Tree Motion or monkey beaver?

Stephen Moore said:
I can honestly say the MB feels broken in right from the start.
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Just bought one and love it (having had a TM). The gear loops are well thought out, and the thing I really dig is being about to put it on and off without stepping into straps. Waiting on the leg pads to see what that might offer.

First time I have liked working with a slow groundie (I get to hang and take rest in pure comfort :-).


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I have a monkey beaver on the way, after watching vids, reading tons of reviews, I decided on the MB over the treemotion. Stoked for it, I can say the customer service is great. August himself called me not 10 minutes after I emailed about some questions. They are on back order for a couple weeks due to forest fires causing new tribe to evacuate, and ISC buckles being backordered
 
I've been on a tree motion for 3 seasons and I'm not liking it. I've tried to adjust it (which is a pain) many times to find the elusive sweet spot, but I cannot seem to get it. Hanging a 201tc on this harness either causes it to dig into my hips or pull the harness down until it feels like it is falling off of me. Anything bigger than a 201 just pulls it down worse.

This thing digs into my hips really bad. It has a great range of motion but the pain is not worth it.

Maybe it is a body type issue. I am 5'10, 165lbs, 32" waist, no curves.

I am trying to decide between the ergo and the MB and I am leaning toward the MB. I do a 70/30 mix of pruning and removals. I tend to prune a lot of old, big trees which requires a fair bit of long limb walks and getting to to the ends for crown reductions.

The velcro on the ergo makes me angry and I don't even own one.
 
TreeMo Light with a 395XP with a 42", and a 562XP with a 28". Rides like a fucking cadillac!

6 foot, 160 lbs, 28" waist, with the ass of a 12 year old pre-pubescent boy! Fits me like a glove.


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Reliable tree man said:
Too bad you couldn’t find a helmet that fits the same.
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Oh, SNAP!
I love my TM, 6' 165 non ass.. It did take me a while to feel comfortable with it. It's designed to ride low, and by low I mean freakin low. The waste belt adjustment sucks, but once you find that spot between slipping off, and snuggin up low on the hips its bomber
 
evo said:
Oh, SNAP!
I love my TM, 6' 165 non ass.. It did take me a while to feel comfortable with it. It's designed to ride low, and by low I mean freakin low. The waste belt adjustment sucks, but once you find that spot between slipping off, and snuggin up low on the hips its bomber
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Riding the TM way down below the hipbones is key. If worn properly the TM hugs the hips/pelvic girdle like no other saddle I have ever worn. Because of the shape of the back-pad it simply can't go anywhere if set up properly. I also feel that the Light version is superior to the Regular version because of the waist adjustment, and the thinner material on the back pad.

If a fella is whining about packing a 201, then he clearly is not wearing the TM properly, and or needs to toughen up!
I had a 3120 strapped to the TM for well over an hour a few weeks ago, and it handled it as well or better than any saddle I own (TM, MB, Onyx, TreeAustria, Ergo Economy).

No doubt the MB is a killer world class saddle. Its neither perfect, or a magic bullet though, and does come with a few issues as I see it. The very large ISC buckles have been placed on the inside of the leg pads, and even when properly set up can ride up from time to time, and bite you like a mofo. My tiny testies got bit so hard a month ago I haven't put it on since, and I believe the MB is responsible for my latest bout of erectile dysfunction.

I also feel the back pad to be too tall. When hanging a bigger saw off of it, I find that much of the back pad isn't even touching my lower back, thus isn't offering much support. This is where the TM really shines in my opinion. YMMV of coarse.
 
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rico said:
TreeMo Light with a 395XP with a 42", and a 562XP with a 28". Rides like a fucking cadillac!

6 foot, 160 lbs, 28" waist, with the ass of a 12 year old pre-pubescent boy! Fits me like a glove.


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Hey Rico, how do you like the lockjack? I’ve toyed with the idea for a few years, just nervous to drop money on it and not like it.

As far as TM, that was all I climbed in til this year. I agree that making waist adjustments is a real pain, but otherwise it’s a great ride. Climbers with significant back pain have found relief using it. Still, everyone has their preference. I started using a Cornell, but plan to change soon due to weight and bulk. Personally, I’m eyeing the treeaustria or going back to a TM model. The MB looks comfy, but the weight takes it off my list.
 
