Trophyline's Onyx Settles the Saddle Platform Debate Once and For All
The platform debate has been a rite of passage for every saddle hunter: EDP or Mission? Go small and light or sacrifice weight for foot room? Trophyline apparently got tired of watching hunters agonize over it, so they built the Onyx — a new saddle platform that debuted at the 2026 ATA Show and promptly gave the community something fresh to argue about instead.
Three Platforms Walk Into a Foundry
The concept behind the Onyx is smart. Trophyline took their EDP, Mission, and Wingman platforms — three designs that each had loud, loyal fan bases — and fused the best traits of all three into a single piece of aluminum. The result is a platform measuring 14.9 inches wide by 13 inches deep, splitting the difference between the roomy Mission and the stripped-down EDP, while pulling the angled edge geometry straight from the Wingman playbook.
That angled perimeter is probably the most talked-about feature. Each side of the Onyx is beveled downward with built-in non-slip ridges, which means your boots have natural contact points whether you're leaning hard into the tree, rolling up to stand, or torquing around for a weak-side shot. If you've ever felt your feet fighting for traction during an awkward angle shot, you know why this matters. The edges aren't just cosmetic — they're functional geometry that changes how you move on the platform.
The Claw Design: One Cast, No Compromises
Trophyline also introduced what they're calling the Claw Design, and it's worth paying attention to. The post, standoff, and stomp pad are all single-cast together rather than bolted as separate components. That kind of integrated construction removes potential flex points and failure modes that show up in field use over years of hard climbing. It's a detail that matters more at season five of the platform's life than it does on unboxing day.
The Onyx tips the scale at 4.5 pounds with a 350-pound weight limit and folds flat for pack carry — which keeps it in the conversation for mobile hunters who are counting grams but still want real platform real estate underfoot. It's not a featherweight minimalist option. But for hunters who've done a full season on the EDP and quietly wished for another inch or two of standing room, it threads the needle well.
Where This Lands in the Market
Context matters here. At the 2026 ATA Show, the broader trend was unmistakable — run-and-gun gear continued to dominate the floor, with multiple brands pushing lighter, faster, quieter setups across climbing sticks, packs, and saddles. Inside that environment, the Onyx is an interesting counter-move: it's not trying to win a weight war, it's trying to win a comfort and versatility argument instead.
The community reaction at ATA was telling. Forum chatter noted that the Onyx slots neatly between the Mission and EDP in the Trophyline lineup while making both a little redundant for the average hunter. If you're the kind of saddle hunter who swaps platforms depending on the sit — EDP for quick hang-and-hunts, Mission for all-day rut grinds — the Onyx could legitimately consolidate that into a single do-everything choice.
Trophyline has never been shy about iterating fast based on real hunter feedback, and the Onyx reads like exactly that kind of response — years of listening to what people loved about each platform, then sending it. Whether it actually ends the platform debate is another question. Saddle hunters love to argue. But for the 2026 season, the Onyx is the most compelling new platform story in the space, and it arrived at the right time.
- Dimensions: 14.9" W x 13" D
- Weight: 4.5 lbs.
- Weight Limit: 350 lbs.
- Key Feature: Full angled perimeter with non-slip ridge grips
- Construction: Single-cast Claw Design — post, standoff, and stomp pad integrated
- Origin: Made in the USA | Patent Pending
