Ralide Trees

[Echo4V]

I have noticed some Ralide trees for sale but I have never dealt with one.

I know the tree makers probably won't like them but what do you saddle makers think of them?

Does it take a special type of glue to get the leather to stick to them?

Will they hold up like a wood tree?

[moriver]

Glue works fine, trees that I have used have held up ok. Cheaper, more uniform sometimes since they are molded, I do not use them in high end saddles, but they work good and cut some costs for youth saddles.

[Echo4V]

would they tend to flex or give with a heavy rider?

I noticed the ground seat is formed on them already so is it a decent seat?

I mean if you put stirrups and rigging on it could you ride it like it is? I know that's not a great idea, I'm just wondering how much work the seat would need.

[Elton Joorisity]

IMO...junk

[TroyWest]

They will not hold up like a wood tree. I've see horns jerked off, fronts jerked off, bars broken in a dozen pieces.

[oldtimer]

Nails and screws won´t stick in the long run and the plastic has a tendency to crack and break from the pressure of the screws. Holes for screws has to be pre drilled. IMO: junk

[Denise]

I noticed the ground seat is formed on them already so is it a decent seat?

My answer to the above question is a very definite no. In years gone by, I have ridden in many ralide treed saddles and I can still feel the lump under my leg caused by the way the stirrups go through the built in groundseat. A good saddle maker can make a good seat in almost anything, but they would have to do a lot of work to make anything at all comfortable.

[Hidemechanic]

Ralides are fine for show or pleasure. But they are plastic and the get brittle with age. I've repaired some with shatered bar ends. The brakes tend to follow screw lines like glass follows a scratch like.

As for seats, they are not built to be anatomically corect so they would need a little work. I have modified the lumps and ridges out of them to make them comfortable(store boughts).

As for flex, they will not flex from rider's waight so as you can notice. They are a stiff piece of injection molded plastic. Probably more flex in a wood tree(but not from rider weight).

Ralide does make a flex tree that is not so stiff. I think you would have to be in an extreem situation for it to flex the way you are asking.

The only other thing is that the last time I talked to them I think they said they had a 25+ min. on ordering trees from them.

As for fasteners, I would use ring shanks and if I use screws either predrill or with drywall screws I work them in in stages, go in, back out,, go in further, back out then finish set. Hope that helps. GH

[TrooperChuck]

Personally, I believe no one has yet found a totally satisfactory replacement for the traditional wood and rawhide saddle tree. There is only one reason why they've been used for hundreds of years... because they are the best! My opinion only.

I've repaired a couple ralide trees, the rear bars of both had shattered into multiple pieces. I've never seen a wood/rawhide tree do this.

The old cowboy who taught me how to make saddles believed ralide trees can't hold nails as securely or as long as wood/rawhide trees. His advice to me was "Just pretend you've never heard of those."

[JRedding]

I think I'd rather ride bareback.