Crimsonking said:
Hey Rico, how do you like the lockjack? I’ve toyed with the idea for a few years, just nervous to drop money on it and not like it.

As far as TM, that was all I climbed in til this year. I agree that making waist adjustments is a real pain, but otherwise it’s a great ride. Climbers with significant back pain have found relief using it. Still, everyone has their preference. I started using a Cornell, but plan to change soon due to weight and bulk. Personally, I’m eyeing the treeaustria or going back to a TM model. The MB looks comfy, but the weight takes it off my list.
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The Lockjack is very nice. It eats slack better than any other Ddrt device I have used, but does take some getting used to. Its got a hair trigger and can be a little touchy when fist using it. Might also look at the Spiderjack 3. It gobbles up slack much like the Lockjack, but is a little easy to operate for most.

Whats your waist size? I have a small TreeAustria I would be glad to send you to try for a while.. As you know, nothing is better than flying before you buy.
 
I’m a 34” waist, so I might be too big. Thanks for the offer, that’s super generous. I hope to sit in a few saddles at the expo if at all possible (been a few years, not sure if that’s an option). You’re right though, there’s nothing like taking one in a tree. That’s how I ruled out the onyx.
 
The Onyx is a weird saddle. I rode its a few times in the past, and did not like it one bit. A friend who swears by the Onyx gave me the latest version, and a lesson on how to properly set it up. Now I really like it, and its turned out to be a very sweet ride. Like the TM, I find it needs to be ridden low, and takes quite a bit of work to get it truly dialed it.

Good luck with your saddle search.
 
rico said:
Clearly Officer Reliable Treeman didn't get the memo notifying him that Rico don't do helmets. Skull Bucket from time to time, but no helmets. Let those who ride decide!
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Lol. I never said you should be forced to wear one. I think it’s dumb not to but I’m all for your freedom to choose.

Thanks for your info about the tree mo vs mb.
 
Reliable tree man said:
Lol. I never said you should be forced to wear one. I think it’s dumb not to but I’m all for your freedom to choose.

Thanks for your info about the tree mo vs mb.
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My reason for not wearing much PPE is a long story that no one on TB wants to hear again. I do not advocate anyone else following my path, but suffice it to say it is a method that has kept me safe for a very long time.
If your interested and will fit into a small, I would be happy to send you a TreeAustria 3.2 for a trial run. Combining the best of a TreeMo and a New Tribe, it is a truly killer saddle that seems to fly under the radar these days. I am not trying to talk anyone out of the MB as it is a wonderful harness, but there are other options out there that might be as good or better for some (and cheaper).
 
rico said:
My reason for not wearing much PPE is a long story that no one on TB wants to hear again. I do not advocate anyone else following my path, but suffice it to say it is a method that has kept me safe for a very long time.
If your interested and will fit into a small, I would be happy to send you a TreeAustria 3.2 for a trial run. Combining the best of a TreeMo and a New Tribe, it is a truly killer saddle that seems to fly under the radar these days. I am not trying to talk anyone out of the MB as it is a wonderful harness, but there are other options out there that might be as good or better for some (and cheaper).
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You don’t owe me any explanation. The thing that gets me about experienced arbs not wearing PPE is the message is can send to new tree folks. Someone green could get the idea that it’s ok for them not to wear it and get hurt. That being said, everyone has the responsibility to find out what they need to keep safe doing any job. So props to you for not advocating people follow your path.

Thank you for the generous offer to send me the saddle. I am going to keep trying to adjust the tree mo and see if I can dial it in a little better. If I can’t, I’ll message you and take you up on that.
 
Reliable tree man said:
You don’t owe me any explanation. The thing that gets me about experienced arbs not wearing PPE is the message is can send to new tree folks. Someone green could get the idea that it’s ok for them not to wear it and get hurt. That being said, everyone has the responsibility to find out what they need to keep safe doing any job. So props to you for not advocating people follow your path.

Thank you for the generous offer to send me the saddle. I am going to keep trying to adjust the tree mo and see if I can dial it in a little better. If I can’t, I’ll message you and take you up on that.
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Keep working with that TreeMo. There is some magic in that harness if you can find the sweet spot. The offer to try a TreeAustria is always open.
 
Does anyone on here run the Buckingham ergovation, recently got myself one and wondering if there are any secrets to get it dialed perfect
 
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