In this video I review the Eberhart Signature Saddle (ESS) from Tethrd. I also give a tutorial about how to use this two panel, sling style, tree saddle.
I was honestly excited to see this review of the saddle. I stopped about half eay through. There is too much going on with this saddle brother. Thank you for the video and wealth of knowledge
Awesome saddle, especially after learning it and with a few mods. Mine has been stealth stripped on all the metal. Added a Cruzr amsteel adjustable bridge. Cut the legs straps off and left enough left for a professional sewn loop to be used with my removable Latitude outdoor leg straps. Super stealthy, comfortable, streamlined and packability with some Oplux ropes makes this thing a mobile hunters dream.
I just got the ESS for Christmas so haven't hunted from it yet. In trying to figure out what would work best for me, I noticed that a downside is that when you tighten the waist belt, it only secures the outer panel to your body. The inner panel is only secured by either being tucked under the outer panel and held in place by friction, or with the clips. Without securing the inner panel, the weight of the D-rings pull down on it, and I can imagine that on a long walk, it will eventually pull out which makes it dangle on the back of your legs. One way to possibly alleviate this is to run each side of the waist belt thru it's respective D-ring before you clip the belt. That way the D-rings are held up at your waist and won't drop and pull on the inner panel. I'm seeing the clips as too much to fidget with, and I don't believe John had them on his original design. He just puts the saddle on before he climbs a tree.
Yeah, I'm literally sitting here trying to follow along in my living room with my ESS that just got delivered... so far I'm sweating and swearing more than a sailor in the Mediterranean. I gotta say, not a fan of the ESS to much going on especially when you're backpacking other gear in as well. Wish Tethrd would allow a trade back. Definitely would've preferred one saddle system.
I can’t stand the thing. By the time I walk in the thing is so twisted up I just fold/twist it into a rope and sit in it with 1 small panel. I’m gonna get a different mode. This thing is a PITA.
Got me an ESS on the way !!! Tethrd is sold out of them but Jays Sporting Goods in Michigan has them in stock so I ordered from them today. Can't wait to compare it to my Trophyline Covert Lite, which i love but it is a little bulky to pack up in my backpack. I go through too much rough terrain to tear up my saddle by wearing it in.
Great review. What I do is I pull the bridge through my left D-ring & I then fold the bridge to the right & I attached a buckle strap to my right lineman loop & I hook the bridge to it. The fact that I passed the bridge through my right lineman loop the bridge between the D-rings wont allow them to touch. This works for my 33” waste, if its too loose you have to just shrink the bridge a little. Ditched the leg straps… bye lol
Thank you for your honest and thorough review of the ESS. I am actually thinking of buying this kit especially since it is currently on sale. I have never tried saddle hunting, mostly a ground hunter.
@@SaddleHunter you are welcome and excellent that’s what I like to hear. I did actually order the kit, the SYS strap and Sys hauler pouch. Now to figure out my climbing system and practice.
How do I get comfortable while sitting in my eberhart saddle? I've tried everything I can think of, I've tried different bridge lengths, I have knee pads that I wear, I've tried all the tether heights. It feels like all my weight is put on my knees when I'm sitting in the saddle and it's not comfortable at all. I wouldn't want to do that for more than a few minutes. Somethings wrong here, it's not the saddle though. I'm doin something wrong. Can you help me with some pointers please
I have the Phantom and with all the hype thought I would try the ESS. I am going back to the Phantom. The ESS has too many negatives that over shadow the "very slight" increase in comfort. I am also a big fan of the pouches that will not work on the ESS. May be just right for some folks but not for me. Very good review.
Are you still using your ESS? I just received one yesterday and have been playing around with it in the yard. I think I’m going to love it. But did you find a way to quiet the noise that the bridge makes when it self adjusts on the D rings? I only notice it on pretty extreme body twists, so maybe it will wear in and go away….
