Dryad Drey: The First Ever Hammock Saddle!

[@jasonphillips1342]

I've used it for a season now and it super comfortable had 4 all day sits and several 5/6 hour sits and this saddle was awesome every trip .I love the mobility of saddle hunting and now I can be comfortable doing it

[@SaddleHunter]

I’m looking forward to early morning naps in it 😂

[@southernpartisan1772]

The cruzr xc saddle changed the game completely for me and solidified my love for saddle hunting. I have to say, this new contraption has my ears perked up.

[@jasonphillips1342]

@@southernpartisan1772 I love the dryad it's so much more comfortable than the xc I have one of those to

[@gordonc615]

What do you do for scent control? I'm interested that's just alot of fabric

[@jasonphillips1342]

@@gordonc615 wash it ,I just take the belt off and wash everything that's the beauty with it

[@jeremywhitworth3774]

I just bought one today after watching this video. I told the owner your video is the reason I bought his product. Thanks for the video

[@SaddleHunter]

Thanks for the shout out to Dane. He’s a great guy.

[@davehyer4178]

Love my drey. As a dedicated hammock camper I know all the benefits. Great review and a great saddle.

[@Ohio98]

Well articulated explanation! I'm sold on comfort. I'll be getting one this summer before they sell out.

[@richardhill5968]

Excellent review!!!! I, as a person with lower back problems am very impressed with this design. Dane is good people and I believe he has corned a whole different level in the market!

[@SaddleHunter]

I think you are right. He has had a lot of people with back issues pleased with this saddle.

[@dario_d9005]

I have been waiting for a video like this. I got mine a couple weeks ago and have been tinkering away. The owner couldn’t be a nicer or more helpful guy too.

[@SaddleHunter]

You’ve got that right. Dane is a super nice guy. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him.

[@kennethrogers1129]

That is a cool idea, I could make one so easily too, and just use it with my two panel homemade camo saddle, thinking I’ll get some good camo material ….and I have a short quilt for a camping hammock that would work with it. Or just wear a jacket, the wind breaking effect of the hammock is what really appeals to me, up in a tree the wind chill is such a factor on a long sit…. Thanks for the review, I’m sold but will make one and like I said, that will be easy to make for like $20

[@tomnolan2186]

Love your channel. Your audio is always quiet. Not sure if you can boost that somehow. I always seem to have to turn the volume all the way up in order to listen. Thanks for all your reviews. They've helped me a lot.

[@SaddleHunter]

Thanks for watching Tom. That is super helpful feedback. I’ve been using a new mic recently and I think the wind sock is muffling too much sound. I’ll work on it.

[@carypeaden4147]

You do a good job in your reviews.

[@timothymcglothlin4534]

I was wondering how long it would take for you to review one of these. 41 minutes! I’ll grab the popcorn!

[@SaddleHunter]

Haha. I bought one pretty quickly because it was something new and out of the box.

[@glennflake5732]

Would like see/hear Utube on new Drey2 and changes? Also with the outside under quilt. Do it now while it’s winter time or more realism. Wait for a snow day😀 I think it will make a great video. Love your idea of deploying the hammock seat and sitting in it while one’s sticking etc. Genius I climb with a sleeping hammocktree wrap, and use a carabiner with a 4 Step Loop, aider to climb. This will make it a lot easier sitting as I go. 😊

[@mobilehunterfitness2139]

Thanks for putting in all the work for the review. Great job as usual!

[@SaddleHunter]

It’s always fun to do. Thanks for the support.

[@sierraridgereaper]

Wow, just what Im lookin for... I been stayin over night in my tree just so I dont have to hike 2-1/2 miles in the dark so I can be where I want at daylight.. this is perfect...

[@lawrencew2366]

This is a no brainer.....excellent review of a great saddle...

