasurable experience as well as anyone pushing this saddle likely doesn’t have much experience with saddles in general. Just my opinion.

[@EastTnCarbonSlinger]

Clearly hating on hawk. Majority of complaints is about used rope from another person

[@joetheisen6577]

Great info! Thanks Adam!

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Just looks too sketchy for me.

[@matthewdean8070]

I just bought this saddle set up ($233), It appears they have done some upgrades, the bridge seams to been upgraded at the point of contact, the seat has a slight curve also and both ropes look of "Ok" quality. But I understand you get what you pay for, I decided to perches it because 66% of users gave it 5 stars and another 17% gave it 4 stars, bad reviews where mainly because of the ropes, which I think I'll up grade.

[@toms7947]

Does anyone here actually know of a time this saddle has failed and caused injury? This opinion seems to be based off speculation and paranoia.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

That is a great question. I believe the answer to be no. At the time of this video the saddle had been released for just under a year. I think for any piece of hunting and or safety related gear you would want to use the best/safest option available to you in your price range, put out by companies or individuals with the end users safety in mind. This product, and all saddles for that matter, have no required safety testing as they are still working on safety standards for saddles. That being said there are better products with more transparent safety testing procedures on the market for similar cost, made from higher quality materials. This video was made to highlight that point. Thanks for commenting.

[@toms7947]

@@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast That makes sense. Hopefully treestand manufacturers association (TMA) can get involved and implement some type of safety standard for saddles. As you said,there are better options for a similar price, however, I think this saddle could be used as an entry level saddle as long as it's integrity is monitored for wear. Who knows though. I have heard horror stories about treestand that have failed that were approved by TMA. I think it just comes down to hunters being extra safety conscious when hunting from a tree. It can be very dangerous even with the best equipment.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

@@toms7947 For sure. I know that Latitude, Tethrd, Trophyline and H2 are all on a committee creating a standard for saddle safety. I also know they are very transparent on their safety testing. Hopefully they will have a standard soon but it is a ridiculously ling process.

[@antoniomurphy4059]

I’m 5.9, 265lbs. It’s comfortable. It took a few climbs to get a good gauge on how to maneuver it for optimum comfort. I did wrap the amsteel bridge stealth tape. I use an amsteel daisy chain w/ a hawk stick & amsteel aider, the hawk mini platform attached and a ring of steps. This is the most safe I’ve ever felt sitting/swinging in a tree.

[@outdoor_tommy07]

I’m replacing my tether and bridge with amsteel

[@PhysixPanda]

I bought this product due to price.(I’m broke) I ended up strengthening the rope with paracord and it’s very tightly wrapped and woven. It definitely will not break but was just something that strengthened it a lot. Works great now and other than the cheap ropes I have no complaints. If you have the money go to a different brand, but if not you can correctly strngthen the ropes on the hawk.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

I can appreciate that. I would however direct you to the G2 outdoors video broadhead vs bridge. This video outlines how paracord would hold up of accidentally nicked with a broadhead. Not saying this to dog on you more of a caution. That said from cruzr or H2 or any of the amsteel guys you can get an adjustable bridge for about 30$ that would be a great option if you could fit it in your budget. Good luck this season and be safe.

[@beaverwithachainsaw]

I've been saddle hunting for nearly 30 years. There weren't many options, but quality was never a question. To leap frog over others with a cheap imitation of an existing product, immediately relegated this saddle to the bottom of the heap. My recommendation would be to throw another $20 in and buy US made when possible. Thanks for an honest review. 🇺🇸

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

So many great options out there. I can only imagine your thoughts after 30 years as the market get new products every day. This however was not one of the good options.

[@lost80productions13]

I used the hawk saddle last season and I am 6'6 165 so I worried about saddle hunting before I bought one and the only complaint I have about the hawk saddle is the camo pattern doesn't match everything else I have or hunt in. as far as riding up and I've had probably 30-35 sits in mine and many times up and down practicing in the back yard and show very little ware and tear on the bridge or any thing else for that matter

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

I think for me this design was pretty good for sitting but when I was leaning when it rode up. Also, yes, their Camo pattern is more of an urban style Camo than anything else. Very hard to find anything similar

[@tray22]

@@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast So it didn't match your heels so you don't like it? :) I just purchased one brand new and the bridge feels good to me. The ascender style is perfect for what it is. You aren't going to be able to slide it the way you were doing in the video because... gravity. You have to take weight off the bar and press in to move it when you are using it properly. I would suggest doing a follow-up video and just go try it at ground level. This didn't seem like a fair take on the saddle. Ropes are very easy to replace also and most people customize their setup. As long as the saddle itself feels good the rest can be modified.

