Had to pick between a climbing saddle with padding or a lightweight one for my weekend gigs

I went with the padded one for my Saturday pruning jobs and my hips are thanking me after 4 hours up a live oak. Has anyone else noticed how much difference butt padding makes when you're hanging for a while?

3 comments

3 Comments

murphy.mason1mo ago

Man, forget about padding for a second. What about how the saddle breathes? I went with a padded one and three hours in I was soaked through my shirt and pants. That foam holds heat like a blanket. Nobody talks about swamp butt when you're hanging in a tree for a weekend gig. Next time I'm grabbing one with mesh panels or something that lets air move. Padding is great until you're cooking yourself alive from the waist down.

wyatt_mitchell261mo ago

Yeah but did your legs fall asleep? My padded saddle was a lifesaver on a six hour maple last weekend.

jade_jenkins1mo ago

Funny you say that @wyatt_mitchell26 because I used to swear by super padded saddles for exactly that reason. But after a few longer sits, I started noticing my legs going numb no matter how thick the foam was. Now I actually prefer a firmer saddle with some cutouts for circulation, works way better for me.