[@MrSplupa]

Very well worth watching video on this saddle, I’ve been looking for a solid review on it for a while. Only thing I would have liked to see in addition to all of this would have been how it sits and functions with the retro fit. Some people don’t want to spend that $300 for a saddle set up right out of the gate just to try it out (like myself for instance) I just would have liked seeing that option being used as well

[@kennethrogers1129]

You could make one for $20 no problem! Either hand or machine sewn and that kind of material would work easily on a regular sewing machine

[@bigterp75]

I saw a week or 2 ago that someone was going review, glad it was you!!!! Thanks great summary

[@SaddleHunter]

Thanks for the support Joel.

[@buckstop1031]

I'm a gear head. This is pretty neat. I can see that being best for a crossbow or rifle hunters. Seems like you would sweat more in early season. Certainly we'll thought out design.

[@mikeclement5383]

I made a hunting hammock to use with my rock climbing harness. It's awesome as hell. I imagine this is easily as awesome or more awesome.

[@MrMblaze8597]

I think he likes this thing! LOL I CANNOT WAIT!

[@jasonphillips1342]

Great job on the review really good break down of everything awesome job

[@SaddleHunter]

Thanks for watching Jason.

[@Canadaman4403]

Excellent review!

[@deenelson01]

Pretty cool especially for colder weather. I would want to get used to a regular saddle first though. This would be cool for private land with a bunch of clamp on stands places.

[@SaddleHunter]

If this tells you much, I'm sidelining most of my "regular saddles" in favor of the Drey.

[@michaelconley6245]

U have to go total cocoon mode at least once when you get this saddle.....lol...I ordered a full setup can wait to try this saddle.....love your reviews man your awesome

[@bradbishop-atfulldraw7491]

Have you reviewed the mini yet ?

[@jamesearl60]

Very happy with my recon, bought a method 2 and it’s sweet but u sold me on this just ordered one looks as comfy as a jx3 with less fiddle factor

[@kevinnielsen4321]

I think you just sold a ton of these saddles. First impression of the saddle to me was that's nuts, watching your video surely changed my mind. Great video. It would be great if you showed up to tethered tnt at jays on June 26.

[@SaddleHunter]

Using the saddle changed my mind. I wish I could, but my sister is coming up from down south to stay with us that weekend.

[@kevinnielsen4321]

@@SaddleHunter oh bummer you could be the main attraction, John eberhart who lol lol , enjoy your family time, I may be missing this year's hunting season cause my son and daughter-in-law are expecting twins in October and they will need some help and they live in Georgia, family always comes first .

[@F150Yaker]

Good review! Honestly this isn't all that different than the way some of us started in saddle hunting when we used the rock harness for safety and fleece/cloth saddle for comfort. This is just more expensive.

[@SaddleHunter]

You thoughts were the same as mine when I first saw it: "it's a glorified fleece saddle".

[@colbysicecream]

Dryad Camo Underquilts are out of stock on their website. Have you tried the underquilt they offer? Do you have any inside scoop on when they will get them back in stock? Great video! Keep up the good work. I am new to saddle hunting and am going to give it a try this year time for the first time. Your videos have been my inspiration. I final pulled the trigger and bought this setup last night.

[@glennflake5732]

I’m going to use this saddle and climb with Cranford rope steps x 8. Any suggestions how you would carry the steps on this system? Due to the excellence of your videos I think I have everything else figured out. Just need a separate tether with carabiner. I should be good to go. Thanks in advance for your help on this transportation issue. BTW i’m a long time hammock Camper multi day backpacker. Love the benefits of a hammock. If you want to Google it, I used a Hennessey bottom entry Velcro closer hammock with tree hugger straps for years. You’ll love the technology on that as well.

[@paulcrave3112]

Good review. Kind of like the fleece saddles guys were making before saddle hunting became popular. My question is why didn’t you do a demo of using it with your conventional saddle?

[@willfox2578]

I agree 100%! I think that if a Nite-Ize gear tie causes a pinch point then having a full saddle underneath will be problematic. Can we get a review of it in use with a conventional saddle?

