Gear from my Shorts

Links can't be clicked in YouTube Shorts, so here's the gear from each one, newest first.

Affiliate note: Links marked "Paid link" go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what I recommend. Disclosure

YouTube doesn't let you click links in a Short's description, so this page is where they live. Find the Short you just watched below. Everything listed is a popular pick, not the only good option, and each section links to the full guide where I compare budget and premium choices.

Posted Oct 16, 2026 Watch the Short

Budget vs premium hunting saddle

The extra money in a premium saddle mostly buys fit and adjustment for long sits. Whatever you spend, make sure it has a published weight rating and a real manual.

XOP Complete Tree Saddle Hunting System Paid linkThe kit I hunt out of. It comes with the Mutant saddle and a platform.
XOP Mutant saddle Paid linkThe same saddle sold on its own, a common budget starting point.
Tethrd Phantom XPPremium example, on the maker's site.
Latitude Method 3Another premium option, on the maker's site.

Full guide: Hunting Saddles Compared: Budget vs Premium

Posted Oct 15, 2026 Watch the Short · Earlier version (Oct 14)

Quiet your climbing sticks

Metal on metal is what gives you away on the climb. Three cheap fixes: silencing tape on bare metal, a bit of bungee on each stick, and cloth tape on the carabiners, kept off the gates.

Stealth Strips silencing tape Paid linkOn the bare metal of my sticks.
Bungee shock cord Paid linkCut into short pieces, one on each stick.
Renfrew camo hockey tape Paid linkOn carabiners and other metal touch points.
Hawk Helium climbing sticks Paid linkThe sticks I climb on. Plenty of other sticks take the same fixes.

Full guide: How to Silence Climbing Sticks for Saddle Hunting

Posted Oct 13, 2026 Watch the Short

3 mistakes from my first saddle season

Not practicing the climb, forgetting something, and making too much noise. Practice at ground level fixes most of it, and the gear below covers the rest.

XOP Complete Tree Saddle Hunting System Paid linkMy saddle setup this season.
Hawk Helium climbing sticks Paid linkThe 4-pack I climb on.
Bungee shock cord Paid linkQuiets the sticks on the climb.
Renfrew camo hockey tape Paid linkFor the carabiners.

Full guide: Saddle Hunting Setup Guide: Every Piece You Need

Coming soon

These Shorts are up next on the channel. The gear and guides are already here.

Short coming soon

Aider or one more climbing stick?

Need a few more feet of height? An aider is a short rope ladder that hangs off your top stick. It's light and quiet. Another stick is simpler, just heavier. Practice either one low first.

ZIVOXIA climbing stick aider Paid linkThe aider I run with my sticks.
Hawk Helium climbing sticks Paid linkSold in packs if you'd rather add a stick.

Full guides: How High Should You Saddle Hunt? and How to Silence Climbing Sticks

Short coming soon

Saddle or hang-on stand?

I've hunted a hang-on, and this is my first season in a saddle. The saddle wins on weight and odd trees. The hang-on wins on comfort and is quicker to learn.

Millennium M50 hang-on Paid linkThe hang-on I've hunted out of.
XOP Complete Tree Saddle Hunting System Paid linkThe saddle kit I switched to.

Full guide: Saddle vs Hang-On Stand: Honest Pros and Cons

Prices and stock change on Amazon, so check the listing before you buy. Hunting from a tree is dangerous: stay tethered from the time you leave the ground until you're back on it, and follow the maker's instructions for every piece of gear.