[@1234tygcflo]

Yea i bought the hawk and hit a few trees in my yard and was concerned with some of the ropes. I'm returning it and buying the tethered system instead of a bunch of mods. I have a wife and kids and don't wanna risk falling put of a tree over a couple hundred bucks.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

It’s just really unfortunate that this is the saddle that is available to the masses in places like cabelas and all over camofire.

[@tjo-outdoors8514]

Just started saddle hunting towards the end of the season. I looked at the hawk saddle but knew I would end up being unhappy with it. So I went ahead and dropped the extra money on latitude method starter kit and ordered a Kong ascender. I knew it would be a buy once and cry once deal and I’m sure glad it went with it.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Heck of a way to start. Great setup you got there.

[@mattmontgomery-rice839]

All of you scared about ropes have never worked with ropes. The design concept of rope makes it far more rugged than many of you understand.

[@osvaldoreyes9323]

I've been looking into saddles for a year. Not decided on which one to buy yet, but now I know it won't be a Hawk. Thanks for the detailed video!

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Thanks for watching. Let me know if you want to see a review of any specific saddle. I have a few more on the way.

[@corey8134]

How do you know comfort level of the saddle when you say you haven’t spent any time in it? I’d recommend getting a new saddle to assess manufacturing quality. You bought a used saddle and don’t know what the previous owner did to it.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Fair points. However it appears to be a copy of the tethrd mantis of which I hunted from 75% of the 2019 season. After the issues from that saddle riding up and not staying on place, the limited time I had in this saddle I was experiencing similar things. Your results may be different due to hunting style or body type. You are right I do not know what the original owner did to it first. I did speak with him at length about his experiences, but you are correct.

[@scottmiller438]

The comments sound like some salty folks that bought “the best” and are now hoping that hawks fail so they can feel gratified in their expensive purchase.

[@rgking03ify]

There is no core in that bridge or its broken

[@jeffreynass8311]

I think it is a great review. I bought one and after two hunts the bridge is falling apart and the tether is hanging on by a couple threads. The hawk helium is a piece of shit. Do not spend your money on one. Thanks for the honesty.

[@pestka7151]

I'm a climber and looking into getting one for hunting. Have all my ropes/tethers, ascending equip and such. What setup works best and what's a fairly good starter "hunting" saddle? Don't wanna drop a ton but want it to be decent. Srt or drt preferred? I wanna try and avoid using my lone wolf sticks but those are an option too. I mostly hang and hunt or use my summit climber as is. TIA!

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

I have zero experience with the srt and drt setups so I would be no help there. As far as hunting saddles go without spending a ton of money the Trophyline Covert is a comfortable option that is a little heavy for some guys but I think it would be more like what you are used to from work. The latitude classic is a great lower cost option as well. I have never hinted from only played around with the H2 saddles and he makes a good product at an affordable price however for rappelling I believe you would want to upgrade to the adjustable bridge and that increases the price. Hope that helps a little. As I said I am not an SRT DRT guy.

[@christopherxiong4412]

Thanks for telling us about the facts of this saddle bow hunting for the good thing.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Its pretty scary.

[@philbuckhannon4201]

"Facts"? "I don't know what these are made of..." Hmmm

[@christopherxiong4412]

Thanks for sharing your this opinion with us anyway, haha that’s a great idea never forgotten it.

[@andrewhay1133]

Your opinion on something you haven’t used is as almost as concerning as that rope 😅

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

I can somewhat agree with you however in my opinion buying/using this saddle as is like buying life saving equipment from harbor freight. It may work for a while but isn’t built to last. Not what I want to be relying on 20 ft off the ground in a secluded area. But again it’s just my opinion.

[@blackegz61]

Guy must have abused that saddle. Ive used my hawk for 3 years now and it dont anywhere near that. Found this video cuz im about replace the bridge with adjustable setup.

[@vicsteele9788]

Mine done exactly same thing 2nd use. Bridge looks like shit now. Lineman rope has 1 spot in it. Tether rope still Looks great

[@adamminzer2812]

I questioned the bridge when i got but looking into upgrading it. The harness its self seem well built. Time will tell.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Yeah a 30$ for triad bridge from H2 or bridge from cruzr would be a great investment if you went that route.

