TreeMotion saddle vs. Weaver Couger; underdog winner??

[ApexTreeService]

Ok, I bought the TreeMotion a couple of years ago. Fast forward to now. I just bought 2 Weaver Couger saddles for my nephews at $185, and they seem like they are built WAY better than mine. Theirs: Memory foam, much thicker, belt style waist buckle instead of quick snap, MUCH thicker webbing, and actual leather whenever possible, way beefier all around feel, mainly I was impressed with the thickness of the stitching, webbing, leather, padding, and amount of storage loops. The padding on my saddle at 3x's the price is 3 times thinner! My saddle pro's: second set of lower d rings for lanyard, longer bridge for increased movement. That's it. I, actually think mine is uncomfortable.

 

[treemandan]

I hear ya but check for recalls on the Weaver. The leg strap version goes for about 220 in the stores around here.

 

[imagineero]

I tried a lot of different saddles before buying a treemotion without having ever climbed on it. Buying a saddle is a very personal thing, but the 2 biggest variables are your size/weight, and the style of climbing you do (on spurs, hitch climbng, limb walking, a lot of rope hanging etc).

Im a fat bastard, so I was looking for a big fat padded saddle. I'm also a gear head, so I wanted to be able to carry a lot of stuff. Most of my work is technical, so I do carry quite a bit.

My initial impressions of the treemotion were really good. I'd only ever climbed on fixed bridges before, so the floating bridge as a real revelation to me. I was also very happy with the padding, leg straps, and infinite number of gearconfiguration options (still playing that that!). So far I've got a couple of carritool beeners as well as a few gear loops that I'm experimenting with. I don't carry tools on my leg loops (anybody?). I'm not overly impressed with the saw clip in point, It doesnt carry an 044 let alone an 066. I don't carry a first aid kit in the tree, so that isnt a big selling point to me.

My biggest let down with the treemotion has been the sizing. There was very little info available from aus suppliers about sizing, but all suppliers assured me it was big enough. Aus websites listed it as being suitbale for my size/weight, but when i received the harness (nobody in my area stocked it) and read through the manual I found it was recommended for 30"-36" waist and 220lbs. I'm a 42" waist, and 240lbs.

Much to my surprise, the treemotion fit quite well, so I guess their sizing is conservative. I do wish the rings were further forward because after any more than an hour in spurs leaning on a flipline, they start to dig into my hips. I think this harness would be really idea for someone in the reccomended waist size, but even for me it does quite well. If I had my choice again, I'd probably get an ergovation, because I think from memory they make one in my size.

To add insult to injury, they dropped the aus sell price by nearly $200 about a month after I bought mine.

I've never climbed on a cougar, but I think they are more suited to skinnier guys who move around in the tree a lot. I think you'd suffer if you spent a lot of time hanging off a rope in one.

Shaun

 

[ApexTreeService]

Yeah the rings on the treemotion dig into my hips as well, sore next day. I have 2 large caritools on the belt, and 2 small on the legs. Seems to work fine. I've had to waist belt quick snap come ondone on several occasions while contorting to reach for something. The couger has a belt style with holes.

I know the couger has had two recalls. One for a failure of the aluminum rings (there are two on it that tie the webbing together) and the bridge. If I heard right, both had a failure without injury. Guess they got the bugs worked out lol, what else could go wrong.

 

[arborpros]

I bought a Treemotion about 6 months ago and I really don't have anything bad to say about it. It was a little pricey but if you are going to buy a saddle, why not get exactly what you want. I did not let price dictate what I was going to buy as I am the one climbing in it and I am the one endangering my life so I bought what I thought was going to be the most comfortable and the most buildable to my needs.

I run two large caritools on the sides and various other little clips and beaners to hold all kinds of things but I normally only climb with what I think I need. No excess you know. If I find myself needing something, I'll just have it sent up to me and there is always a place for it.

I guess the only downfall with the Treemotion IMO would be that when you tie on anything other than a top handle saw it will sag wherever you clip the saw and that sucks. The red loop on the back for a chainsaw lanyard is a nice addition. I use a tear away lanyard with elastic in it so it stays pretty compact and does not get in the way all the time.

All in all I really like my Treemotion. The floating bridge took some getting used to but with a little time to adjust all the straps and I can comfortably climb all day with little to no discomfort and I have not had my nuts smashed by the leg straps yet. 9-9.5 out of 10.

John

 

[Frax]

My saddle is comfortable, will probably outlast a nuclear event and I can hang enough crap from it to spend a weekend in a tree. But it weighs 9 pounds, and when I add the gear, saw, boots and all the other stuff I wear in a tree - suddenly i'm no lightweight any more.
My next saddle will be lighter.
I've read many posts on several forums and most of the newer higher end saddles including TreeMotion, Ergovation and the Cougar get good reviews. But they also get some bad ones. Some guys like the plainest old Buckingamms and Weavers.
Saddles are like bras - you gotta try them on before you can tell if they will do the job for you, no matter what the specs say. Oh, sorry - unhelpful analogy for most of you...

 

[imagineero]

Yeah the rings on the treemotion dig into my hips as well, sore next day. I have 2 large caritools on the belt, and 2 small on the legs. Seems to work fine. I've had to waist belt quick snap come ondone on several occasions while contorting to reach for something.

Are you a fat bastard like me? I've been looking at those rings, thinking whether I could move them forward. Just an inch would make all the difference. I think they have to stay where they are though.

What do you hang off the small caritools on the leg loops?

I read a bit about the quick snaps coming undone. In the reports, they say that people just hear/feel the 'click' but dont visually verify it. They come undone when people have them only half clipped in. Hasn't happened to me so far, but I do check real careful. Another guy on my crew climbs on an ergovation but he's real skinny and has the smaller one so I wasn't abl to try it. The leg loops completely open when unclipped.

Shaun

 

[ApexTreeService]

No I'm not a fat bastard, my waist is like 36. Yeah, I probably haven't fastened the buckles securely when they have broken loose. I know, a couple of time, my stomach skin had undone the waist buckle. On the leg caritools, I clip the saw for a second if repositioning (less stretch), figure 8, carabiners, loopies, etc.

 

[Scrat]

I climb in an ergo and would love to try a treemotion, i'm sure it is a lot like the petzl sequoia which is also awesome. I tried on a cougar the other day at a local supplier and I must say on the plus side it is a rubust and heavy duty saddle much like my masterII and my ergo. probably a great saddle for removals and pushing off big ones while chunking down a spar. on the other hand the lateral dee's seem to far back and will create hip pain, the factory bridge seems way to short to be manueverable i.e roll to side or over and last but not least the front leg straps and bridge seem short and up high on the thighsmore in your crotch and pulled together in the front. I may be wrong since I didn't climb with it and it may be fantastic in the tree and the price is impressive. Unfortunately I think it may suffer sales for quite a while due to recalls and bad press.

 

[Ryan Shaw]

TreeMotion or Ergovation, I can't decide!!!