The best saddle hunting platform combines stability with a light frame, is easily packed in, and is constructed of high-quality material.
Because not every tree saddle platform is for everyone, you need to see the options. Not all the options – just the best. So, let’s do it.
Saddle Hunting Platform - Top Picks
(Full List Below)
Best Overall
Versatile
Economical
- USE CODE bowhuntpursuit AT CHECKOUT FOR 10% OFF
- Thermoplastic design
- 400 lb. weight-rating
- 90° or slanted offset from tree
- 23 ounces
- Small footprint
- Large tooth surface eliminates slippage while leaning
- Die-cast aluminum construction
- Quiet installation with ZipCam strap and button
- Adjustable platform leveling
- 3 lbs.
- 300 lb. weight-rating
- Trusted name in saddle hunting
- 12″ x 13″ Standard, 16.25″ x 13″ XL
- Aluminum design
- 12″ x 11.75″ platform
- Highly-rated
- 300 lbs. weight rating
- Tree Digger teeth
Saddle Hunting Platform - Full List
- USE CODE bowhuntpursuit AT CHECKOUT FOR 10% OFF
- Thermoplastic design
- 400 lb. weight-rating
- 90° or slanted offset from tree
- 23 ounces
- Small footprint
- Large tooth surface eliminates slippage while leaning
The Original Pursuit Platform is a completely unique take on saddle hunting platforms. Every other manufacturer offers a similar design, being completely made of metal, and folding in half to make a smaller package.
The Pursuit is a one-piece, thermoplastic design with a weight-rating of 400lbs.! So, if there shouldn’t be any concerns over the material used.
Being made of thermoplastic, this hunting saddle platform is super lightweight, weighing in at 23 ounces, and is small enough to fit in most average-sized packs.
I used one for the entire 2022 deer season, and found it to be super comfortable, and easy to attach to the tree.
The teeth are ultra-wide, keeping the platform from slipping at all when leaning to either direction. Also, the textured design helped to keep my boots from slipping during rainy hunts.
One of the best features is being able to have it come off the tree at 90°, or flip it over to have it slanted downward. I prefer slanted downward. It just feels more natural to the way I hang from the tree.
Use code bowhuntpursuit at checkout for 10% off!
For more info, see my full review of the Pursuit saddle hunting platform.
- Die-cast aluminum construction
- Quiet installation with ZipCam strap and button
- Adjustable platform leveling
- 3 lbs.
- 300 lb. weight-rating
- Trusted name in saddle hunting
- 12″ x 13″ Standard, 16.25″ x 13″ XL
Tethrd is on of the most trusted and popular names in saddle hunting, so it’s no surprise why so many use their Predator and Predator XL saddle hunting platforms.
With a weight rating of 300 lbs., and weighing in at only 3 lbs. for the Standard and 4 lbs. for the XL, this hunting saddle platform is lightweight, but strong enough to hold any saddle hunter.
This platform is easy and ultra-quiet to install up the tree using its ZipCam strap and button. For mobile hunters needing more room to maneuver, the XL version of the Predator has dimensions of 16.25″ x 13″, versus the Standard 12″ x 13″.
This saddle platform is a no-brainer if you’re looking for strength, quality, stealth, and a little more room to move around.
- Aluminum design
- 12″ x 11.75″ platform
- Highly-rated
- 300 lbs. weight rating
- Tree Digger teeth
I used the Hawk Helium saddle hunting platform for two full seasons. With a price point much cheaper than many competitors, it was hard to beat.
Being made of aluminum, it’s extremely sturdy, while still being relatively lightweight.
The Tree Digger teeth do a good job at biting into the tree, but the platform needs to be properly tightened against the tree to keep from shifting when leaning to the side.
It’s a highly rated hunting saddle platform, and being available on Amazon, you save even more money on shipping.
- Cast aluminum design
- 13.75″ x 11″ platform
- 350 lbs. weight rating
- Ultra Grip traction
- Fully-leveling platform
- 5.4 lbs.
XOP is a name built around mobile hunting. Their Edge saddle hunting platform, weighing in at only 5.4 lbs., is the perfect addition to their climbing sticks.
With dimensions of 13.75″ x 11″, there’s plenty of room mobile hunters of any size, and it’s weight-rated to 350 lbs. The Ultra-Grip allows for added traction and stability during rainy hunts.
This platform’s leveling system allows you to keep the platform at whatever angle you prefer, even on crooked trees.
