Liger VS Ergo

rfwoodvt

rfwoodvt

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Just looking for thoughts on the comparison between the Liger and the Ergo. Seems to me the Liger ends up being pretty much the same as the Ergo.

Anyone ride on both and have an opinion?

What about the reliability of the Liger over the longer term in comparison to the Cougar configuration?
 
I think the bridge on the ergo winds up being lower on your frame than the liger. So hanging from a lanyard is probably closer to the TM experience in the ergo. Haven't rocked an ergo, so that's just judging book by cover. My saddle has been ligered for about three years, and it is still kicking ass Rick. I wanna get a new ride, but can't go thru with it, cuz my liger is still doing me right.
 
I am never a fan of modding harnesses. I don't know why I feel so strongly about it but I just do... I guess I'm just a stickler for the "all powerful rules". But anyways, I may be wrong but if you do get someone who knows what the modification is during gear checks I believe that it will not pass inspection because it is not to manf specs, and I think you need to get a letter from the company stating that the mod is "OK" by them... I am not too familiar with the Liger mod and how much it has been through but for my money and peace of mind, I would just buy an ergo and never look back. (if those are the 2 that you are looking at) The Ergo gives you some more options, fall arrest, seat etc.


To each their own, but I would never tell someone to buy a harness, replace the life support piece with some other stuff off the shelf. I know it is all rated but sometimes it can have effects on the wear of an item without even noticing it. Let us know what you end up with!
 
What rule says you cant modify a harness? Im extremely interested in US arborist harness regulations. Do you have a resource you would share?
 
A coworker laid aside his liger for the ergo this spring and hasn't looked back. He has a lot of aches and pains from combat, and the ergo seems to have the shape and padding to keep him in the air. I tried the ergo on and liked the padding and gear stowing options, though I prefer the treemotion as it is slimmer. Hope this helps
 
I emailed weaver awhile earlier this year about ok-ing the Liger mod for competition and got a pretty prompt response in the negative on that one.
Interesting that their new line of saddles looks very much like a liger.

I really did like my liger except for a few small things, but since buying my tree motion I haven't even thought about the liger at all
 
I just climbed in the ne tcc with my liger a few months ago. the only thing they made me do was whip stich the double fisherman knots in my bridge. Which I would have had to do with a TM as well.
 
So it took a little bit of digging but what I have is ANSI standard 8.1.5 and 8.1.6

8.1.5: Arborist ropes, work positioning saddles, and climbing equipment shall be approved by the manufacturer for use within the tree care industry.
8.1.6: Arborist saddles and lanyards used for work positioning shall not be altered in a manner that would compromise the integrity of the equipment.

If you refer to the manufacturer instructions in the Puma harness (http://www.buckinghammfg.com/instructionsandwarnings/16905series_100813.pdf) it says:

"Only Buckingham Mfg. Co. or those people authorized in writing by Buckingham Mfg. Co. May make repairs/ modifications to this equipment."

What I get out of this is that I am not authorized by Buckingham, and therefore any modifications will make my equipment NOT approved by the manufacturer. Making me now liable for my modification... I also void any warranty.

I also know that I am not a textile engineer (or any engineer for that matter) and I do not have enough knowledge about harnesses to determine if a modification compromises its integrity. Just because all of the components are rated for lift support doesn't mean they work together well. For that I would need to call the manufacturer... at which point they would tell me not to modify it.

Apparently this is a debate for the 2016 version of the ANSI standards and at that point it will be more clear.

*Edit: Typo
 
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So who qualifies a tree climber to decide if they can girth hitch a piece of webbing on a rigging plate? Or maybe run a rope through it? Tie a knot around it? Everyday we make decisions regarding the interface of soft goods and hard goods in relation to supporting life and property?

I can choose to girth hitch a loop runner on a log, tie a bowline, or cut a tree down thats hanging over a house... but I cant replace an aluminum ring with an aluminum rigging plate?

I find it insulting to imply that. Maybe you can't make that decision, but I can.

And ftr, when the bridges failed on the original cougar, not only did Liger modify mine, but I got weaver to pay me the $50 it cost to buy the rigging plates. They sent me a check.
 
Damn, I shoulda gone that route. Well played sir. I got them to send me a new bridge, but the splice in it was weird, there was a thin spot in the middle that I did not trust. They offered me another and I said no thanks. Then modded. The original set up was not great, they acknowledged that when they made a new saddle that looks like a liger. Love my liger. Wanna switch out the rigging plates with lower d's from a TM "ligerMotion"
 
Sure your smart enough to do that Mac? Those Treemotion rigging plates might not be safe on the webbing on your weaver saddle.

dont forget the all powerful rules...
 
I modded mine using bigger rings so I don't have to worry about getting the biner in a hole and the legs straps slide much easier. I don't see how this could possibly become a safety issue for the saddle when it already had rings.
 
I climbed on the liger for about 1 year before and after the mod and upgraded to the ergo after trying a coworkers. I def think the ergo is more comfortable although I was never really uncomfortable in my liger. I use the liger for rec climbing and it appears to be in great condition still. I followed the youtube video and put the paws on so the big hole would be the lanyard hole on the paws. This is the thing I like the most about the liger over the ergo. With the paws the way they come stock on the ergo my lanyard rope snaps don't fit thru the two extra bridge holes so I have to clip them into the wide hole in the back where the saddle connects and this can only be done with just the right angel and is hard to do in the air sometimes. Having the paws flipped on the liger, to me, was one of the biggest improvements for limb walking. It's so easy to clip into the paw when flipped and on a limb. I have only been climbing on the ergo for about 6 months now and have only recently realized that I could even get the rope snap to clip into the back hole of the ergo paw. Does anyone else riding the ergo do this? It doesn't appear to interfere with the saddle webbing connected right there.
 
I also took the rubber stoppers from the original bridge (i had the all black one with white spilces) and put them on either side of both rigging plates on the liger so the bridge stays in place and the ring I have on it doesn't make clinggy noises when I'm climbing. I girth hitched the original bridge to the hole on my husky trim saw and girthed the other end to a carabiner. The carabiner opens onehanded and clips right to another metal carabiner in the sewn slot of my ergo. It's the best lanyard set up i've ever had for a saw. Perfect length so that when cutting the lanyard isn't long enough to allow the biner to contact the chain but long enough to hang a little bit while climbing.
 
I did the liger mod on my Ergo light harness a couple years ago and I really like it...it does pitch me back a little more than I am used to but it is fine...I did the same thing as Paul above...put the rubber o's between my bridge stopper knot and my rigging plates...works nice
 
Another tree trimmer that apparently isnt smart enough to safely fit his gear to his needs. According to some, it would seem you are alive by sheer luck, or maybe god?

Who should conduct our inspections on our gear for us, since we aren't engineers and such ReLeaf? Im no textiles engineer, so how am I qualified to decide if the webbing on my 3 month old harness is still good? What about a 3 year old harness? Should I send it into the manufacturer once per week? Maybe text an engineer friend a picture every day and see what they think?

Even if you WERE a textiles engineer, without being a metallurgist you arent really qualified to even evaluate the safety of your hard goods (carabiners,rings, pulleys, etc), should I get an x-ray machine and a college degree?

?
 
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