Tethrd Eberhart Signature Saddle Kit - LONG TERM Review

[@calhiser8265]

Thanks so nice to hear a fresh perspective on this saddle.

[@huntkillcook]

Thanks Cal! We appreciate you watching and contributing to the community!

[@ajorelli6875]

So I have the ESS also and love the concept and the comfort. However I have had trouble when wearing it to the tree and then descending afterwards. I had two Molly pouches. Those are nice to keep the ropes right with it but for this saddle they do not work. I took them off and I like the saddle more now. Also another tip I picked up from watching John is to wrap the linemen rope completely around you when walking and hook it back to the saddle. Keeps everything tight and nothing moves while walking and then your ready to climb that much faster.

[@huntkillcook]

Ah YES AJ, I remember seeing him do that but I completely forgot until now :D Thanks for commenting!

[@gordonneverdies]

Yeah the pouches didn't work unfortunately. The top panel would always sag under the lower one. I recently got some smaller sterling oplux ropes and it helped a bunch. Now I can leave the lineman's rope on the harness or even put it in my pocket while I'm hanging. Did you see John's video about customizing the saddle? I'm going to send it out this off season.

[@huntkillcook]

I didn't see it.

[@Im.hurtnLinda]

100% recommend putting an adjustable strap to hold both panels together when walking but adjusts loose when sitting. This mod has fixed the fiddle factor with my ESS.

[@huntkillcook]

Ooo bowhuntr00 that's a GREAT idea, thanks for sharing! I will probably end up doing that to mine.

[@houseatreides6683]

​@@huntkillcookI'm havin some trouble with hip pinching with my ess can you offer me some pointers? I've tried everything I can think of. I've adjusted the tether height, adjusted the bridge length, adjusted where the panels are sitting. What am I doing wrong? I'm 6 foot 1, 190 lbs for reference.

[@huntkillcook]

I'm sorry you're dealing with that! Hip pinching is no fun. I'm pretty close to your size and I only really have issues when my bridge is too long. The saddle is basically a triangle, with the seat being the base and the bridge extending up to make up the sides of the triangle; meeting at the tether's carabiner. The longer your bridge is, the more pressure that gets exerted on the outside of your hips, squeezing your body. The shorter your bridge is, the less pressure. Now this only works to an extent as you can only shorten your bridge so much (which you said you've already done). For reference my bridge is set to 17 inches and that seems to be a sweet spot for me. I'm sure that you've already done this but, when you're not hunting, spend some time hanging at ground level. Make an adjustment and sit there for a while to see how it feels. Then make another small change until you find your sweet spot. Sometimes just a half inch can make all the difference. Also, to gauge your expectations, those who say that "it's like an armchair in the tree" are full of it. I regularly shift my panels around and lengthen/shorten my tether. Sometimes I'm leaning for an hour or two (with the panels around my butt and lower back) and then I switch to sitting for a while. Sometimes the panels are directly overlapping one another, and sometimes they are separated. That's what I love about the two-panel saddle, you *can* make those adjustments to suit your needs. When sitting is no longer comfortable, change it up and give your hips/rear a break. (Someone mentioned padded biker shorts underneath your camo to make things more comfortable, that sounded like a very real possibility for me this season. Maybe try that too :D) Hopefully that helps some and you're able to make it work for you! Keep us posted! If you're still having issues, maybe we can do a zoom/skype call to see if there's something else that can be done. - Andre

[@houseatreides6683]

@@huntkillcook thank you for the detailed response. I'll keep you posted on how it goes. That was my first long term sit in my saddle so I think I just have to keep making adjustments until I find the sweet spot. I will try all the things you suggested including the padded biker shorts which actually sounds like a heck of an idea. I'll get the biggest, thickest frikkin pads I can find! Haha. I'm confident the pads will help. I'll try to remember to come back to this post and let you know how it goes

[@huntkillcook]

My pleasure! Go forth with the good will of all hunters behind you and pack that freezer.

[@cheyennesouth6083]

The bloopers are my favorite 👏🏼

[@blackdeath5026]

I have the ESS and it works great, i use amsteel for the bridge and DO NOT use the prusic knot, and as another stated wrap it around your waist and it keeps everything snug so walking is more comfortable, get rid of the prusic knot

[@huntkillcook]

Awesome thanks for sharing!

[@gordonneverdies]

If you connect the medal D loops with a small carabiner itll tighten it up around your waist for the walk in. The best option would be to have a custom tightening strap like on John's own saddle. He has a great video about it.

[@huntkillcook]

Thanks for weighing in! I didn't think about using a carabiner to connect the D loops. Looking forward to giving it a try.

[@Im.hurtnLinda]

Had my ESS modified by the Amish gentleman that John recomends. 1,000% recomend.

[@huntkillcook]

I can't say I know that mod. What did he do for you?

[@Im.hurtnLinda]

@@huntkillcook look up ESS mods on eberhart outdoors youtube channel. Basically the waist belt to a quick adjust strap and buckle on it. Permanently sewed bridge. Zero issues with it now.

[@huntkillcook]

Thanks!

[@maniroquai]

Thx mate

[@cherylsouth8886]

Love the bloopers! What a handsome guy in the video!

[@Maykell101s]

I’m here for the bloopers 😂

[@scottcook8154]

Any recommendations on the bridge that squeaks on the d ring of the ESS saddle? Thanks

[@huntkillcook]

If I understand correctly, the fabric of your bridge is rubbing on the metal D-ring and making a squeaking sound as you move around? If that's the case I would suggest inspecting it carefully first to make sure that everything is in order and not loose. My ESS definitely doesn't squeak at all, thinking of safety first. If everything is fine, then I would use something like stealth strips. Here's a link (it's an affiliate link FYI) amzn.to/3SfofvU for your convenience. I haven't personally used stealth strips yet but I know that a ton of people that do and love them. They're great for silencing things that go squeak or clang. I've been meaning to buy some and just hadn't gotten around to it, until now, so thank you for reminding me 😊. I would just wrap the tape all the way around the D-rings and call it good. I would make sure that the bridge could still move freely around the D-rings. If it can't move freely I would remove the stealth strips and try something else. Thanks for the question and I'm curious to know how it goes for you. Go fill that freezer! **Disclaimer** This is not advice, and am not telling you to do anything. Simply what I might try if I were in your situation. Tree saddles are inherently dangerous and doing anything to alter its design, however minor, is done at your own risk.

[@chrismcneil5543]

I used it for 2 years and the time has come to try another saddle with no D-rings. They are not practical for resting a firearm or crossbow on your bridge and they hurt my wrists and hands when I’m hanging with my hands in my coat pockets which I do a lot to keep movement to a minimum.

[@huntkillcook]

I have no experience resting a gun on the bridge but I can see how that might be difficult. Most of the time when I'm in the sitting position my arms are around the bridge with my hands in my jacket pockets. It sounds like yours might be underneath. Thanks for commenting!

[@greyhawk-111]

👍

[@TheFarmlegend]

If you must use dump sacks or if you strongly prefer to wear your saddle on your hike in to your stand, this saddle is not for you. Both are essential for me.

[@huntkillcook]

Thanks for the input! I don't use dump sacks but use a large fanny pack instead. I do still wear my saddle into the woods with me, currently I'm dealing with the annoyance but will probably try one of the many suggestions offered in the comments here.