Saddle Ergonomics

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dtreez

New member
Location
Bucks County
If you had to choose, would you prefer a saddle that fits beautifully, but has less padding, or one that fits fine, but has more padding? Which do you think would be better for you in the long run?

I have a TreeMotion s. light that I loved. Started feeling some weird pain in my back (which in hindsight, I'm not convinced was related to climbing). I decided it couldn't hurt to replace that padding so I upgraded to the comfort back pad. To be honest, I kindof miss the lighter padding. I no longer have that back pain, but even now that I've been on the comfort back pad for 6 months or so and it is definitely broken in, it still doesn't fit like it used to with the thinner padding.

Anyone have any opinions or experiences? Do saddles with less padding lead to long term damage faster than those with more padding?
 
dtreez said:
If you had to choose, would you prefer a saddle that fits beautifully, but has less padding, or one that fits fine, but has more padding? Which do you think would be better for you in the long run?

I have a TreeMotion s. light that I loved. Started feeling some weird pain in my back (which in hindsight, I'm not convinced was related to climbing). I decided it couldn't hurt to replace that padding so I upgraded to the comfort back pad. To be honest, I kindof miss the lighter padding. I no longer have that back pain, but even now that I've been on the comfort back pad for 6 months or so and it is definitely broken in, it still doesn't fit like it used to with the thinner padding.

Anyone have any opinions or experiences? Do saddles with less padding lead to long term damage faster than those with more padding?
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Good question, I’ve also had the same dilemma of suffering from lower back pain in the region where my saddle is with all the twisting, however I also surf heavy waves so I’m also in the same predicament of not knowing whether it was from my saddle/movements in the tree or from surfing or both. Haven’t tried the tree motion but seriously contemplating the new one, interested in the feedback you get on this.
 
The dilemma of trying to isolate cause and effect in the real world.

Do you still have the original pad? Might be diagnostic to start using it again and see how your back feels. How long did you use it before the onset of pain?

My opinion is that comfort, or lack thereof, is a function of pressure. Are the forces well distributed and on areas capable of handling the load? I don't see a little extra padding converting a bad saddle into a good one, for a given individual. I can see thicker padding changing the fit slightly and that having a positive effect. Personally, I'll take fit (and good load distribution) over padding.

I love my S. Light with it's original pad, but I'm not a production climber.
 
Just because something is more padded and more expensive doesn’t mean it’s necessarily better. To be plain, a stock TreeMo S. Light fits and hugs my low back and pelvic girdle better than any other harness I have ever flown, which for me means amazing back support. As others have suggested, try ditching the so-called comfort pad and put the stock one back on the saddle.
 
dtreez said:
...
Started feeling some weird pain in my back (which in hindsight, I'm not convinced was related to climbing). I decided it couldn't hurt to replace that padding so I upgraded to the comfort back pad...
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It wouldn't hurt to try the old pad as Dan and Eric have suggested, however, because the back pain started before you initially switched pads, I doubt that the comfort pad is the problem. I also have the comfort pad on my S.light and consider the change in feel, subtle.
 
Technically speaking, padding is used to make up for a poor fit. If the fit is truly perfect, no padding at all will be necessary, as the pressure is evenly applied over all contact surfaces.

That said, I would take an excellent fit with minimal padding over a decent fit with a lot of padding every day. That’s exactly why I use a Petzl saddle instead of that Cougar I used to use, with all its thick pads.
 
I’ve never thought about padding. I’ve owned 4 harnesses and borrowed a few others and they all fit well and comfy enough after making the proper adjustments. I think a good fit would be my priority. The back pain probably has more to do with a different activity or how you’re moving about in the tree.

This is an aside, but I found that twisting my back a lot to grab tools from gear loops behind me was a real strain. I added a transporter onto my leg loop (something I saw from @kaylascender) and it has been just a game changer for limiting that twisting motion. It requires a locking piece of hardware though. Your hook can become inverted and spill your blocks onto your friends head… and is also subject to more interference from branches than the waist, I’ve found.
 
Too much back padding is no good for your back! Stay away from any harness that advertises thick pads.

A harness should be designed to ride low on your back below your sacrum and resting on your pelvis/hip bones, not your spine or it's muscle structure.

Best designed harness/saddle for that was Paolo B's TreeFlex. Came out at the same time as the TreeMotion and unfortunately, it didn't have the big advertisement/promotional effort put into it as the TM.

Long time members of TreeBuzz such as myself well remember the TF vs. TM war that went on here.

I still climbing daily in a TreeFlex Harness.
 
I’d love to try a tree flex, I was a wee climber when it and the TM came out. I couldn’t afford either but settled for the best I could afford which sucked.. I eventually saddle hopped to a TM and LOVED it. Still torn between TM and onyx but think I lean to the onyx more.
 
Some climbers have the padding attached to the climber rather than the saddle. Saddle just smooshes in for the fit. :)

I find sometimes my saddle acts like a chiropractor and clicks something back into place near the beginning of a climb.
 
evo said:
I’d love to try a tree flex, I was a wee climber when it and the TM came out. I couldn’t afford either but settled for the best I could afford which sucked.. I eventually saddle hopped to a TM and LOVED it. Still torn between TM and onyx but think I lean to the onyx more.
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As a big climber (3oo lbs). I have been using an onyx for quite a while as I would have had to have the treemotion maxed out. The onyx has basically no padding and is super comfortable once adjusted right. The new treemotion with the larger size range has my attention but I honestly have never had a problem with the onyx.
 
A talk about harness ergonomics should most definitely include functionality as well as just focusing on comfort.

The Treemotion has all the primary and secondary attachments exactly located or place able where they work best for me. Comfort is nice, but it is actually secondary, in my opinion, in a 'work' harness.
 
DSMc said:
A talk about harness ergonomics should most definitely include functionality as well as just focusing on comfort.

The Treemotion has all the primary and secondary attachments exactly located or place able where they work best for me. Comfort is nice, but it is actually secondary, in my opinion, in a 'work' harness.
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Functionality is a good point. I went from an Onyx to a TM. My only complaints with the Onyx are that the small size never quite fit right on me (30" waist), and I wish the lower D's/rigging plates were bigger. Besides that, I loved it.
 
The way I figure it, all saddles just have the same real estate from behind the side D's to around your back for all gear attachment. Loops vs caritool like hooks. Did I miss anything? Suspender/ user body harness attachment(?)

Do all harnesses now have side D's plus bridge plus I'll call them hip joint attachment rings? Seems that way.
 
Though harnesses have approximately the same general shape, how they use that space varies considerably. Many have a predetermined layout for tools and storage that may or may not 'feel' right to the user. Side D's vary in both shape and exact location and waist belt-to-leg geometry runs the gamut of possibilities.
 
I still stick with a TM. I have a few from over the years, and it’s mostly the evo in use right now. That said, it isn't my favorite one…I prefer less padding.

What made me stick to the TM years ago are:
- The leg Ds are unsurpassed, I do not like climbing without them. Perhaps it’s a style thing, or type of work thing, but the function is other worldly.
- The back of the waist belt follows the contour of my body. No other saddle does this. I do believe if not for comfort alone, it’s for keeping small twigs from falling into the gap between my back and saddle. That can be more than annoying.
- Options for gear loop setup. Again, unsurpassed.
 
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