There are many different types of camel saddles. The modern Australian type is considered one of the best, but even it is made in numerous variations. Looking at the saddles above you will see the straight bar type and the curved bar type. The curved bar type allows for more clearance around the camel's hump and holds the front and back pads at an angle that is more natural to the animal's back. The straight bar types often have a slight outwards curve in them and are a little narrower, making it more conferrable for the rider. A lot will depend on the camel's back and size of its hump on which type will work best. Chrome molly tubing works best for building the steel frame; it's very strong and a thinner gauge tubing can be used, making the frame lighter weight.

The pads on a camel saddle are tightly stuffed with pea straw, synthetic padding like polyester, or coir (coconut fiber). In the photo above you can see some padding sticking out. The padding is usuallly stuffed through a slit on the top of the pad and then switched up with a leather strap. A hangman's knot is used on the inside, keeping the outside surface flat. On this front pad, there are four leather straps going through the padding to the backside. They are pulled tightly and tied off to keep the padding tight and in place. Some saddle pads will have more than four straps, or will even be sewn through to keep the padding tight and in place.

Below are views of different camel saddles along with close-ups to help show how they are put together. Click on any photo for a larger view.


Camel Saddle #1

Camel Saddle #2

Camel Saddle #3

Dfferent Types of Camel Saddles