What’s the difference between the HOG Saddle® & the PIG Saddle®?

First off, both products function the same…

• One-handed operation
• 1/4” and 3/8” thread mounting options
• Same recoil reducing urethane pads

Since the HOG Saddle® MOD7 is a military issued item, many design features are overbuilt to enhance the product’s performance regarding durability, corrosion resistance, and long service life, as well as reducing the overall weight. This is also highly advantageous and well suited for hunters. The PIG Saddle® is the same product but the manufacturing process has been greatly streamlined. Performance and affordability are our goals behind the PIG Saddle®.

There are three primary differences between our HOG Saddle® & PIG Saddle®:

• Weight - The HOG Saddle® is only a mere 15.8 oz, with the PIG Saddle® coming in slightly more at 1.4lbs.
• Construction- Both have CNC machined torque knob assemblies, however, the HOG Saddle® has a retention button screw to prevent disassembly in the field. The HOG Saddle® body is CNC machined out of aluminum, and also has black oxide stainless steel guide rods. The PIG Saddle® is constructed of stamped and machined steel. Lastly, the Urethane pads on the HOG Saddle are recessed into the body, providing again, that slight edge in durability.
  
• Finish - Both have superior corrosion resistance. The HOG Saddle® uses a hard anodized finish, and the PIG Saddle® a tough Melonite® finish.

Side-by-side the HOG Saddle® is visibly the premium product. A lot more time and energy goes into its construction. The clear difference in performance at the rifle range can not really be noticed until shooting at targets past 600 yards. The HOG Saddle®, however, starts to feel a little more stable beyond these distances.

Q: What is the best shooting tripod and ball head to use with the HOG Saddle® or PIG Saddle®?

A: Traditionally a Manfrotto 055 or 190 series brand shooting tripod was the industry standard, but there have been many improvements in the last few years.

Three tripod models that have become extremely popular are:

  •PIGlite-CF4 Carbon Fiber Field Shooting Tripod, rated for 24 pounds

  •PIG0311-G Field Shooting Tripod, rated for 26 pounds

  •PIG0311-GS (Short) Field Shooting Tripod, rated for 26 pounds

All our Shadow Tech, LLC Field Shooting Tripods (PIG0311-G, PIG0311-GS(Short), PIGlite-CF4 Carbon Fiber) come with interchangeable spiked feet, short center columns with 365 degrees of rotation, load bearing hooks, and an OD Green paint finish.

A big advancement in ball heads, recently, is an overall increase in load bearing strength. The days of using traditional grip action heads rated for only 14lbs or less are over. The ball heads that we offer, all have high load ratings and are arca-swiss QD plate compatible. The arca-swiss plates (like the Shadow Tech,LLC MARC-QD) allow the user to use two bolts to attach to the base of our Saddles. This make it virtually impossible for the QD plate to ever twist loose over time from repetitive vibration or torquing of the Saddle. High load rating ball heads also allow the user to adjust the ball head to 90% tension. This essentially turns the ball had into a hands-free adjusting tripod. This is a huge leap forward when hunting at night. The higher the load rating = the smoother the movement when supporting a 20+ rifle or laser system.

List of high load rating ball head that we carry:

  •XB-52DL GNN Ball Head, rated for 132 pounds

  •XB-44DL GNN Ball Head, rated for 86 pounds

Please feel free to contact us with any further questions, or visit our FAQs section for more information.