Thanks for this video, some really helpful tips as this will be my first saddle and should shorten the learning curve. My main concern was the metal D rings also but this looked like the most minimal and comfortable option for putting a lot of miles on running and gunning. I want to be able to roll in to a new hunting spot blind with my bow like I gun hunt, with the ability to get up in a tree for a sit. A few questions: 1) Have you used this saddle while "one sticking"? I've acquired all the necessary gear to use this as my prefferd saddle method, but was curious if you found any major cons while using this saddle with that method? Would you have to re-adjust the saddle back in place before rappelling down or would it be easier to just do it on the ground for the walk out? 2) I bought a back band, is that going to usable, comfortable or necessary with this saddle? 3) I assume the leg loops would be used for climbing and rappelling while one sticking, but what do they offer when you are on stand during the hunt? Thank again for all you do!
With all your knowledge on a lot of saddles, what is the smallest, yet most comfortable? What I mean by smallest is wadding it or bunching it in a ball. Overall size.
Very thorough review. Have you had any problems with hip pinch. I didn't during my 1st and 2nd sit, but had it pretty bad on my 3rd. I did adjust the bridge smaller, so was thinking that may have been the problem.
@@houseatreides6683I just hunted out of it today and had bad hip pinch. I found out that the panels were twisted and it made it so uncomfortable. IDK if you have the same issue but when I fixed it the difference was huge. I also didn't loosen the waist strap in the tree. Smh
@@gordonneverdies I'm about to try some padded biker pants that I ordered on the internet. They have a bunch of pads on the butt and hip area. Looks very promising for alleviating hip pinch. I've also noticed when I have extra layers on it definitely helps with hip pinch. I'll play with the bridge length while up in the tree too. The longer the bridge the better in my opinion. I'll also play with tether height, move the panels up and down, I've had good results from spacing my panels out somewhat like one below my butt and the upper panel above my butt resting into my lower back. I also will lean once or twice an hour too to take the weight off my feet and give my hips some relief. You probably already know to do a lot, or all, of what I shared but hopefully I was of help. I can tell you exactly which biker padded pants I ordered too if you're interested. Let me know and good luck!
@@gordonneverdies also, turning one way or the other like where your left or right hip is resting into the tree and you're facing a different direction, not facing the tree. That is actually refreshing at times especially if there are deer that direction. Try it out if you haven't already. It'll give your neck a nice break. Let me know your thoughts and share some advice with me too please! I'm a rookie saddle hunter, 1st year ever doing it but I am a student at it
I have the eberhart saddle, this video provided a lot of solutions to the issues i was having, so thank you. I'm wondering if i wouldn't be better off with a phantom, I don't think the two panels are worth it in my opinion. I imagine the phantom would cover the same area on your backside without all the adjustment.
The phantom doesn't have hip pinch, but I notice most of the pressure on the two straps. I think the ESS distributes the pressure better because of the multiple straps.
Thanks for the compliment. I don't think the bridge moves much unless you move to make a shot. In the video when Imoved as if I was positioning for a shot, I could feel the bridge grab the tape and hang up. If you look closely, you can see that happen in the video.
They come with the saddle but you can buy replacements on Amazon. www.amazon.com/dp/B01H9U7XXU/?coliid=I37LTTQI964Y8G&colid=1G7ASDAY91JCF&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
First thing I would do is cut that webbing bridge off rubber dip what I could of d rings then put a removable amsteel bridge on .i dont like stepping in or out of a saddle
I'd say a lot of the adjusting is right when you are getting settled and then again when you are ready to climb down. During an actual hunt you really don't need to change much.
@@tbone95yj31 There isn't a made in America clothing line in hunting because pretty much all clothing are made in Eastern countries regardless of hunting or not. They simply do better work when it comes to fabrics. I buy American made when possible so long as the quality is equal, but multiple outdoor clothing companies have tried to do production in the USA and it isn't cost effective- Higher cost for inferior work.
