Albion K2 Jump Adjusta Tree

[paintlady]

This past year, I started doing CTs and Starter HTs using my Albion GP, which is built on a SLK tree. I bought this saddle new from an Albion stockist in 2007 and it fits my mare beautifully. This saddle has been fine up to 2’, but now that I’m schooling some BN level jumps, I’m realizing the limits of using a GP saddle as it tends to force my leg back.

I recently purchased an Albion K2 Jump demo for a great price, but it is non-returnable. My Albion SLK GP is an 18" W. The K2 Jump is an 18" M-W. I was told that the K2 does run wider. What I wasn’t expecting was that it almost seems a tad too wide for my mare.

The good news (maybe) is that the Albion K2 Jump does have Albion’s new Adjusta-tree. I haven’t been able to find anything online about experiences adjusting the Adjusta-tree. Hoping some of you here may have experience between the SLK vs K2 and Adjusta trees. I’m really hoping that I can get this saddle to work for my mare.

[jn4jenny]

The Adjusta-Tree technology is pretty new to market, having only debuted in 2014 So you probably won’t find many people who have made an adjustment to their Adjusta-Tree asddles yet. Even though as of 2014, the Adjusta Tree is in the entire Albion K2, Kontrol, and Kontact lineups.

At any rate, the person who would most likely adjust your Adjusta-Tree would be your local Albion rep/fitter. So that’s the person you’d want to talk with.

[Willesdon]

You could always phone up Albion Tel: +44(0) 1922 646210

[paintlady]

I reached out to my local Albion rep for a quote. I was just curious about others experiences before I invest more money into this saddle.

[NCSaddleFitter]

The Adjusta-Tree should cost about the same as it would to adjust the traditional Albion trees… the big difference is that you can adjust them to a greater degree and do it more often without risking the integrity of the tree. Depending on the fitter, they will use a vice or the saddle devil. While I think the panels should always be dropped when adjusting the tree, not all fitters do, especially when using the devil. So lacing the panels back in may cost a little extra.

Are you sure it needs an adjustment at all? The K2 offers beautiful bearing surface, so you may just need a flocking adjustment to better support the front of the saddle.

[paintlady]

My local Albion rep/fitter is coming out tomorrow. The quote for adjusting the Adjusta-Tree was more reasonable than I expected - certainly less than the $300+ I have seen quoted elsewhere for standard tree adjustments. I’m hoping that she can make this saddle work for us either by adjusting the tree or through a flocking adjustment. I’m still surprised that the M-W on the K2 appears much wider than the W on my SLK Albions.

[paintlady]

Great news… saddle only needed to have flocking added. I’m glad I had the fitter out and excited that the saddle will work for my mare.

As for the Adjusta Tree, my local Ablion rep/fitter uses the saddle devil. She seems to really like the Adjusta Tree, but said she generally tries to address flocking issues first.

[woodstock]

Paintlady – may I ask who your Albion fitter/rep is? I’m looking at a used Albion and would love to know who in the area (I’m in Central VA) handles the brand. Thanks!