What kind of pack saddles do you use? Sawbuck, Decker? I grew up on sawbucks, but now they have some modern "Deckers" with hooks and adjustable bars that I'm really interested in. Anyone use the latest models with adjustable bars?

The new adjustables look good. I have not tried them. I think they were made to compinsate for poor packers. A lopsided load can sore a horse in a hurry. I too have used the sawbucks mostly I now have a decker that the previous owner welded "ears" on. I wouldn't want to show up to a real pack outfit with it I am afraid they would run me out of the country, but it works great for packing salt out in the spring when the ground is too wet for trucks on my government leases.

One of these days I need to buy a dedicated pack saddle. After all the money I've spent on nice riding saddles, it's a shame to throw a set of panniers over them. Even worse when you haul out a fresh kill with blood ozing through onto the saddle.

Most of my use of the horses is riding. Even on a weekend camp trip or up hunting, I pack in using the saddle panniers and usually have a child or friend who hikes in. They then use the pack horse as a riding horse from the base camp for the hunt or short fishing trips. So they want a saddle to sit on not a sawbuck. When I get more horses and fewer friends, I'll buy a dedicated pack saddle.

For my purpose, I use the heavy cordura panniers that I throw over the saddle. I then add a top pack or a manny pack. I then usually cover all this with a Rain Sheet to keep the pack dry on the way in and something to cover the horses with in case of bad weather.

My horses usually have a pretty thin coat of hair when spending the summer at 4000 feet and 85-90 degrees. A summer snow storm at 11,000 usually causes them to shiver. The rain sheet at least keeps them dry and stops the wind.

A Decker with "ears" welded on?
I don't think anyone would run you off, I think they would check it out. If it's simple and makes sense, why not?

I've used saddle paniers a time or two. Some of my friends have had a local upolstery shop make up some panniers out of heavy duty double layer vinyl to pack meat, doesn't leak all over the place.

The new adjustable saddles I like have bars that can be adjusted for width of the horses back and angle. You can adjust them to fit the back of any horse and or mule. A one size fits all saddle. The bars are made of some kind of space age composite material. No more having to try to "adjust" the fit with pads or placement. Put the saddle on the horse without anything on his back and adjust it to fit his back perfectly.

It's like a custom made saddle for each horse the way it works.

Personally I like the Deckers, but use both, one is about as good as the other I suppose. Panniers fit well on both and I wrap all my meat to pack it out...

Sawbucks are easier to hang panniers on compared to original Deckers. Original Deckers were used by folks packing a "cannonball" instead of panniers. Original Deckers just had 2 metal hoops without anything to hang a pannier on. ElCaballero's Decker was modified by someone so they could hang panniers on it is my guess. The new style Deckers have hooks to hang a pannier on, hard or soft side. You can top pack better on a sawbuck too, but I really don't like to top pack too much. The new style is like a combination of the two types.

I "inherited" a decker with the ears welded on. I use it just like a sawbuck. I've always used sawbucks, probably because thats all you see here in CO. When I've needed to sling a load I just run the rope under the bucks. A few times I clove hitched a length of rope to the front buck then slung loads just like a decker. I do top pack quite a bit. Works just fine as long as it's balanced. I use a double diamond frequently if I have much top packed.

I have one of the new adjustable pack saddles, my buddy has a couple, what I've found is we usually end up adjusting them wide open, the adjustment is more to set the pad width to fit the horses back. I also have the old wood sawbucks, they work just as good.

I also use pack boxes (have one plastic set and some wooden ones), and always throw a top pack on with diamond hitch.

I have one standard wooden sawbuck, one rawhide covered sawbuck and a beautiful eared decker complete with Herman Oak #1 harness leather, roller buckles and 32 oz leather bound half-breed. I love the decker, but it really doesn't pack any better for my personal use than the inexpensive sawbuck.

But, what I do love are my new bear resistant aluminum kitchen panniers. With bear camp being required almost every where in western WY, they are tits.