The Dan rates the Cougar

[Nailsbeats]

Nice work Dan, good to see you out doing your product evaluations. I put the shackles back on the B-fly and am running 2 bridges on it now, the stock one and a rope one. The rope one just goes through the shackles and has a fat stopper knot on it that can't pull through. This way I can clip in to separate bridges on a double crotch or any other fancy smancy move. During regular climbing I clip around both bridges as a fail safe.

The Cougar looks like a good compromise between old school tree and new rock type gear. I think they should name their next saddle the Milf, ya know, for marketing purposes.opcorn:

 

[(WLL)]

hay Dan

i like the b2's stationary d-rings, does your big cat belt have that same luxury?

 

[Ed Roland]

Now that is a geetar player. Nice voice too. The songs are put together, lots of soul.

This one may especially appeal. I believe i read somewhere that you have some experience with herbs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryLqfNwSSFE&feature=related

 

[treemandan]

Nice work Dan, good to see you out doing your product evaluations. I put the shackles back on the B-fly and am running 2 bridges on it now, the stock one and a rope one. The rope one just goes through the shackles and has a fat stopper knot on it that can't pull through. This way I can clip in to separate bridges on a double crotch or any other fancy smancy move. During regular climbing I clip around both bridges as a fail safe.

The Cougar looks like a good compromise between old school tree and new rock type gear. I think they should name their next saddle the Milf, ya know, for marketing purposes.opcorn:

That is a real slick idea there. It is easy to hit the two big floating dees on the 2 inch wide bridge on the red weaver. A little more tricky with these newer ones. I find my bridge sees a lot of traffic and congestion can get overwhelming. I usually have a bineer to clip the rig line when moving around plus I use multiple tips for comfort and ease.
I wasn't surprised the little rope bridge had such a short life and I am kinda glad its over. Yeah, WLL, I looked at the size and set up of the steel pivot rings, I wanted to be sure I could improvise. Dam! Great idea Nails. Two ropes of different color... add another lane on the bridge for rush hour.

I might have room to get two web bridges on there. wouldn't that be the cats meow? I should just cut the bridge off now, see what it looks like.

 

[Nailsbeats]

Thats right Dan, rush hour. The idea came to me when I though about my old Buckingham butt strap saddle and how I used to have to clip to both D's, as if to say, Clip (here's your life), Clip (here's a little insurance policy). You know, it was as if the Buck was transcending all elements of space and time and communicating to me, like a ghost from the past, telling me what it already knows. Now that I am not relying on one bridge anymore, the Buck can finally rest in peace. I am sure I'm not the first guy to do it, but it was the experience I was after.

As for the Sugoi, I will get a pic and rundown as soon as possible, we have a date tommorow.

 

[B-Edwards]

Dan I saw orange saddles and cant tell for sure so I will ask, how does this saddle compare to a buckingham master? I have never had a saddle with a seat either and want to ask the rest of you that do what you think? I am also looking for a saddle to do some prunning in I dont mind spending the money because what climbing I do from here on I want to be as comfortable as I can. I have looked at the saddle that German fellow helped develope. Any thoughts?

 

[Nailsbeats]

Edwards, for prunning I would get a saddle with legstraps. This gives your legs freedom of movement. When I switched from the old buttstrap saddle (after 15 years) I couldn't believe the difference. It is also more comfortable to hang in IMO. Nice padded/wide legstraps are the ticket here. I went with the B-fly because it was lightweight, had a wideback, modular, fixed (stiff) side D's, quick snaps on all the straps, and had a small comfortable belt.

If you do a lot of hanging around the solid seat is the ultimate, my B-fly saddle can have a seat added (modular is the term). If you add the seat it is called the Dragonfly.

I have no time for the buttstrap style anymore as they pinch your hips and inhibit leg movement the second you put weight on them. Big heavy leather, buckles, and grommets just aren't very comfortable.

 

[tree MDS]

I think I'm gonna try the dragonfly 2, seems like a good saddle.

