Monkey Beaver harness

I've noted before - leg aches was a problem with me and my Sequoia esp. when cabling without a great place to stand. MB with the extra leg pads fixed this and haven't had the leg aches for couple of years since - on spurs or not. It's just a great harness I think (I use with suspenders - 34" waist/ 175 lbs - size M).
 
Is that basically like a cougar/buckcat, or is it more like the liger mod/ergolite empire/edge/sentinel? If it's the latter, those are some reasonable saddles and the beginning of better and worse being more flavor based than they are objective.

Edit: I just looked it up. It's a liger modded cougar that is orange.
I hear some trash talking about them, but I loved my cougar once I modified it a little. There are some things missing that the $500 saddles have, but it is a fine saddle. It has the paws to make double bridges easy or attach extra systems, and no useless frills or crazy excessive gear loops (edge, empire, sentinel). I'm pretty sure there are caritool slots.
Its has a bunch of pinch points and that is something I am trying to get away from. Buckingham rebellion. Is just uncomfortable to me. But I'll keep using it till I get up the funds for a monkey beaver saddle.
 
Got my MB saddle the other day. Everything looks and feels top notch. Only gripe I have is strap management. I have a bunch of loose straps dangling around and nothing on the saddle to secure it with. Any of you have any recommendations for this?
 
The excess leg straps are supposed to be fed back through the same hole in the rigging paw that they come through and then placed back through the buckle thingy that is then set against the paw. Waist belt is another dilemma that I am trying to solve. Putting the leg strap back through the paw is a job though.
 
I let my extra straps flop around for months, then I realized it was a safety concern and I wasn't going to suddenly double in size. So I cut off the excess, melted the new ends, sewed a small fold into each end, and then lightly tacked the straps all down with thread that I could rip loose if I ever needed to adjust them again.

Now it is sleek and fits perfect every time, no more slippage to deal with.20200322_203451.webp20200322_203451.webp
 
I let my extra straps flop around for months, then I realized it was a safety concern and I wasn't going to suddenly double in size. So I cut off the excess, melted the new ends, sewed a small fold into each end, and then lightly tacked the straps all down with thread that I could rip loose if I ever needed to adjust them again.

Now it is sleek and fits perfect every time, no more slippage to deal with.View attachment 66350View attachment 66350
Yeah, I should probably do that too. I do have a frayed seam on the left leg pad that I'm waiting on a replacement for. Saddle is only 6 months old and not used every day.
 
So I cut off the excess, melted the new ends, sewed a small fold into each end, and then lightly tacked the straps all down with thread that I could rip loose if I ever needed to adjust them again.

This is what I do, as well. I try to leave enough for someone a little larger than myself, in case I sell the harness, or get fatter. I tack the ends back with a Speedy Stitcher with about four stitches, so they stay out of the way and the adjustments can't slip. Easy to cut a few stitches back off. I don't have the MB, but it works on any harness where the excess is a hassle.

Is that tip one that Donald Trunk gave you, @FreeFallin ?
 
In regards to the loose straps, I do as @oldoakman said with the leg loops and run them back through the rigging paws. The waist belt, after snugging it up, I tuck it behind itself against my stomach. Haven't had any issues with it moving around or coming loose.
 
It may have been said, I didn't reread the 16 pages of this thread just now, but this harness handles big saws really well. I don't climb every day, but recently did a large oak crane removal, making several cuts with a 661. This saddle never sagged, even without any suspenders and was very comfortable the entire time.


If I've got any complaints about it, it sometimes gets spun a little. Where my caritool on my right hip normally sits at about 4:00, but sometimes the harness rotates to where it sits at about 5:00. Tightening the waist belt has helped with that a little.
 
I'll second the MB saddle being excellent for spurs and hanging a big saw in particular. Most of the time I've got a 20" 361 or 28" 046, but I've had my 36" 661 on a few times since getting the saddle and it handled it wonderfully.

000 grand fir stick.jpg
 
Other than than maybe having two loopy thingys on the left back (I might prefer another transporter or something to hook onto), after years of use I'll say again, it's the best darn harness I've used in thirty years hangin' around off stuff. Period. Don't care about weight (we're not hiking in afterall). Wish it had some certification but whatever. Safe and comfy. Carries saws and the kitchen sink if you're so inclined. Suspender capable. Good job August and Joe. Dudes - ya nailed it.
(Any plans if OSHA goes all fall protection/ full body on us arb types? - Just to hedge your bets!).
 

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