Saddle Up for Success with the Best Gear Available

I had never hunted deer from a treestand in Spain. Our trees are too crooked, too small and just plain difficult to set up on. But prepping for these whitetail hunts, I discovered that saddles are a game-changer when it comes to mobility and versatility. Suddenly, in areas where I couldn’t make a treestand work, I had hundreds of viable trees at my disposal, allowing me to set up on the fly depending on conditions. I really enjoyed the experience and took two roe deer from my Tethrd Phantom Saddle.

Having the opportunity to gain familiarity with my saddle gear really helped prepare me for my whitetail hunts in Missouri and Ohio. You do have to learn the system, how to organize your gear and trust the ropes, but once you do, it opens up a whole new way to hunt. Picking trees in the dark, in places you’ve never been, was definitely tricky, and the heights hunters reach in America took some getting used to. We rarely hunt anywhere near that high in Europe. But once you get comfortable, it’s certainly another great tool to have in your hunting arsenal.

For 2025, Tethrd has released the new Carnivore 2 Panel Saddle (pictured above), and after my success with the Phantom last fall, I am really excited about running the Carnivore and all this other great Tethrd gear this year.

Carnivore 2 Panel Saddle

The Carnivore ($329.99) is the ultimate two-panel saddle — as easy to use as it is comfortable. The Quad Lock UtiliBridge allows for independent adjustment of the top and bottom panels, while Bridge Barrels allow the panels to float freely. A Freedom Belt floats within the waist channel for maximum adjustability and comfort, even when wearing extra layers, while oversized Lineman Loops make them easy to locate and use. The R.A.D. System (Tethrd’s patented Rapid Accessory Deployment System) easily and quietly transforms the Carnivore from hunt mode to transport mode. No Slop Design prevents the lower panel from sagging, keeping the Carnivore fitted to your body. Lay-flat Bridge Loops reduce hip pinch and increase mobility, and abundant MOLLE loops allow you to add pockets and additional accessories to customize the Carnivore just the way you like it.

ONE Sticks

Tethrd ONE Sticks ($384.99 per 3) are the industry’ first 16-ounce climbing sticks. That per-stick weight includes the integrated Dynalite rope attachment system designed for fast, simple, silent connection to your tree, Glow-tab Reflection Technology for safe climbing and the patent-pending StickLoc stacking system to connect your sticks for easy transport in and out of the woods.

Predator V Platform

Built with high-pressure, die-cast aluminum construction and finished with a dark, powder-coated finish to prevent glare and improve traction, the Predator V ($189.99-$209.99) features an angled front edge for increased comfort, as well as more traction tread, an updated stomp pad for better toe-camming, an improved adjustment knob for easy platform leveling and a MOLLE tab for simple attachment to your saddle. Available in Regular (11.5 inches wide) and XL (15.75 inches wide) sizes.

Lineman Belt and Tree Tether

Tethrd has developed the world’s first commercially available 8mm ropes with a factory spliced eye. This is a big deal, because splices are up to 50 percent stronger than knots. Tethrd’s splices tested at more than 90 percent of the straight rope strength. This is simply not possible with knotted loops. Spliced eyes also reduce the weight and bulk of the rope by eliminating big knots. The 8mm Lineman Belt and Tree Tether ($84.99 each) include 8 feet of rope with one, 5-inch, factory-spliced eye, one ultralight carabiner and prusik knot.

Knee Pads

The Tethrd Knee Pads ($74.99) are the new standard in saddle-hunting knee protection. Whether you’re a new saddle hunter, or an OG, the knee pad can make or break your hunt. We took our favorite knee pads from the mountaineering world and made them work for us. We tripled the padding, added hexagonal gripping lugs, overlayed them with a slide-stopping rubber coating and made them more saddle-hunter friendly.

SABR Limb Saw

The SABR ($69.99) is the ultimate tool every whitetail hunter needs. Designed to last a lifetime, this versatile, convertible hand/pole saw is built for durability, packability and ease of use. If you’ve ever found yourself in a tree with a pesky branch blocking your shooting lane, the SABR has you covered. With the simple Limb Lock attachments, you can quickly transform the hand saw into a pole saw by securing it to any available branch.