[@huntyoutube3704]

Hawk has many products created from other countries like China. Their nock off Predator platform is super sketchy and only $99. Such a price and cheap tactic does not cover the life and health of a hunter. KEEP doing your reviews and helping hunters receive honest feedback on upcoming products!

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Thanks. We plan to. The goal is not to bash any productor company. Frankly I think 100% negative reviews are sometimes petty but in this case and the case of the platform it just doesn’t seem safe.

[@basicinfo.9315]

I own and love the Hawk APEX platform. Im 63 years old and trust the construction completely but of course I trusted 2X4s nailed in a tree when I started hunting 50 years ago because stuff like this wasn't available so who knows.

[@galinswigart]

You could probably stop the title at "Don't Buy a Hawk Saddle".. In my opinion there are far, far too many innovative, original, and quality saddles made in the USA to waste money and take a risk on a product from a company that is copying made in the USA products and undercuts them. There is absolutely nothing unique or original about their saddle besides the poor quality. Tethrd, AeroHunter, Trophyline, Lattitude, and many others offer original ideas with premium quality and none of them have any questions about safety. The cost savings are not worth the potential hazards, not to mention that on the used market you can find a quality saddle for a very similar price as you mentioned. Everyone needs to make their own decisions, but sometimes saving a few bucks simply isn't worth it. Hawk has been extremely disappointing ever since they were bought out. It's a shame.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

I agree with all of the above. I feel like if the title stopped there a potential buyer may have skipped by thinking it was just another hater video.

[@brendenlyon3378]

I love this review. Perfect example of what is wrong with hunting today. If you don’t have the name brand (*cough cough* tethrd according to this man) then you are wrong and apparently dangerous. I have the hawk saddle and it is perfect for someone that is just wanting to try out saddle hunting but doesn’t want to go spend $500! You are paying half the price so the thing is going to be cheaper. The ropes are cheap but if you saddle hunt for long you would upgrade those anyway. The bridge is cheap but you going to upgrade that anyway. The ascender you are going to have to upgrade when you upgrade your ropes if you want to do it the right way. Which brings me to another point. This man couldn’t bring himself to say that the ascender actually wasn’t bad for what you are paying for and wants to convince you that it is unsafe and then turns around and uses an ascender that isn’t rated for the rope he using it with. I don’t think you can say things are unsafe and not to use them if you going to make things more unsafe and promote those. I am very disappointed in this review and strongly suggest anyone who is looking at the hawk to do more research and remember it is cheap for a reason and just supposed to let you know if you like it or not. Don’t listen to this man without a lot of salt first!

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

I appreciate you taking the time to write this. I truly believe the hawk saddle to be a poor choice for any budget. The issue with saddle hunting in general is that 99% of products are not available in stores for people to compare and handle before they buy. In addition to that many people are afraid to spend money even on safety and in an area they are not familiar with. The bridge is the main part of the saddle that is keeping you from falling. Any damage or failure in the bridge will result in a fall, possible injury or worse. I do not and would not trust the bridge on the hawk saddle and if you are saying that anyone who has one should upgrade it I 100% agree with you, however I imagine most will not. As far as being a “tethrd” recommendation they simply use higher quality materials and are 100% transparent on their testing. Latitude, Trophyline and H2 and probably others are on a board together creating a safety standard for saddles and saddle hunting. Hawk is not. There are plenty good saddle options that are much higher quality and not 500$. I started with a homemade lineman and ropeman 1 but Bullman Outdoors/silent approach have great budget oplux ropes and a Trophyline Ambush or H2 saddle can be had for less than 200$. I do hope that you are happy and safe in your Hawk saddle but for guys looking to find an inexpensive way into a somewhat expensive niche in mobile hunting, I believe their money can be better spent on higher quality, safer products. But take that with a grain of salt.

[@tray22]

@@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast I just purchased a brand new Hawk saddle kit and all of the ropes are more than fine to get someone started. My bridge doesn't look anything like the one you showed in this video. Without reviewing a new one I don't think anything you said in this video is accurate or helpful.