[@dryad9251]

@@willfox2578 Hey Will. The full saddle underneath is a little different than a bunched up wire tie pushing into you. A saddle is usually the flat side of 1.75" seatbelt webbing, and while it is not as comfortable as the fully integrated system, it is far and away more comfortable than a traditional saddle in our humble opinion. Having sat in the hammock with a traditional saddle attached, I can say that there is a pressure there and it's slightly uncomfortable but it does not force me to have to physically move and adjust my weight. It's more of a general "there is something between me and the hammock" feeling. Hard to explain. The gear tie would be different. It's not a flat webbing and would cause a general discomfort because it's metal underneath that rubber and it would be bunched up and create singular points of pressure. Hope that helps!

[@SaddleHunter]

Dane nailed it, but you guys are right I should have included that in my review.

[@bradbishop-atfulldraw7491]

@@dryad9251 do you offer the retrofit kit with the mini?

[@richardbritt3611]

Ought to be really interesting in wet hunts!

[@SaddleHunter]

Time will tell!

[@CC-pi6gm]

Is the bag on your back on the belt uncomfortable when the saddle is deployed on top of it?

[@briannash9122]

I also have the H2 saddle, which i really like, but gets uncomfortable during long sits. I would like to see how the two sit together while in the tree, do you get leg/hip pinch from the H2 while sitting in the dryad. How is the Dryad walking around the tree with a ring of steps, does it get in the way? Very compelling, i might have to look at this for an addon for my H2.

[@SaddleHunter]

If you place all the weight into the Drey while hanging you won't get hip pinch just minor pressure. I haven't found the Drey to get in the way while using my ROS.

[@benoitdelorme5256]

question ,is easy to separated hammock pouch to belt ? reach avenu of saddle in use dwith my iwom suit for winter hunt..need to develop iwom suit to saddle setup ! tx

[@bumbadum87]

Excellent video. Been curious about this for a while. So with one-sticking, normally you have your roll-pouch connected to your saddle with your rappel line. I would use it to climb and act as my tether. Would you now just carry your rope in your backpack?

[@stevenjames7678]

Hey spencer Do you think one sticking would be easier with the drey LL using the linemen’s loops with a bridge and not deploying the saddle

[@kyleveitengruber2368]

I’m a big guy 6”1 275. What do think about comfort from this saddle for a bigger guy ( Looks like you weigh half that lol ) . I have strayed from saddles because I did believe I could sit in them and be comfortable. Excellent review and I just may pick this up and try it a few times this year. Ty for the review.

[@SaddleHunter]

Ask Dane, he’s had a lot of guys your size interested.

[@josephgangi1484]

Hi, my name is Joe. I am a short heavy guy (5" 6 just under 300lbs) and an infant to saddle hunting. I've been talking with Dane. He custom made this saddle with lineman's loops along with other custom configurations. I dialogued back and forth with Dane who wanted to ensure it would fit and considered additional safety measures were integrated. I have friends who have different saddles and use different climbing methods. This saddle is everything you could ask for. I am currently working with Dane in modernizing the comfort and fit. I can't say enough about Dane. He is a super guy and has the customer's interest and safety in mind first, not the almighty dollar. That isn't to say he shouldn't make a profit to stay in business. I am not a blogger, nor do I post anything, but I am sharing my ideas and pictures with Dane. Currently setting up climbing sticks with a platform. I will be sharing with Dane follow on thoughts and he can post pictures and additional thoughts in the near future. I apologize for such a long reply, but I am stoked in trying to use the saddle more here in VA.

[@nickmckinney8405]

So this saddle or the cruzr xc

[@SaddleHunter]

I prefer the Drey models.

[@recallthehunt4322]

could you show how it works with it added to a saddle or different saddles.

[@kidneystones3406]

Great review

[@SaddleHunter]

Thanks man.

[@nevrslo1556]

It would be worth it for morning hunts and you can always switch out of it into a reg saddle

[@TheJohnbortle]

Great video.

[@SaddleHunter]

Thanks John.

[@andrewmurphy9310]

So if I buy this saddle kit, is this all I need (besides sticks etc...) to go saddle hunting? Or do I need to buy carribeaners and oplux and stuff too? What do I need in addition to the drey kit?

