Climbing Saddles: Must-Know Information for First-Time Buyers

You’re ready to purchase your first climbing saddle, but do you know what features define the best saddles? Your most important considerations are comfort and safety. Once you climb a tree with chainsaw in hand, the last thing you need is a saddle that is too large or too small or loosens as you move.

Comfort Features

Modern climbing saddles come in different styles. Various padding options, seats or independent legs straps, along with fixed or floating “D” rings leads to many choices. You want a durable material that will hold your weight securely, but the padding inside the waistline and around the leg should make the saddle more comfortable. One of our most popular saddles, the Weaver COUGAR, features a foam back pad for comfort and greater back support. and is available with or without a batten seat,

Adjustable Features

A safe climbing saddle will fit your body perfectly, and that will only happen with an adjustable saddle. For example, the imported Kolibri Click saddle allows you to adjust for bridge height and seat depth in addition to adjusting the waist and leg strap for a secure and comfortable fit.

What about Ergonomics?

There are some climbing saddles that promote their ergonomic designs as a major advantage over other saddles. One example is the Buckingam ERGOVATION Saddle, which allows you to safely adjust the fitting of the saddle while you are climbing. The main selling point for these saddles is greater support for your body because the designs are created to allow natural movement and coordination of all body parts. If you feel confined or limited in motion by other saddles, you could benefit from going with something ergonomically designed.

You will increase your chances of selecting the best climbing saddle when you think about all of these features before making the purchase:

• Make sure adequate padding is offered around the legs and waist.
• Look for adjustable fittings.
• Consider ergonomically designed saddles for greater freedom of motion.

Now that you know what to look for, are you ready to own your first saddle?