[@2314jones]

Hawk is a garbage corporate run company. They should have never been allowed to sell a saddle.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

It’s unfortunate to see what they have become after they were acquired. No saddle standards at the time of release or finalized yet so I am sure the package has something that says use at your own risk. That coupled with the fact that it is nearly impossible to try a saddle or handle one side by side with a hawk people don’t have anything to compare it to.

[@timkaldahl]

TMA certified? Is a company going to risk everything for a few pennies by exposing themselves to liability with a product that just barely meets safety standards? I don't have this saddle or ascender, but I would be surprised if the ascender had not been tested by an independent lab. The quality of manufacturing does not appear to be as good as the others, but I doubt they would expose themselves to such an obvious risk. Too many product liability lawyers out ther looking for an easy paycheck.

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

The main concern with this saddle is the material and durability of the bridge, the one thing you are literally hanging from, and the company behind it. There are many companies out there that actually use the products they make. Hawk makes cheap products that the consumer is looking for at a bargain price. No interest making a quality product.

[@papi_chu6887]

bro it making a review of a saddle that he bought used, and has had zero time hunting in

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Thanks for watching

[@PrivilegedBowhunter]

So... don't buy this saddle if you want to live 🤣🤣🤣

[@tray22]

From someone that has this saddle, his assessment wasn't accurate. The saddle itself is well made and is going to depend on the person on whether or not it is comfortable. For me it feels great and doesn't ride up. The provided ropes are more than sufficient to get a few years use before replacing. I don't like to use my safety ropes for more than a few years without a replacement just due to age. The ascender is meant to be used in a vertical way and with the bridge rope pulling down on the device. Even with the weight of the rope and saddle it locks up solid. I want to upgrade mine but no one had the one I wanted in stock. The lineman and safety ropes are good quality but a trip to any sporting goods store could replace it with a hunter safety system one for $20. This wasn't a fair accurate review of the saddle for several reasons. 1) it wasn't new it was used. Who knows what the last guy did to the saddle and ropes. 2) He didn't show using it in a tree even at ground level. 3) Most of his complaints were about the ropes and his assessment was based on his opinion. 4) The ascender works great and is an upgrade from a prusik.

[@ApexPredatorOutdoors]

Made in China

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Definitely made overseas somewhere. I believe the platform is made in Vietnam. I do believe however this is not the only saddle made overseas. I know Latitude , Cruzr and the Tethrd Phantom at least are made in the US however as well as the hand sewn ones like H2 and TX5.

[@joeyfuentes1051]

My Weatherby was made over seas my ariats were made in Mexico and both of those are far superior to my current president who was made in the us…… trump 2024

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Plenty of quality products are made overseas by companies with a higher level of quality control than Hawk, and by companies who have a better grasp on using their product than Hawk does when it comes to using saddles.

[@ApexPredatorOutdoors]

@@joeyfuentes1051" Let's go Brandon!'

[@joeyfuentes1051]

I was only joking good review

[@Ratgyver]

You bought a used saddle, so you have no idea of how it was actually being utilized. And then, spent no time in one. So the only thing your “review” would pertain to would be the visual look of the used saddle you purchased and not the overall product. If you’re gonna bash a product, do it the right way, otherwise you just look like a …

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

I can respect that as an opinion. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I will keep that on mind the next time I buy an inferior product from someone and send them a better and safer product. The only reason I have this product is so that no one else will use it, it being this particular saddle. The bridge material makes this particular one unsafe, in my opinion. I wanted to have this one to be able to show people, in person, even if abused for one year, the outcome. I would hate for someone to get hurt or killed because they bought what was available. I use my gear heavily and there are much better products out there for around the same money, new and used that will hold up better and be safer period. But again I appreciate the feedback. Not trying to be a …..

[@graytbowhunterfinefigureof4413]

Great video. I dont have any experience with the hawk, but I figured it would be a flop. I did warn a guy when they came out against them possibly not being a good product, mainly because it seemed that they were just trying to jump in the saddle hunting craze without doing research and cutting corners. Rule #1- If your gonna buy a saddle make sure it's a company started by saddle hunters!

[@BowhunterChroniclesPodcast]

Good advice for sure. Unfortunately with all the buzz about saddle hunting and prices and costs. If someone is interested in saddle hunting without any prior knowledge, seeing this in the big box store is likely going to be the one they purchase.

[@philbuckhannon4201]

So basically you have no experience using it and you're not sure what the roll pins are made of.... But you "think" it is not safe. Okay, thanks. Your opinion is worth what I paid.