Any white tag should be cut off and any manufacturer that says otherwise hasn't hunted anywhere pressured. In parts of Maine that white tag is all someone needs to shoot, not right but unfortunately there are a lot of dumb hunters out there that "it's brown it's down" or something, ready to shoot at any movement, cause it's only deer in the woods right? No other animals, hunters, maybe hikers , dogs and so on.
I love my ESS. Would never go back to a tree stand. The two panel is easy to use.
I was honestly excited to see this review of the saddle. I stopped about half eay through. There is too much going on with this saddle brother. Thank you for the video and wealth of knowledge
This video definitely helped with keeping a clean setup with the ESS. Will recommend this video to anyone who buys one.
That D-ring move with the leg loops is genius
Thanks! I've found that it wears in pretty well both ways.
How difficult is the process of resetting the saddle for the climb down when wearing late season clothing?
Thanks man. Clear, concise, well thought out. Good hunting, and honor all spilled blood.
Awesome saddle, especially after learning it and with a few mods. Mine has been stealth stripped on all the metal. Added a Cruzr amsteel adjustable bridge. Cut the legs straps off and left enough left for a professional sewn loop to be used with my removable Latitude outdoor leg straps. Super stealthy, comfortable, streamlined and packability with some Oplux ropes makes this thing a mobile hunters dream.
does the amsteel mitigate the added friction of the stealth strip to allow the bridge to move freely? Thanks!
Where do you recommend purchasing OPLUX ropes from? Thanks
I just got the ESS for Christmas so haven't hunted from it yet. In trying to figure out what would work best for me, I noticed that a downside is that when you tighten the waist belt, it only secures the outer panel to your body. The inner panel is only secured by either being tucked under the outer panel and held in place by friction, or with the clips. Without securing the inner panel, the weight of the D-rings pull down on it, and I can imagine that on a long walk, it will eventually pull out which makes it dangle on the back of your legs. One way to possibly alleviate this is to run each side of the waist belt thru it's respective D-ring before you clip the belt. That way the D-rings are held up at your waist and won't drop and pull on the inner panel. I'm seeing the clips as too much to fidget with, and I don't believe John had them on his original design. He just puts the saddle on before he climbs a tree.
I subbed bc I like your demo and you speak well. This saddle seems like a lot of work now
Thanks. It's not too bad once you've got it figured out.
Yeah, I'm literally sitting here trying to follow along in my living room with my ESS that just got delivered... so far I'm sweating and swearing more than a sailor in the Mediterranean. I gotta say, not a fan of the ESS to much going on especially when you're backpacking other gear in as well. Wish Tethrd would allow a trade back. Definitely would've preferred one saddle system.
I can’t stand the thing. By the time I walk in the thing is so twisted up I just fold/twist it into a rope and sit in it with 1 small panel. I’m gonna get a different mode. This thing is a PITA.
Got me an ESS on the way !!! Tethrd is sold out of them but Jays Sporting Goods in Michigan has them in stock so I ordered from them today. Can't wait to compare it to my Trophyline Covert Lite, which i love but it is a little bulky to pack up in my backpack. I go through too much rough terrain to tear up my saddle by wearing it in.
Would nice to see you do this with equipment, such as side pouches or other gear on the molly's.
Great Idea. I can try to include that in my two panel video that is coming.
Great review. What I do is I pull the bridge through my left D-ring & I then fold the bridge to the right & I attached a buckle strap to my right lineman loop & I hook the bridge to it. The fact that I passed the bridge through my right lineman loop the bridge between the D-rings wont allow them to touch. This works for my 33” waste, if its too loose you have to just shrink the bridge a little. Ditched the leg straps… bye lol
Thank you for your honest and thorough review of the ESS. I am actually thinking of buying this kit especially since it is currently on sale. I have never tried saddle hunting, mostly a ground hunter.
No problem, thanks for watching. It's an excellent saddle.
