Brand new Retro
- Thread starter High Scale
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Burnham
Woods walker
Be careful as hell, Carl. You've read my thoughts on this concept, no doubt.
mistahbenn
Treehouser
The KK is ok... The Pantin under the spur worked just as well mind you and was $125 cheaper.
High Scale
Trust fund lobbyist.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Tell me more Burn.
Ben, yeah I've used the pantin like you describe for a while but never really liked it and also I got the KK cheapish.
Ben, yeah I've used the pantin like you describe for a while but never really liked it and also I got the KK cheapish.
mistahbenn
Treehouser
Dont get me wrong I like the KK... its just another tool in the chest.
Burnham
Woods walker
Oh Carl, the more is...I'm just skittish as hell about the risks of self gaffing when rope climbing wearing spurs. I have to admit this newish trend is not one I have tried, nor even seen used, but the several truly unpleasant self inflicted wounds I've witnessed, or seen documented, or been asked to investigate as a USFS master climber, convince me that sooner or later (and I lean towards sooner) some poor climber is going to gaff the shite out of themselves rope climbing with gaffs on.
The reason I'm convinced that this injury will occur is the decades of experience I have in SRT rope climbing without gaffs in the mix. I've banged myself any number of times, one boot against the other leg. I've trained newbies wherein that sort of banging was just about inevitable on more leg strokes than not. I know you and the many others going this way are far from newbies...but I've seen too much of this sort of contact to ignore the risk, as I see it.
It's going to happen if this method gets much traction, imo. I don't expect my little voice in the wilderness will change anything on the trajectory of it, but as an old friend I beseech you... don't let it be you.
The reason I'm convinced that this injury will occur is the decades of experience I have in SRT rope climbing without gaffs in the mix. I've banged myself any number of times, one boot against the other leg. I've trained newbies wherein that sort of banging was just about inevitable on more leg strokes than not. I know you and the many others going this way are far from newbies...but I've seen too much of this sort of contact to ignore the risk, as I see it.
It's going to happen if this method gets much traction, imo. I don't expect my little voice in the wilderness will change anything on the trajectory of it, but as an old friend I beseech you... don't let it be you.
High Scale
Trust fund lobbyist.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
Cool Ben, cool.
High Scale
Trust fund lobbyist.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
No worries Burn, I'll be careful and fully understand your thinking.
Burnham
Woods walker
But to my mind Stig, that takes away the whole point of the exercise, as best I can I see it anyway (worth wondering if my sight is anything like complete on that score, I'll readily admit), doesn't it? I mean, the whole point is to be able to stick a gaff whenever you find the need, right? Otherwise, why do it at all?
I've climb a lot of big nasty trees old school style SRT, then hauled up a set of spurs on the end of my climb line, put them on in the tree and then climbed on by that method. No need to risk injury by starting on the ground in spurs you won't need for scores of feet up above.
Maybe this is a PNW big azz conifer mindset that's got me blinkered here.
I've climb a lot of big nasty trees old school style SRT, then hauled up a set of spurs on the end of my climb line, put them on in the tree and then climbed on by that method. No need to risk injury by starting on the ground in spurs you won't need for scores of feet up above.
Maybe this is a PNW big azz conifer mindset that's got me blinkered here.
High Scale
Trust fund lobbyist.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #11
Yeah that's my normal style, climb up then get the spurs sent up but there is the odd time that I think they'll be useful, big leaning back Beech for example after coming down for lunch.
gf beranek
Old Schooler
what B said.
SouthSoundTree-
TreeHouser
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2014
- Messages
- 4,941
I'd rather use a floating ascender if it is just for rope tending as one spurs up a tree. I'd rather not want to make a nip here or there, and have the rope pulling on that stirrup, as it feels like with a pantin used for tending a stationary rope through the SRT tool during ascent.
I can see gaff guards, and also finding out the hard way that your gaff guard has come off. I would prefer a wrap with electrical tape on the guard, which can easily be torn off when you're at your working height.
I can see gaff guards, and also finding out the hard way that your gaff guard has come off. I would prefer a wrap with electrical tape on the guard, which can easily be torn off when you're at your working height.
High Scale
Trust fund lobbyist.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #14
Tried it today, love it, didn't spike my leg.
Burnham, I might have totally misunderstood the purpose of the ascender/gaff thingie.
I thought it was for SRT'ing up a rope and going to work without having to go through the hassle of having your spurs sent up and putting them on in the tree.
Personally, I'd rahter have the bother than gaff myself, but to each his own.
I thought it was for SRT'ing up a rope and going to work without having to go through the hassle of having your spurs sent up and putting them on in the tree.
Personally, I'd rahter have the bother than gaff myself, but to each his own.
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Raj
TreeHouser
It's great to get in position on a silver maple take down, I tried rope walking, not for me, I usually don't have high to go 30, 40 ft, sit/stand works good. I will often have SRT line through a few stems with a final redirect set from the ground on the out reaching stem. Go up, spur in, drop brush, flick SRT line out of redirect and chunk down on spurs. By no means an every job use, but the occasional energy saver on the right tree.
