Experienced climber told me my saddle was too tight, changed my whole setup

I was doing a 50-foot white oak removal 3 weeks ago in Nashville and this old timer watches me for five minutes. He says "your saddle is pressing on your hip bones, loosen it two inches." I always thought tighter felt safer so I pushed back at first. He showed me how it should ride lower on my thighs instead. Now I'm not getting that burning numbness after 4 hours in the tree. Has anyone else had to relearn how their gear should actually fit?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthewkim8d ago

Man, that old timer saved you from a world of trouble down the road. I read somewhere that a lot of climbers wear their saddles way too tight because they think it feels more secure, but it actually messes with your blood flow and nerves over time. I learned this the hard way too after a buddy pointed out my belt marks were way too deep after a long day. Now I keep mine looser so it sits on my thighs and hips instead of digging into my bones, and my legs don't go numb anymore. It just goes to show that sometimes the "safer" feeling setup isn't actually the best for your body. Have you noticed any difference in how long you can stay up in the tree now?

juliag108d ago

Oh man, you're totally right about that! I've noticed I can hang up there way longer now without my legs falling asleep or getting that dull ache in my hips by the end of the day.

william_carter6d ago

Whoa, I had a buddy who loosened his saddle after his legs went dead and near fell out of a tree!