@@SaddleHunter you are welcome and excellent that’s what I like to hear. I did actually order the kit, the SYS strap and Sys hauler pouch. Now to figure out my climbing system and practice.
How do I get comfortable while sitting in my eberhart saddle? I've tried everything I can think of, I've tried different bridge lengths, I have knee pads that I wear, I've tried all the tether heights. It feels like all my weight is put on my knees when I'm sitting in the saddle and it's not comfortable at all. I wouldn't want to do that for more than a few minutes. Somethings wrong here, it's not the saddle though. I'm doin something wrong. Can you help me with some pointers please
I have the Phantom and with all the hype thought I would try the ESS. I am going back to the Phantom. The ESS has too many negatives that over shadow the "very slight" increase in comfort. I am also a big fan of the pouches that will not work on the ESS. May be just right for some folks but not for me. Very good review.
Are you still using your ESS? I just received one yesterday and have been playing around with it in the yard. I think I’m going to love it. But did you find a way to quiet the noise that the bridge makes when it self adjusts on the D rings? I only notice it on pretty extreme body twists, so maybe it will wear in and go away….
Thanks for this video, some really helpful tips as this will be my first saddle and should shorten the learning curve. My main concern was the metal D rings also but this looked like the most minimal and comfortable option for putting a lot of miles on running and gunning. I want to be able to roll in to a new hunting spot blind with my bow like I gun hunt, with the ability to get up in a tree for a sit. A few questions:
1) Have you used this saddle while "one sticking"? I've acquired all the necessary gear to use this as my prefferd saddle method, but was curious if you found any major cons while using this saddle with that method? Would you have to re-adjust the saddle back in place before rappelling down or would it be easier to just do it on the ground for the walk out?
2) I bought a back band, is that going to usable, comfortable or necessary with this saddle?
3) I assume the leg loops would be used for climbing and rappelling while one sticking, but what do they offer when you are on stand during the hunt?
Thank again for all you do!
I use this saddle and I one stick some times but use double rope technique. I don't have to adjust the saddle any when I'm rappelling down.
With all your knowledge on a lot of saddles, what is the smallest, yet most comfortable? What I mean by smallest is wadding it or bunching it in a ball. Overall size.
I know I'm super late to this review party, but would Stealth Strips work on the d-rings to dampen the noise but still allow the sliding action?
So doing any giveaways for all these saddles haha. Thanks for the reviews! Helps a lot!
I'm planning to do a giveaway, but not for a saddle lol. Thanks for the support!
I wish they would update this saddle.
real nice tip on the G hook pull back on the D rings! you did your homewk
Thanks! I’ve certainly found it to be helpful.
Very thorough review. Have you had any problems with hip pinch. I didn't during my 1st and 2nd sit, but had it pretty bad on my 3rd. I did adjust the bridge smaller, so was thinking that may have been the problem.
I've experienced hip pinch with it as well. Did you figure out how to alleviate the hip pinch? And if so, what'd you do?
@@houseatreides6683I just hunted out of it today and had bad hip pinch. I found out that the panels were twisted and it made it so uncomfortable. IDK if you have the same issue but when I fixed it the difference was huge. I also didn't loosen the waist strap in the tree. Smh
@@gordonneverdies I'm about to try some padded biker pants that I ordered on the internet. They have a bunch of pads on the butt and hip area. Looks very promising for alleviating hip pinch. I've also noticed when I have extra layers on it definitely helps with hip pinch. I'll play with the bridge length while up in the tree too. The longer the bridge the better in my opinion. I'll also play with tether height, move the panels up and down, I've had good results from spacing my panels out somewhat like one below my butt and the upper panel above my butt resting into my lower back. I also will lean once or twice an hour too to take the weight off my feet and give my hips some relief. You probably already know to do a lot, or all, of what I shared but hopefully I was of help. I can tell you exactly which biker padded pants I ordered too if you're interested. Let me know and good luck!
