A good comparison video. I’m surprised that the aluminum tubing and the cast came in so close together in weight! The standoff on the Hawk makes absolutely no sense!! 😮
Fantastic review sir. Concise, covers just about every con and pro of both products, and really makes me feel like I looked at both of these platforms myself. Cheers!
Glad it was helpful! Just keep in mind that Hawk eventually changed the shape of the platform due to a copyright violation of the tethrd platform. It no longer includes the “wings” and I my opinion is not nearly as good as it used to be.
Good review, thanks. At first glance before watching the video, the first thing I noticed was the thin, smooth edge... red flag... then seeing the backwards curvature, that was obvious to me that it wouldn't be stable with side pressure. Glad you covered that.
I think the reason they made the top stand off like that is to allow you to level side to side by kicking the top out. Not saying it is a smart design at all, but I believe that was the thought. With the curve being opposite when you place it on a tree that has a side to side lean the curve would lock in on the tree no matter what angle you place the platform at. I have an XOP platform that is heavier, but I find it to be extremely sturdy.
the XOP is built like a tank and weighs as much. If you don't mind the weight its a great platform. I changed out the standoff on my hawk platform and never went back.
@@tray22 It is ok. I haven't used it enough to really get a feel for it. So far I dont mind it climbing, but I prefer a full platform once I am setup. Ill give it some hunts this fall and see what happens.
i had the hawk and never again..... the plastic piece the adjustable bolt presses up against cracked resulting in the bolt bending almost 90 degrees while I was standing on it, the platform went to about 180 degrees. I had only used it maybe a week bought it brand new, luckily I had my lineman belt on and was able to get to my climbing sticks to support myself. Hawk (GSM outdoors) wouldn't even refund me and tried to tell me it was my fault. After a couple weeks they finally gave me 50% discount on an item.
This is pretty common with a lot of platforms if they’re not cammed over properly. I’m the video watch at 6:50 and 9:10. I cinch the strap as tight as I can with the platform folded up. Next I push down on the main post to get the strap even tighter and get the top stand off to stat to bite. Next fold the platform down. If you have done it right, you should feel resistance as the bottom teeth bite in and pull down even more on the strap. Hope this helps
You could use a grinder and grind some little teeth around the edge of the hawk. And with that being tubing you could drill some holes in the tubing to lighten it up alitte without affecting the structural strength. The stand off is ridiculous the way they made that though. I wonder if it would be possible to sharpen the teeth in the V part of the bottom to get it to bite alitte better. Good comparison and I think I would try the hawk if I made a few mods to it . I am a fabricator and do own a Bridgeport so I would probably make a new stand off . But for someone who can not do that stuff or don't have the tools it's probably just better to buy the predator. Thanks for the comparison!
Check the reviews on Amazon for these, people showing pictures of the adjustment bolt section of tubing, failing and the platform drops out from under them. Bad news, i will be staying away.
Hmm it’s like Hawk took the Predator platform and used it to draw the dimensions and shape, but didn’t take a clue from them when it comes to a stand-off. Thankfully you have a spare Tethrd one and switched it out. I was thinking 🤔 about going with the Hawk platform and ring of steps as well as the same sticks that you showed me in the Helium 20s. I also have been thinking about using a DRT method of ascension and descension. Thank you for sharing this, I will definitely keep tree size in mind if I go hawk, unless I can find a different stand-off.
The tethrd stand off should be easy to find since most predators came with two standoffs and a lot of folks have a spare hanging around. However, it still wasn’t super solid on smaller trees like the predator platform is. It’s not an issue in bigger trees.
@@TheBudgetSportsman thank you for the heads up on that. I just checked the Tethrd site and they sell them for $16. Still might just use the discount coupon that I signed up for and get the original predator.
@@TheWVgoodguy22 I hadn't heard that there are any training events or courses for saddle hunting. Would you steer me in that direction? I sure would be appreciative. I've never used a saddle before. Been looking into them for a little over a year though
I guess I'm the only one that doesn't think the hawk is a bad platform...? Lol I've been hunting out of one this season and it's been solid. I am 6'3 220lb and it doesn't kick out from under me when I put all my weight on the side. I don't think it's a bad product (so far). I do think people think it's "bad" just because it isn't a Tethrd product. If I have any problems this season, I'll be sure to come back to this comment section. But so far so good with the Hawk platform
I actually agree with you. I don't think it is as good as the Tethrd Predator but in no way do I think its actually a bad product. I bought one to review and full intended to sell it but I have kept it around and use it for friends.
@@TheBudgetSportsman the saddle hunting market is expensive, I don't really understand why it's gotta be like that for what the products are, But I bought my Hawk platform from MidwayUSA for around 60 bucks. It doesn't make sense why these little platforms cost more than most stands
Budget Sportsman: How long ago & where did you get the Hawk Platform in your video? I have been looking for one like it with the flared out sides but can't find it. I have only found ones with straight sides.
My understanding is that the flared sides were in violation of a patent held by tethrd. As a result, hawk had to stop making their platforms with the “wings”
Meh, buy once cry once. Hawk looks bulkier and like it won't fit in a pack as well as Thethrd. Plus if a properly installed Hawk can kick out with side pressure in any situation it's not worth it. Got the predator with a 10% discount code.
I’ve used both for a couple of years now and I’ve never had the hawk kick out once, other than the small tree situation mentioned in the video. I agree the predator is better, I just don’t think kick out is really an issue with the hawk.
I ordered this platform a year ago to plan to saddle hunt and just now ordered a saddle and got a custom gear modification sidewinder. I also got it on sale for like 60$ do you think the add of a eastern woods outdoor standoff would fix the kick out problem?
The stand off on this (and other platforms) is not the same as most stand offs for climbing sticks. The EWO standoff that I am aware of is made for climbing sticks and probably wouldn't work on the platform...though there maybe one I am not aware of. Unless you plan to hunt very small trees, I wouldn't worry to much about the stand off.
That top stand-off was a deal breaker for me. That’s a really bad design flaw. That’s just the obvious problem that I could see but it throws up a red flag. I wonder what else the design engineers missed that I didn’t notice.
It’s a poor design in my opinion, on the other hand changing the standoff did very little to help. I think the design flaw is actually in the teeth on the platform itself.
I don’t have experience with the hawk stand off but I switched to a predator standoff. I would assume you could probably sue a beast stand-off as long as it isn’t too deep and holds the top too far from the tree.
That’s for sure. The predator is well built and in my opinion, still the best platform on the market. I have hunted off the hawk a good bit this year in a preset situation and really have no complaints.
Yes, I use the hawk helium sticks for a budget stick or if you can bump the budget a little I really like the tethrd skeletors. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mEnSaD6Ec30.html
Hawk needs to go back to the drawing board with that poorly designed platform. Makes me wonder if the design team even saddle hunts. As the saying goes you get what you pay for
Most likely they do not saddle hunt. On the other hand, outside of he side pressure issue on smaller trees, I find the platform to be very useable for those on a tight budget.
I actually contacted hawk about 4-5 years ago when I was really diving into saddle hunting. I presented them with ideas that were legit for different saddle hunting products. I basically wanted to work with them as something along the lines of a product management type role. Similar products to my ideas have now hit the market. They basically said they weren't interested in the saddle hunting market at this time...
Hawks stuff in garbage, look at that thing haha. That looks like a DIY platform build that someone built in their garage. Don't even get me started on their saddle system too.
@@TheBudgetSportsman My opinion is coming from a user of this product and their other products. I like the company, but their products need to be a step better if they want to compete.
