Old school cimber needs young gun advice.

[bergertree]

I've been in the tree business for 30 years. At least 25 full time tree climbing years. My climbing tools are as simple as it gets; simple 4 D saddle, climbing rope with tail tied to my snap. I guess you young guns can call that old school. I take alot of pride doing the job right. Good for the trees, good for the customer, good for my ground crew. As the years creep up on my body, I'm having trouble with my hips aching when I'm sittin my saddle. So I decided to upgrade the old 4 D saddle to a new Buckingham master deluxe. I chose this saddle because I was hoping that the leg straps would run on a different part of my hips. The saddle does this well, BUT I must not have it adjusted very well. When I'm hanging in the saddle, it tries to crush my nuts. This takes a lot of joy out of my work. So here it is, old school needs advice from all you young guns out there using those saddles with legs straps instead of a butt seat. What am I doing wrong, or do all you guys have cast iron balls.

 

[oldirty]

loosen up the leg staps? but the best cure for crushed nuts is indeed the bosun seat on the saddle.

help your climb out too by going onto a split tail system.

 

[tree MDS]

"Takes the joy out of my work". lol. I'll bet.

Yeah, I'd loosen em up good, thats what I did when I switched up. Heck, if your like me, you never used to have em anyways, so not a real safety concern.

 

[davej]

Sherrill has a tool that will eliminate your problem...

http://www.sherrilltree.com/Professional-Gear/Miscellaneous_2/Blue-Band-It-227

 

[Treetom]

Sherrill has a tool that will eliminate your problem...

http://www.sherrilltree.com/Professional-Gear/Miscellaneous_2/Blue-Band-It-227

Now that is not helping the brother out.

 

[treevet]

You may have been happier with the Pinnacle Classic w extra padding and suspenders like I got and I love it.

Once you start getting the hip pain its tough. You cannot exercise to improve it, you cannot take a steroid shot (in the hip) and often the only answer is retiring to management or getting the hip replaced.

 

[Jeff_Cochran]

you must lower the bridge and tighten the leg straps and but strap until you fell like you are going to fall over then tighten up the bridge and loosen leg straps and but straps until stable and upright when you sit in it. the bridge is not a second waist belt; it is adjustable. the waist belt is there to keep you in the harness not the bridge. also use the tie in points on the sides for full mobility. if you have a belly you will want to get the suspenders to keep the belt riding right. oh and your welcome

 

[treevet]

suspenders are great just for comfort and esp if you have to use something larger than a ms200. I don't have a belly but have narrow hips and the saddle can slide down.

 

[treemandan]

you must lower the bridge and tighten the leg straps and but strap until you fell like you are going to fall over then tighten up the bridge and loosen leg straps and but straps until stable and upright when you sit in it. the bridge is not a second waist belt; it is adjustable. the waist belt is there to keep you in the harness not the bridge. also use the tie in points on the sides for full mobility. if you have a belly you will want to get the suspenders to keep the belt riding right. oh and your welcome

I am really confused now and thanks.

 

[treemandan]

loosen up the leg staps? but the best cure for crushed nuts is indeed the bosun seat on the saddle.

help your climb out too by going onto a split tail system.

Probably the best bet.

 

[Jeff_Cochran]

I am really confused now and thanks.

it's purrty simple if you can follow instructions. 1. throw rope over low crotch that you can sit on without touching trunk or ground. 2. tighten waist belt. 3. tighten leg straps. 4. tighten but straps. 5. tighten bridge. 6. sit in harness. 7. feel nuts crunch. 8. loosen bridge via straps on side of harness. tighten legs straps and but straps. 9. sit on rope. 10. repeat adjusting the bridge lower and lower until center of gravity is high and you are falling backwards when sitting on rope. 11. now reverse the procedure. tightening the bridge mm at a time until your cog is correct and you are sitting upright on the rope with no fatigue. DON'T OVER THINK THIS JUST FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS; I KNOW THIS IS HARD FOR SOME OF YOU. IF FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS IS THAT HARD, THEN DON'T PLAY IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. :chainsawguy:

 

[Jeff_Cochran]

probably the best bet.

the best cure for crushed nuts is a properly adjusted saddle. Bosun seats were designed for hip crushing problems. and if you've ever sat on one of your nuts while climbing in a bosun seat you'll agree.

 

[treevet]

. Bosun seats were designed for hip crushing problems

I disagree with that opinion....just checked your stats....you're 30 years old, the OP has been climbing for 30 years. This is the source of his hip problems.

It is not the hip crushing, it is the hip pivoting under stress IMO.

PS. Once you got the saddle broke in and adjusted right you may want to try the OD trick and duct tape the adjusters as they will work their way outta adj.

 

[treemandan]

it's purrty simple if you can follow instructions. 1. throw rope over low crotch that you can sit on without touching trunk or ground. 2. tighten waist belt. 3. tighten leg straps. 4. tighten but straps. 5. tighten bridge. 6. sit in harness. 7. feel nuts crunch. 8. loosen bridge via straps on side of harness. tighten legs straps and but straps. 9. sit on rope. 10. repeat adjusting the bridge lower and lower until center of gravity is high and you are falling backwards when sitting on rope. 11. now reverse the procedure. tightening the bridge mm at a time until your cog is correct and you are sitting upright on the rope with no fatigue. DON'T OVER THINK THIS JUST FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS; I KNOW THIS IS HARD FOR SOME OF YOU. IF FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS IS THAT HARD, THEN DON'T PLAY IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. :chainsawguy:

I was just being silly. But , seriously, that is a lot to do. Tighten this , loosen that, bend over, sit on rope... did you say something about a butt strap?

 

[davej]

I'm having trouble with my hips aching when I'm sittin my saddle. So I decided to upgrade the old 4 D saddle to a new Buckingham master deluxe.

There are also a few saddles which offer a rigid bosun seat, but I don't remember which ones.

Edit:
Oh yeah -- see the Pinnacle saddle in the other thread; "do you prefer leg loops or butt strap saddles?"

 

[treemandan]

There are also a few saddles which offer a rigid bosun seat, but I don't remember which ones.

The Cougar is rather stiff. Works good and comfy.

 

[davej]

The Cougar is rather stiff. Works good and comfy.

Oh yeah, look up the version of the Cougar saddle with the batten seat.

 

[treemandan]

Oh yeah, look up the version of the Cougar saddle with the batten seat.

Goes for 300.00 with the seat now.

 

[treevet]

I think the hardest thing for me over the years (on the hips) has been slashing off very heavy branches and holding them swinging back and forth (by the butt) until you can get them in position to toss.

It is esp. hard on the hips in the bucket because you tend to one hand swing and toss even more weight and you are pivoting against the bucket. But it is also hard climbing. Next time you do it try to feel where the stress and strain is going.

I wouldn't be anywhere without that tech. tho.

 

[eljefe]

Re: Saddle pinch

Hi, Ouch! Dang. I've never used a B'ham master deluxe but I looked at the several pictures. Probably would depend on your build, but it seems to me with the leg straps buckling so high up close to the bridge that this would be endemic with this saddle. On my Euc Man the buckles are down lower. The strap around the leg is positoned further from the waist belt. Previously, I was using a bosun seat type of saddle that I had stiffened the seat in. The stiffening made it much better, but still 4 hours continuous was, frankly speaking, painful. The Euc Man (Sierra Moreno in Hagerstown, Md) is much more comfortable in all respects I'm sorry to say that since you already own the B'ham that you might never like the way it pinches the pods. Though I would encourage you to follow Jeff's advice and adjust as he suggests. Doing so might make it much better. Good Luck. Eljefe