ATA 2025 Proved Saddle Hunting Has Fully Taken Over the Industry
Walk the floor of the Archery Trade Association Show in Indianapolis back in January 2025 and one thing hit you fast: the saddle hunting section wasn't a section anymore. It was the show. The crowds, the buzz, the money being spent — it all pointed the same direction. Mobile hunters have officially gone from a scrappy subculture to a driving force in the bowhunting industry, and the gear companies clearly got the memo.
Here's a full breakdown of what mattered most coming out of Indy — the drops that will actually change how you hunt this fall.
Tethrd Goes Big on Three Fronts
Tethrd didn't just show up at ATA 2025 — they showed out. The headliner was the all-new Carnivore 2P saddle, built around what they call Dual Panel Construction. The clever part? It wears and walks like a single-panel saddle on the way in, but once you hit the tree, you can drop into full two-panel mode fast using their RAD Buttons. It also sports a row of MOLLE straps and a pair of D-rings for building out your kit the way you want it. That's a legitimate design leap — comfort without the bulk on the pack-in.
The second big Tethrd drop was their CFX platform, made in the USA from a proprietary carbon fiber layup. The Regular version tips the scales at just 2.3 lbs, and even the XL only comes in at 3.25 lbs. Carbon fiber saddle platforms have been the white whale of mobile hunters for years — lighter than aluminum, quieter, and strong enough to trust your life to. Tethrd says the CFX is their lightest and strongest platform to date, and those weight numbers back it up.
Then there's the Sabr Limb Saw, which walked away from ATA 2025 with the Best New Accessory award. It's a folding hand saw with a twist: it converts into a pole saw right in the field by locking onto a cut branch using stainless steel Limb Locks that bite hard and hold solid. For saddle hunters trimming shooting lanes from 20 feet up, that's not a gimmick — it's a genuine problem solver.
Arsenal Sub 2: The Platform Weight War Heats Up
Arsenal came loaded. Their RZR Sub 2 platform is being called the first full-featured saddle platform to break the 2-pound barrier — and that's a big deal when you're stacking sticks and platforms in a pack for a long public-land grind. Like their RZR Elite, the Sub 2 runs a one-inch thick profile for serious packability without sacrificing standing room. The tapered front edge targets foot fatigue, which anyone who's spent four hours on a platform in November knows is very real. Arsenal also brought the Cloud Infinity saddle with their new Infinity PRO Bridge System — an adjustable bridge that lets you dial in micro and macro fit at multiple points. More customization, less fidgeting at first light.
Hunter Safety System Enters the Arena
One of the more significant industry signals from ATA 2025 wasn't a product feature — it was a brand. Hunter Safety System, the company that essentially built the treestand safety harness market, jumped into saddle hunting with a full lineup. Their Defender and Guardian saddles give new hunters two entry points into the game. The Guardian in particular caught attention for its ultralight build — coming in under 1.5 lbs with quick-connect buckles designed for hunters who stay on the move. When a brand with HSS's reputation and retail reach commits to the saddle space, it sends a clear message to every sporting goods buyer in the country.
Trophyline's Magnite Platform Keeps Rolling
Trophyline continued pushing their Hyperlite platform built from Magnite — a proprietary material they've been refining that is claimed to be significantly lighter than aluminum yet stronger. The 12-inch-by-12-inch footprint keeps things compact, and the FlatStack design pairs cleanly with their climbing sticks for a tidy, low-profile pack setup. Trophyline's attention to system integration — saddle, platform, and sticks working together as a cohesive kit — remains one of their biggest selling points for hunters building a setup from scratch.
What It All Means for Mobile Hunters
The 2025 ATA Show wasn't a single breakthrough — it was a pressure wave. More brands, more innovation, more money chasing the mobile hunter dollar than ever before. The gear is getting lighter, more refined, and more purpose-built with every product cycle. For hunters who run and gun public land or pressure-test unpressured timber, that's nothing but good news. The competition is real, and it's forcing every brand to up their game.
Shop smart, get your kit dialed before summer ends, and send it come October.