Maybe even the hitchclimber thingy there like oldirty reccomended.

I'm sick of feeling obsolete on this site whenever this stuff comes up, lol.

 

[B-Edwards]

Edwards, for prunning I would get a saddle with legstraps. This gives your legs freedom of movement. When I switched from the old buttstrap saddle (after 15 years) I couldn't believe the difference. It is also more comfortable to hang in IMO. Nice padded/wide legstraps are the ticket here. I went with the B-fly because it was lightweight, had a wideback, modular, fixed (stiff) side D's, quick snaps on all the straps, and had a small comfortable belt.

If you do a lot of hanging around the solid seat is the ultimate, my B-fly saddle can have a seat added (modular is the term). If you add the seat it is called the Dragonfly.

I have no time for the buttstrap style anymore as they pinch your hips and inhibit leg movement the second you put weight on them. Big heavy leather, buckles, and grommets just aren't very comfortable.

Thanks and yes the butt -strap is so painful to me, I have had three master saddles and although they were an improvement over that butt-strap, looking at the improved saddles makes me want one, just trying to decide which one.

 

[TreeTopKid]

Nice work Dan, good to see you out doing your product evaluations. I put the shackles back on the B-fly and am running 2 bridges on it now, the stock one and a rope one. The rope one just goes through the shackles and has a fat stopper knot on it that can't pull through. This way I can clip in to separate bridges on a double crotch or any other fancy smancy move. During regular climbing I clip around both bridges as a fail safe.

The Cougar looks like a good compromise between old school tree and new rock type gear. I think they should name their next saddle the Milf, ya know, for marketing purposes.opcorn:

I use a Butterfly II but the original bridge wore out really quickly, ordered 2 x stock replacements. I'm going to look at fitting both now it sounds good. Any advice. I cannot locate any Loctite 22. Do you know of a stockist. Thanks in advance. Have a great Christmas.

 

[oldirty]

I think I'm gonna try the dragonfly 2, seems like a good saddle.

Maybe even the hitchclimber thingy there like oldirty reccomended.

I'm sick of feeling obsolete on this site whenever this stuff comes up, lol.

i am either having a heart attack or my heart is swollen with pride. thanks man. lol

i am on the dfly. with the seat, i love the seat. my first saddle had it too. just be sure to keep the leg straps loose so you have full range of movement with your legs.

i still have the original bridge on the belt but i added safety blue rope bridge because i was sick of looking at the original bridge while i climbed or hung from the ball. i do use that ring on the bridge to girth hitch a sling when i use my dual ascender for footlocking. other than that i am clipped to the rope bridge.

 

[tree MDS]

Thanks to you for helping me decide on this stuff oldirty, I need help from you whippersnappers from time to time, lol.

Seriously though, turn 36 next month and I gotta turn it up a notch before I get too old to really enjoy this stuff anymore. Besides I'm getting sick of all these payments so I gotta really bust some trees up next year, lol.

Climbing has always been my specialty, so I just need to get up to date again to stay on top of my game. I guess I got kind of complacent after being the only one that knew anything for a decade or so on my own.

I hope that saddle works out for me, too bad I'm probably gonna have to wait till spring - I just got a premium bill on my w/c policy, 1800, ouch!

 

[Nailsbeats]

Don't do it MDS, it's just a money pit!

Just kidding, it's comfortable and a lot of fun. Really though, it gets rediculous spending money. My old man has been complacent for 4 decades, so he feels your pain. He still thinks he's the only guy that knows what's going on, somedays I think he's right, lol. Climbing gear aside, that guy could bring any tree down with a "wiffle bat" to quote The Dan.

Get all the fancy crap, but pay special attention to your climbing hitch setup. That is the biggest change IMO and the most personal. It will change how you move in the tree.

Here was my progression: Fixed tail with a 3:1 tautline hitch
Split tail with Blakes hitch and micro pulley
Closed XT Hitch with 8mm Bee line and micro pulley

I am sure you'll get all the help you need to get the best bang for you buck.