@@gordonneverdies also, turning one way or the other like where your left or right hip is resting into the tree and you're facing a different direction, not facing the tree. That is actually refreshing at times especially if there are deer that direction. Try it out if you haven't already. It'll give your neck a nice break. Let me know your thoughts and share some advice with me too please! I'm a rookie saddle hunter, 1st year ever doing it but I am a student at it
I have the eberhart saddle, this video provided a lot of solutions to the issues i was having, so thank you. I'm wondering if i wouldn't be better off with a phantom, I don't think the two panels are worth it in my opinion. I imagine the phantom would cover the same area on your backside without all the adjustment.
The phantom doesn't have hip pinch, but I notice most of the pressure on the two straps. I think the ESS distributes the pressure better because of the multiple straps.
Tyler straub wanna sell the ess and so you can buy the phantom?
I got the clips but honestly they kind of dig into my side when I have the saddle on. Otherwise they are definitely helpful
Perhaps slide a elastic tube over the metal D rings
When does the bridge slide on the d rings? Looks like they remain stationary whether you are sitting or leaning.
Great review btw.
Thanks for the compliment. I don't think the bridge moves much unless you move to make a shot. In the video when Imoved as if I was positioning for a shot, I could feel the bridge grab the tape and hang up. If you look closely, you can see that happen in the video.
with all of that, which saddle are you running this season?
Where did you get the clips you use?
Is it going too one stick in this saddle I buy one it likes it is going to be. A new video would be swee
Midwest nice. Keeper movin bud.
Good job
where did you get your clips for your panels?
found it below, thanks
just picked up an ess saddle. where did you get your clips from?
They come with the saddle but you can buy replacements on Amazon. www.amazon.com/dp/B01H9U7XXU/?coliid=I37LTTQI964Y8G&colid=1G7ASDAY91JCF&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
@@SaddleHunter i purchased at a tnt event so I guess they don't anymore, but I will be sure to pick some up. thanks for the link
Good demonstration
Thanks!
I don’t think you used this saddle enough to give a good honest review. It was obvious watching this.
Do you still recommend this saddle?
First thing I would do is cut that webbing bridge off rubber dip what I could of d rings then put a removable amsteel bridge on .i dont like stepping in or out of a saddle
I don't mind stepping through, but I may consider switching bridges.
Very well done video. Great tips. I have one. Will hunt it this year. Seems to be an excellent system. I like it way more than a one panel.
It is supremely comfortable.
Way too much adjusting for my liking while im 20ft up in a tree.
I'd say a lot of the adjusting is right when you are getting settled and then again when you are ready to climb down. During an actual hunt you really don't need to change much.
That looks like a lot of work
It's not, it just takes a few practice sessions to get comfortable with.
Great video! Do you have an email for further questions?
saddlehunting@gmail.com
Way too many American made options to buy this China made one. Just my opinion
Too bad there isn't many American made hunting clothing lines out there.
We need a trump face emoji that says chiiina
@@tbone95yj31 There isn't a made in America clothing line in hunting because pretty much all clothing are made in Eastern countries regardless of hunting or not. They simply do better work when it comes to fabrics. I buy American made when possible so long as the quality is equal, but multiple outdoor clothing companies have tried to do production in the USA and it isn't cost effective- Higher cost for inferior work.
Any white tag should be cut off and any manufacturer that says otherwise hasn't hunted anywhere pressured. In parts of Maine that white tag is all someone needs to shoot, not right but unfortunately there are a lot of dumb hunters out there that "it's brown it's down" or something, ready to shoot at any movement, cause it's only deer in the woods right? No other animals, hunters, maybe hikers , dogs and so on.
My God, tons of adjustment to get ready to hunt. I guess it's hard to understand true time to set vs a lone wolf set up
It's not bad once you get it all figured out.
Yah once you know what you're doing from practicing a few times it doesn't take much
Way to busy!
It certainly has a learning curve.