climber bite?

[Spellfeller]

Hi, all:

Aside from showing a little too much pale Irish ham, can anybody figure out what's going on here?

My climbers are causing this abrasion on my left calf. The lower one was from the first ash wreck and the top one from the second. (I was in the second tree much longer.) They are perfectly straight and level.

What's crazy is that they do not correspond to the bottom or the top of the pad, nor the top of my sock. In fact, that part of my leg is inside the plushest, most padded area!? Has anyone had this happen? Could it somehow be a case of over-tightening the velcro wrap?



EDIT: I just thought of my pants. (Same in both cases.) I'm going to check if there is a seam or stitch that might be causing this...

 

[Fiddler]

Looks familiar...

The only velcro pads I ever used tore me up far worse than that in 1/2 day. The top edge of the metal was the culprit.

 

[Spellfeller]

Nothing obvious in the pant department...

Thanks, Dave. Was there any solution? Or did you just get rid of them?

 

[Fiddler]

I got talked into trying a set...didn't like them and went back to what I was using before.

 

[Spellfeller]

Roger! Thanks.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Try some thermals under your pants.


Did you adjust your shank length so the top of the pad is just under your knee bones (top of tibia/ fibula, not knee cap)?

 

[MasterBlaster]

My entire career I wore soccer pads.

Comfort City.

 

[Merle Nelson]

I used a set a big velcro attached pads for exactly one day. Try the Aluminum Caddy pads. Zero contact pain or damage.

 

[Spellfeller]

Try some thermals under your pants.

Did you adjust your shank length so the top of the pad is just under your knee bones (top of tibia/ fibula, not knee cap)?

Now that it's getting a little cooler, I'll try the extra layer, Sean. Last week, that would have pushed the Swamp Crotch factor to well beyond acceptable levels!

At 5'8", I think I have the shanks adjusted properly. Pretty sure they are on the shortest setting...

My entire career I wore soccer pads.

Comfort City.

Sounds good, Butch, but these things are bulky as h@ll already. I can't imagine them with shin guards too, but I may give it a whirl...

 

[Spellfeller]

Try the Aluminum Caddy pads. Zero contact pain or damage.

Thanks, Merle.

People DO love the Caddies...

http://www.treestuff.com/store/reviews.asp?product_id=1582

 

[MasterBlaster]

Give it a whirl....

Trust me.

Want bulky? Try Caddie pads.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Put them on, take a picture. Shortest setting sounds short. I've never heard of someone being too short for spurs (not enough adjustability), so the last hole might be short, producing more leverage for a 5.8 climber.

 

[Spellfeller]

Put them on, take a picture.

Off to soccer soon. Will do this PM...wearing shorts for maximum visibility/analysis!

 

[Spellfeller]

Okay. Here's a lot more "skinny guy thigh" than anyone is interested in, but I'm confident that we may learn something about proper climber fit!

This where the two scrapes are, relative to the boot top. (Turns out they are not as level as I thought.)

Here's the fit of the Bucks.

Right leg

Left leg

Bucks vs. Geckos

They SEEM to be adjusted properly, but I'll definitely defer to the experts...

Clearly, if I had more (any?) muscle tone, it would be easier to see where my kneecaps actually ARE!

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Put one stirrup adjustment higher up, with the pad against the bottom of the bulge of the knee joint (maybe a couple inches up, looks to me). Go stand on them. Go spur them into the base of that next ash removal. Just try, adjust, try, adjust. Compare and contrast.

Figure out your suspected correct height, then go spend some time in them and consider what you feel.

 

[Spellfeller]

Thanks, Sean. I'll start moving the left one up/out longer...and see how it goes.

 

[Mick!]

20 years in the game, spiked my own calf recently.

 

[Limbrat]

Mick, did you gaff (cut) out and have you been climbing on it ever since? That's an ouch and a half.

 

[biggun]

They look to be setup a little on the small side to me.

As Sean said, keep setting them and trying till you feel comfy.

 

[Mick!]

I was descending on an ivy covered pine, in was an ugly inelegant sort of comedown, I slipped and searching for a foothold I did a boo boo. It hurt like hell all the rest of the day.
It's ok now. I find self employment is both a pain killer and an antibiotic

 

[Fiddler]

I've managed to go through my boot to my ankle before but nothing like that...heck of a puncture there...ouch

 

[Sgriff]

Placement looks proper to me,there is an actual recommend wear zone.
You appear to be in it. Think its Two inches below the ballish bone on the inner part of your knee(the lower ballish bone if you have multiple lol)

 

[Sgriff]

http://buckinghammfg.com/media/wysiwyg/pdf/whatsnew/ClimberGaffUseandCareInformation.pdf. i was wrong,says one inch below bone

 

[biggun]

Maybe it is the pads that just look weird but it looks like the velcro straps would be around the belly of the calf rather than towards the top. There also looks to be an awful lot of gap between the top of the front of the pads and the knee joint.

I just know that if I used a set with those sorts of dimensions my knees and shins would be in pain.

 

[Sgriff]

Lets get a picture with your leg bent,whith them on, so we can distinguish the actual dimensions. I measured to attain correct sizing for cf geckos