 

[Nailsbeats]

I use a Butterfly II but the original bridge wore out really quickly, ordered 2 x stock replacements. I'm going to look at fitting both now it sounds good. Any advice. I cannot locate any Loctite 22. Do you know of a stockist. Thanks in advance. Have a great Christmas.

Loctite?, don't they sell that stuff at Walmart or any hardware store?

Just do what I did with a 2nd rope bridge with stopper knots. The only thing I can see with this is the rope bridge will rub the stock bridge in the shackles, I will monitor it for now. I guy could add a second set of shackles or something, I will play around as usual, it never ends.

 

[Adkpk]

To be honest I have not yet tried and I apologize my friend. I just do what Nails told me to do with photobucket.
Do you have a problem seeing his material? I do have to start organizing the 65 pages of photos I took in the last 6 months. I am learning still and I am sorry if you do not get to see the pics. Hope to have some time to look into it, I do procrastinate. I have been meaning to read this book I just bought called " How to get up and get dressed" but I gas the saws the day before.

Danny boy it's easy as pie, man. It's just a dropdown menu preference then it works automatically whenever you upload your pics. I can see your pics fine just takes more time than I can't afford to open them while up here at the weekender. Plus I need to scroll all over the place to read your content.

Oldirty, I tried the hitchclimber it went right back to Sherrill in the next mail truck. It never made it out of my living room. I ordered it with a hank of Tachyon and a piece of bee line for a split tail and that looks like the winner for me. Too much going on with the hitch climber for me.

I am sorry I don't have a report on the set up but I although I have had a few climbs I have not been in a tree with the new rope. (I didn't want to get it sticky in a couple of white pines I dead wooded). I have been too busy to post much of anything and my computer needed to visit the shop there for a bit. I wanted to do some climbing today but it's raining atop of the foot and a half of snow we have here. Good thread going on here.

 

[tree MDS]

"Danny boy", lol.

It is looking like a good thread isnt it.

Hey nails, post a pic of this bridge action when you get a chance, would ya??

 

[Nailsbeats]

I will try to get some tomorrow. I have to grab one of the Sugoi too, it went on a diet. Maybe even tonight if I can get home at a decent time.

 

[stihl sawing]

Man, You got some climbing equipment. All them ropes and caribiners hanging off the saddle makes it look confusing to me. Yeah i know i ain't no climber. Just amazed at you guys and how you climb with all that stuff hangin off of you. Keep up the good work.

 

[Nailsbeats]

Hear's the gear.

I got these shots of the setup today.


Here is the bridge.

This is my standard flipline, it's about 9 feet of 1/2" New England Hi-Vee with a Gibbs adjuster and a steel rope clip tied on the other end. Don't forget the swivel snap on the stopper knot.

The Silky Sugoi mods. I cut off most of the stop on the end of the handle and bevelled the edges with my bandsaw. I took a grinding wheel to the end of the blade and made a rope grabber. The last shot shows how I slimmed down the scabbord by cutting off the leg mounts.

 

[custom8726]

Thanks to you for helping me decide on this stuff oldirty, I need help from you whippersnappers from time to time, lol.

Seriously though, turn 36 next month and I gotta turn it up a notch before I get too old to really enjoy this stuff anymore. Besides I'm getting sick of all these payments so I gotta really bust some trees up next year, lol.

Climbing has always been my specialty, so I just need to get up to date again to stay on top of my game. I guess I got kind of complacent after being the only one that knew anything for a decade or so on my own.

I hope that saddle works out for me, too bad I'm probably gonna have to wait till spring - I just got a premium bill on my w/c policy, 1800, ouch!

X2!! I am in desperate need of some new gear, Im just so use to my old school set up its hard to ajust to something new.

Nails- What do you use on your bridge? Just a beaner or something else? I like the safety rope for a back up.