[@SaddleHunter]

The kit does not come with carabiners or ropes, you will need to buy those separately.

[@brentwoodoutdoors6093]

Just subscribed have you used a JX3 hybrid? And if so how does this compare, the hybrid which i bought recently seems to be a little heavy and bulky and this thing looks like i could get the same comfort without all that weight etc… I’m bout to pull the trigger and get the whole kit!!

[@SaddleHunter]

Yes I owned one for a few seasons. There is a video of it on my channel. I don't think I'd notice much of a comfort difference between the Drey and the JX3. The benefit is, as you said, the Drey is much easier to pack and manage.

[@brentwoodoutdoors6093]

One more thing do you think a full sized platform is needed for the drey? Or can I use My solo scout?

[@justinliedtke5570]

Good review.

[@SaddleHunter]

Thanks Justin.

[@paulcrave3112]

How does this saddle perform for SRT climbing and/or repelling?

[@SaddleHunter]

You obviously can run a "short bridge" but it is very supportive. I haven't had any real issues doing either. I find I may just have to stretch a little higher.

[@joshuahunt1210]

If you could please fix the audio (it's really low) that would be wonderful for future viewers. When the commercials pop on they are extremely loud in comparison with your video. Thank you for your hard work!

[@SaddleHunter]

Hey Joshua! Good News, I have a new high end mic. Would you mind watching a minute or two of the Transformer update video and letting me know how the audio compares?

[@joshuahunt1210]

@@SaddleHunter Man that's 100% better. Great job.

[@zm1199]

love your reviews you have helped me pick my next saddle, but the only thing is that your voice always seems quiet or far away compared to other noises. do you use a mic ?

[@SaddleHunter]

I think my new mics wind sock is causing that. I just bought the Cadillac of mics so it shouldn’t be an issue anymore.

[@Buckski00buckshot]

There is a new sheriff in town!!!!! And he works for me!

[@anotheryoutuber_]

you still have this setup?

[@BlackrockLobbyist]

does anyone know how well the dryad works with DRT climbing?

[@calling4life]

You ever thought of using good arborist gear for this? They have harnesses that have seats, comfortable padding, leg supports, lumbar supports, shoulder/back supports etc... A lot of the harnesses are backed by metal strapping or ballistic nylon so if you hit it with a chainsaw you don't fall and die. Point being, they are overbuilt and incredibly safe even if your broadhead or knife hits it. You can also run ones with upper body harnesses on them for more options in terms of back support, laying out etc... Further, as I was watching you mess around with climbing with a climbing stick in another video, I couldn't help but think, I wonder why a guy wouldn't just tie on some arborist climbing spikes. I never knew these saddle hunting rigs existed, always thought of using arborist gear to do something like this, now that I've seen some of these hunting rigs, and their complete setups being $500 or so at times for the whole kit, it makes me think even harder on going with the arborist gear. Though this current reviewed item is quite a bit different, the other hunting saddles are far more similar. The 3 climbing stick pack from tethrd is $330, you can get good climbing spurs for that, step your way 300' up a giant tree if you want without pausing to attach/unattach/re-attach climbing sticks. You can also run their tethers that are spectra covered metal cable, can be had about as cheap as I've seen the simple rope ones in these hunting kits. Again, don't worry about smacking it with a broadhead, your knife, dog chewing on it, whatever, they're meant to take being hit by a running chainsaw. About the only reason I could come up with is simply weight, but if the rig wears comfortably, weight should be distributed well enough it doesn't end up being much an issue. Understandable concern though, I still think some of this gear could crossover and potentially help hunters, climbing spikes vs using those ladder sticks or screw in steps may be one big one... Also, the safety features of some of the arborist gear may be worth it for some.

[@TheK2008]

You have to check local laws. Some states do not allow you to use climbing spikes on public land to Hunt. Some guys do use arborist gear. But most find it noisy and heavy.