Its wide-tooth profile also offers added stability when leaning to either side. The XOP Edge is definitely a hunting saddle platform worth looking into.
- Connects to Hawk climbing sticks
- 10″ x 6″ platform
- 1.4 lbs.
- 350 lb. weight rating
- Tree Digger teeth
- Aluminum construction
At first glance, the Hawk HSP tree saddle hunting platform may not have the same mean and sleek look as some of its competitors, but what it lacks in style, it more than makes up for in function.
This lightweight saddle platform was built to be used in conjunction with Hawk’s climbing sticks. It simply connects using two quick-set snap pins.
So, it’s super lightweight, it’s a small footprint at 10″x6″, and it makes setup much quicker by not having to be strapped to the tree separately above the last climbing stick.
If you’re already using Hawk’s climbing sticks – or plan on purchasing them – and are looking for a way to cut weight and save time, the HSP is a great option.
What to look for in a saddle platform
If you haven’t purchased your first saddle hunting platform, or you’re looking to make a switch, it may seem like a daunting task because most aren’t very cheap.
This can lead to analysis paralysis, but it doesn’t have to. If you’re a dedicated saddle hunter, this likely won’t be your last.
You’re basically looking for something safe, well-reviewed, relatively lightweight, and comfortable enough to hunt with for hours on end.
I can tell you from personal experience that there is a huge difference in platforms when it comes to comfort. You may be thinking that they all look like they’ll feel about the same, but they definitely don’t.
The angle at which they hang from the tree, the material they’re constructed from, and their ability to be adjusted has everything to do with how your feet and legs will feel while hanging, which will in turn reverberate up to your hips and back.
For me, the Pursuit has been the most comfortable because of the angle it sticks off the tree, but also because its thermoplastic makeup has just a little give to it when readjusting or leaning.
It’s also extremely lightweight, right at 2 lbs. So, it’s easy to pack in, hangs at a great angle, is super comfortable, and it’s also one of the cheaper options in terms of price.
For all those reasons, I placed it in the Number 1 spot as the best saddle hunting platform on the market.
If you do decide to give it a shot, use code bowhuntpursuit at checkout to receive 10% off.
What about diy saddle hunting platform options?
There are some guys and girls out there experimenting with diy saddle hunting platform ideas. Some are good and some not so much.
If you’re a metal worker or engineer, and are very confident in your abilities, you can go that route, but I urge you to use extreme caution.
ALWAYS use a lineman’s rope and/or tether to stay attached to the tree, especially when testing or using a diy saddle hunting platform.
You’re dealing with life and limb when you climb a tree. There’s a lot of engineering, and a lot of brains that go into designing a mass-produced hunting saddle platform.
I prefer to stick with professionally-manufactured saddle platforms, but respect those who design their own.
Where to get a platform for tree saddle hunting
Most saddle hunting platform manufacturers aren’t selling on Amazon currently.
XOP and Hawk Helium, mentioned in the list above, can be purchased from Amazon, but the rest that are worth considering must be purchased from their individual websites.
For each listing above, I’ve included the applicable links for each hunting saddle platform.
Hunting saddle platform pricing
Just like saddles, hunting saddle platform choices aren’t cheap, but some are definitely more expensive than others.
The best saddle hunting platform options range anywhere from $100-$400. You have to make the best decision for your own wallet, so don’t get caught up in creative marketing.
If you’re buying from a reputable brand, and it’s known to be safe and high-quality, don’t think twice about it not being the most expensive.
Everyone has a different budget. You can sacrifice a little comfort, along with some bells and whistles. Just make sure to never sacrifice your safety by choosing a lower quality saddle platform that has been known to lack in quality of design.
Pairing a hunting saddle platform and tree saddle
Sure, it might look cool to walk through the timber sporting a tree saddle, saddle platform, and saddle accessories, all from the same manufacturer, but that’s completely unnecessary.
If that’s what you want, and your wallet can afford it, then go for it and enjoy.
But if you’ve spent a wad of cash on a top-of-the-line, ultra-light, super comfortable tree saddle, and now you’re in need of a saddle platform that can keep you safe and give you somewhere to rest your feet, you don’t have to break the bank just to have the branding match.
Go with a high quality platform that you can afford, even if it sports a different name. Besides, just because a manufacturer makes a tree saddle that you feel is best for you, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll feel the same about their saddle hunting platform.
In the end, you do you. And don’t apologize for it. And if you’re in the market for a new tree saddle, check out the best tree saddles the market has to offer here.
