From Climbing Shop to Hunting Saddle: The Birth of HuntLyte

HuntLyte started as nothing more than an idea from a friend. Back in early 2021, while working at International Mountain Equipment, I met Damon. He came into the shop asking about ascenders and ropes for saddle hunting. Since I’d been researching hunting saddles myself, my coworkers passed his info along to me. At the time, I was on the hunt—literally and figuratively—for a lightweight alternative to a traditional tree stand. After my first hip replacement in 2018 and the second one looming, hauling heavy gear through the woods was no longer an option.

I had watched videos and read reviews, but I hadn’t actually tried a saddle until I met up with Damon to teach him some rope work. At his house, I tried on not one but four different saddles. The brands and models didn’t matter—what mattered was the pain. The pinch on my bad hip was unbearable. One saddle was so loose that when I shifted it to a comfortable position, I could slip it off like a pair of pants.

With my background as a mountain and climbing guide, taking lead climbing falls, and a few experiences being struck by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) while sitting on a two-inch piece of webbing, I understood the pressures and impact that harnesses and saddles put on the hips. When I shared my disappointment with Damon, he asked, “Have you ever thought of making saddles yourself?”

Initially, I wrote it off. I’d only hunted one season and had never used a saddle. Imposter syndrome hit me hard. Who am I to make a saddle without ever using one? But Damon didn’t let up. He’d call me periodically, checking if I’d given it any more thought. One day, after months of doubt, I finally said, “Fuck it, I’ll give it a shot.”

I dove into research—studying shapes, bridge loop designs, and anything that wasn’t already being done. I teamed up with Rich from Savage Gear in North Conway, NH, to bring these ideas to life. Our first attempt was, well, a disaster—uncomfortable, clunky, and not functional at all. It wasn’t until the third or fourth prototype that I felt a spark of potential. I shot my first deer out of prototype number 4—a big-bodied old doe.

Developing a product wasn’t cheap. Paying for services, establishing the LLC, and all the unexpected expenses hit hard. But I knew we were onto something. I maxed out a credit card, bought my first sewing machine, and went all-in on materials. When the machine finally arrived, I was so eager to start that I didn’t even read the instructions. Naturally, I threw off the machine’s timing on the first use. Thankfully, Rich was there to help me get back on track.

Rich From Savage Gear helping with Prototype number one.

From there, things started to click. We went through five designs before landing on the Outsider Saddle. I produced the first few saddles in-house, had them third-party tested, and eventually moved production to a local factory.

The journey to HuntLyte has taught me two key lessons. First, if you see room to improve an industry, why wouldn’t you try? If I had let imposter syndrome win, HuntLyte wouldn’t exist today. Second, life can be scary. I’ve faced danger—from being blown up and getting into firefights to falling off rock faces. But nothing compared to the fear of putting myself out there and creating something new.

If you believe in something, take the leap. Try, fail, and try again. You never know—you just might create the next big thing.