Trees

[OldRedMule]

All of you seasoned saddle makers are so wonderful and helpful and so appreciated. I want to share that I received my Dennis Lane fitting kit and am so excited to use it. Now I just need to know about tree makers that will use it. Denise Nikkles sent me a couple, Dusty Smith and Ben Swanke, and they look really amazing and impressive - and a bit expensive. Of course I want the best I can afford as everyone else here does too. I am sure I am not the only one wondering. I would like to widen my options by just gathering info. Anyone,, please? Maybe some good, better, best comments too, please? I know this has been covered some, but maybe there are some new names out there and in particular who will work with this Dennis Lane system. Thanks in advance!

[Squilchuck]

I just posted this on another thread you are on. I've had four made by Bowden from DL measurements and all fit very well. Cost of last one this winter was about $475. The rawhide finish was a big lumpy but smoothable. --John

[Ken Nelson]

I use Lewis trees and have on over the last 100 I have built.   I have yet to have one come back because it was eating horses and I have yet to have one come back broken.

I build saddles for men that ride all day, every day  on very large ranches, rope a lot of cattle both in the arena and on ranches.  Everything from baby calves to ton + bulls.

I am not saying anything bad about anyone's trees but Lewis has been the best affordable tree I have used, but I have not tried a lot of  tree makers out there.