Big brown truck

[MasterBlaster]

Allright, ya'll talked me into it-I'm dropping the butt saddle, and getting one with leg straps. I'm also getting The Fly instead of my usual Safety Blue. I ordered the Navaho V2 BOD cause that way-cool sternal D looked like it could come in handy, and my noassatol demands suspenders. Anybody out there tried this one on yet? My previous saddle was a Traverse, but I didn't care to much for it- I used a standard wide-backed Weaver, but they don't last forever. I hope I like this expensive($249) BOD , I have high hopes for it! on another note, I did a T/D on a 70-year-old Water Oak today with a 40 ton-those 40 tons are AWESOME! It was all good. But HOT!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Ain't nobody tried this saddle yet?

 

[ramanujan]

i bought the petzl navaho (w/o the shoulder straps) for sport climbing but i don't use it much because of the tie in point. there's only one, and it's designed to hold you vertical, so as soon as you try and turn against the pull of the rope, the saddle tries to turn on your body and/or it's very awkward and inconvenient. so imo it's not good for much except ascending and rappeling, although the attachment D constantly falls between the climber's legs whenever it is not loaded.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Thanks, guys. The single attachment point has me worried-I started out climbing with a 4-dee saddle, and moved on to a floating dee as soon as I saw one. I'm also concerned about the nut binding factor, but I'm tired of getting my legs/arse squeezed by the buttstrap, and I don't care for a rigid bosun seat(Traverse). Thats cool, I'm gonna hang on to the box to send back, if needed! So far, no positive comments? THAT sucks!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Oh, I forgot, the BOD has a Sternal D. THATS what attracted me to the saddle in the first place. I'm hoping to use that dee the most, if it feels right.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

BK bought one at the last TCI, we tried it out at a park while the students were climbing.

I sucked. No good points I can remember....well it was light...and it did HURT.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Originally posted by John Paul Sanborn
BK bought one at the last TCI, we tried it out at a park while the students were climbing.

I sucked. No good points I can remember....well it was light...and it did HURT.

Uh-oh, that don't sound good at all-man, now I'm worried. It should arrive tomorrow.

 

[NickfromWI]

don't do it!

That sternal-d? Are you just going to be using this for fall arrest while working in a bucket, or is this for climbing. One d ring only in the back seems a pain to advance a friction hitch.

love
nick

 

[MasterBlaster]

Re: don't do it!

Originally posted by NickfromWI
That sternal-d? Are you just going to be using this for fall arrest while working in a bucket, or is this for climbing. One d ring only in the back seems a pain to advance a friction hitch.

love
nick

No bucket truck, just pure climbing. The key word in sternal-dee is 'sternal'. It is a second dee that attaches at the breastbone-thats what intrigues me about this saddle. I think I could use that attachment point on several occasions.

 

[ramanujan]

on a positive note, although i may be disremembering, i believe that Bernd Strasser won last year's ITCC in a Navaho BOD, tied into the sternal D. I think that there is a pic of him in it on the cover of Arborist News.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Great!!!

 

[tjk]

He , like many other itcc climbers only wear the petzl for the footlock event.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Well I'm gonna try to have a positive outlook, but if it sucks I will send it back. I hope I don't wish I would have bought another Weaver instead. At least everyone likes the Fly, I probally will too.

 

[Stumper]

MB, I hope that te Navaho pleases you. If it doesn't then try a Ness Work Saddle. I have yet to talk with anyone who has tried it that didn't at least think it was good. Most think it is fabulous. it definitely beats my old Weaver for comfort-6ways from Sunday as the saying goes!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If you want a full harness, look into the BryDan from Sierra-Moreno. It is designed for tree work.

I tried it, but i'm tall and big across the shoulders, and my center of gravity was too far off. I know a short little power lifter in Iowa who just loves his.

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[MasterBlaster]

Man, I can't believe it - I just got my Petzl V2 BOD, tried it out, and it is the worst POS that I've strapped on in my life! I mean, it might be me or something I'm kinda old school(60%Euc,40%Oak). It was EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE. I know I'm new to leg saddles, but they must be better than this. Rborist1, I'm trying to get away from a buttstrap/bosun seat saddle, and I don't know if I'll ever look at Petzl again. I went to Sierra-Moreno's website, but I couldn't find a pic of a BryDan saddle: Ness looked nice, but I don't like the attachment style, and the padding looked comfortable but not durable-I wish I could see it in person. How well does it handle daily wear/tear/sweat soakings? It looked kinda delicate, maybe I'm wrong. Since I ordered it from Sherrill, I'll return it and swap it out for a good 'ole Weaver, but this time with legstraps. I hope like heck I can adapt readily to legstraps, 'cause I've been getting my arse squished in buttstraps now for over 25 years. I'm anxious to experience the greater ROM that legstrap saddles look like they can provide, but I gotta have a floating-D. On a more positive note, the Fly looks like its gonna be a nice rope. Its a little thinner than the ropes I've ever used before, but I think I will get used to it. Oh well, so much for showing off my new saddle on Monday!

 

[MasterBlaster]

I WISH we had a store like that. I'm forced to buy sight unseen, and it seems every time I stray from the norm I get screwed. I KNOW what Weaver offers, even if its not my 'perfect saddle'. I'm just apprehensive about the whole buttstrap/legstrap switcharoo. IMO, there are a lot more crappy saddles out there than good ones. I need to attend one of those arborist convention things to probally have a chance to check gear out hands on.

 

[Stumper]

MB, I know what you mean about the Ness looking flimsy. When you get it in your hands that impression fades. I talked to I climber who has had his for 4 years-still looks about like new just a little duller. I was climbing on a Weaver 1040 (Wide back, buttstrap and floating D) The Ness is Sooooooooo much more comfortable.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Thanks for the link, Brian. I'm gonna check it out. Stumper, the Ness DOES look very comfortable: I'm just leary about that style of attachment, it looks like a potential PITA to me. I've grown quite accustomed to a floating dee, and I do a LOT of trims. Perhaps, after viewing the Ness, I will do some mods on a Weaver to make it like a Ness. I don't know, I'll decide something by Monday. Oh well, I'm off to do a little sat morn TD. Later!