Xop -20%
Contributors to this thread:Massachusetts
From: Arrownoob
29-Jan-24
I noticed xop has 20% off. They make a pretty cool hang on called retrograde. 6lbs and has 2 straps. I want a mobile set up for my son next year and thought this might be good for him to stand hunt and maybe me to saddle hunt. Anyone ever use this? They have a cheap saddle on there that’s also a full body harness. You can saddle hunt of connect like a trad safety harness. It’s $120 so tempting, since I already have some old sticks for him.
From: Will
30-Jan-24
Friend of mine got the Retrograde last year Noob. He loves it. Still mostly saddle hunts, but if he thinks he will be in longer than 3hrs he uses the Retrograde and has really enjoyed it.
From: Jebediah
30-Jan-24
That saddle/harness thing is really intriguing. And the price is remarkable.
From: Arrownoob
30-Jan-24
Jeb the comfort level looks sketchy but I don’t want to buy a $1000 saddle set up for my son. (Saddle, sticks, ropes, platform.) I might buy a sweet lightweight hangon for my son and take it back when he goes to college tho. My son is 15 and was forged in Covid when there was literally nothing else to do. I dragged him out a few times and he fell asleep waiting for the sun to come up. My younger one doesn’t have any interest in shooting a turkey right in the face, which confuses me. He’s 12. What 12 year Old wouldn’t want to shoot a turkey? Anyway- seems like that harness and hangon seems interesting.
From: Arrownoob
30-Jan-24
Well I just bought the stand, mondo, backpack straps and some attachment straps. Let’s see how it goes!
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
31-Jan-24
Hopefully better than “dad I don’t wanna hunt this year” otherwise you got some new stuff noob! Lol
From: Jebediah
31-Jan-24
The “suspender” part of that saddle would be nice for keeping it from sliding down while walking. Also safer, I suspect. And could get rid of our collection of conventional harnesses. Very tempted…
From: Will
31-Jan-24
Jeb - in 22, I got the basic suspenders Tetherd sells. They are just sorta stretchy suspenders that go into the molle loops on your saddle. Frankly, out of all the damn money I've spent getting my saddle set up to a place I like it, that 30 or 40 bucks was the best money I spent. They are AWESOME!
From: Arrownoob
31-Jan-24
The mondo seems to satisfy some things for me: -This year we used the cheap free safety harness and it sucked. - saddles are not fall arrest systems. -saddles fall when walking and it gets worse with adding weight -saddles and ropes are expensive This thing allows for stand hunting with a dorsal attachment as well as hip rings for a bridge. Comes with lineman’s belt, tether, and bridge. It won’t fall when walking. It’s $120.
From: Jebediah
31-Jan-24
It would be neat if those hang-on stands where you can adjust the level actually had a little built-in bubble level. Maybe some do, I don’t know.
From: Arrownoob
31-Jan-24
What are you placing a full champagne coupe there while you hunt?
From: Jebediah
31-Jan-24
You’re seriously trying to tell me you hunt without champagne?
From: Big Dog
31-Jan-24
Got to hydrate and propose toasts to chickadees
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
31-Jan-24
I thought you drank champagne from a flute???
From: Jebediah
31-Jan-24
Not in a treestand, obviously. A flute would be crazy. Treestand champagne is drunk from a trombone.
From: Cougar
01-Feb-24
I bet u could get a little bubble level and super glue it to the side if u wanted
From: Cougar
01-Feb-24
From: Jebediah
01-Feb-24
Even the magnet would probably be fine, maybe even better. Noob joking aside when I’m using my climber and it winds up not really level, which is most of the time, it drives me nuts.
From: Arrownoob
01-Feb-24
That cannot be calculated at the base of the tree. All I do is estimate the difference in thickness and exaggerate angle accordingly. Don’t you bring a water bottle? You can rest the Nalgene on the stand and see.
From: Lunker
01-Feb-24
Or your eyeball. Unless your crooked
From: Jebediah
01-Feb-24
Nope, I bring my water in a flute. And my champagne in a trombone.
From: MA-PAdeerslayer
01-Feb-24
A champagne flute….a fancy class. You musical enthusiast
From: Big Dog
02-Feb-24
Cougar, champagne's got bubbles that will eventually level ya, LOL.
From: Arrownoob
06-Feb-24
I got that stand and the backpack straps. It’s 7 pounds. My sticks are pretty heavy but he’s stuck with them for a year until we upgrade. Technology keeps getting better and prices might be better too.
From: Will
06-Feb-24
Sweet stand Noob!
From: Arrownoob
06-Feb-24
There are 4 bits of metal in the platform that I can’t figure out what they are for. Does anyone know? There’s two closer together near the tree and two near the cable connections. You Can see them in the photo.
From: Blood
06-Feb-24
Those are just T posts to lash your gear to your stand if you want to. That stand is small!