[@MrTacoma2008]

As an arborist myself, we only use spikes for trees we are taking down because they severely damage the tree. For pruning, we SRT or DRT climb. When hunting public land, spikes are illegal. Even if hunting private land, I'd highly recommend against using spikes because of the long term damage to the trees. Arborist gear is heavy and loud because of all the metal. We arent trying to be quiet or lightweight while working. On the other hand, while hiking in long distances to hunt, the goal is to be as lightweight and quiet as possible. That's why most of the gear doesnt transfer over from arborist work to hunting very well

[@SaddleHunter]

I have used modified spikes on private land. They just weren't my cup of tea. Those arborist saddles aren't designed for our purposes, guys have tried them with very little success.

[@JasonGrizzleOwlteacher]

Thanks for this video. I've been very curious about the Drey. Did you notice any difference in comfort between the complete saddle kit vs. the retrofit kit?

[@fouts1323]

Exactly what I was gonna ask! I was considering the retrofit for late season.

[@SaddleHunter]

Just in that you will feel your current saddle being “pushed” against you. The flatter the saddle the better.

[@caninphx]

Very interesting.

[@TheHunter46176]

could you sit hip to tree and really lay back into it?

[@SaddleHunter]

Absolutely.

[@chuckwhite8365]

Great review! Is the saddle material waterproof? With all the extra material around you, I wonder how it will perform in the rain. Would it keep you dry or would you be sitting in a puddle?

[@SaddleHunter]

No it’s not waterproof. But the material Can be “angled in” if that makes sense. I don’t think it will pool.

[@Canadaman4403]

I wouldn’t hesitate to Gore-Tex treat it, They should add that as an option

[@mikewarner2742]

Hey Spencer, great video. Made my purchase and looking forward to some long comfortable hunts. Check out the bow from Hickory Creek Archery called the "mini". That bow will make an awesome hunt with my new hammock-saddle! Thanks!

[@SaddleHunter]

Hi @Mike Warner! I have eyeballed the Hickory Creek Archery bow for a few years now. I think it would be perfect for saddle hunting. My shoulder is giving me fits, so now might be the time to switch. Thanks again for watching and let me know if you have any questions.

[@randydeskins9359]

I have been wanting the Mini. Will probably be ordering one soon. Great reviews.

[@bumbadum87]

Just curious if you’re actually going to hunt out of it this year as your main saddle? Or do you plan on trying it a few times more so just for a review? Just wondering how serious people are about this saddle.

[@SaddleHunter]

I spend a lot of hours testing and hunting from every saddle I test. The Drey is my go to saddle when I hunt.

[@bumbadum87]

@@SaddleHunter Literally went to the Dryad shop today (they’re located close to me) to test them out and ended up walking out with one! Haha. They’re awesome!

[@titansfan2104]

I wish you would up your mic game!! its just not loud enough. :)

[@SaddleHunter]

So good news! I just bought a Rode Wireless Go, so from here on out the quality should be MUCH better. The issue in this video is that the mic is camera mounted and the wind sock made it quiet. Thanks for watching despite the bad audio.

[@DanesWorld2021]

My question is the one sticking ability with this

[@jeremywhitworth3774]

If you buy a dryad saddle now you can order it with lineman’s loops for the same price

[@SaddleHunter]

Yeah! Dane responded to feedback from early customer's very quickly.

[@tnc5473]

drink a beer every time he says "modular"

[@deerbeerdeerbeer]

What about when he says castration band?

[@timwaldroup9654]

Definitely different..

[@SaddleHunter]

It’s nice to see some innovation

[@stevie9361]

All id do in that is sleep. I can see it now. Cold morning just napping

[@daveyboy8907]

Like a caterpillar in a cocoon.

[@shannonball6666]

Lol hope there isn’t any pressure points. Lol you putting your whole body in it 😂

[@voxpopuli905]

Why do I feel like you’re trolling ?

[@cbxrman]

Hard Pass, always thought those had the full diaper look in other models this is way over full.

[@Perryfcog221]

I think this may be getting out of hand 😂

[@deerbeerdeerbeer]

Wtf?

[@StealthTRD]

Yall doing too much now lol

[@mr.skeptical3071]

Please tell me this is a joke! What a gimmick!!!