Help with balancing on skinner trees?

[ch74]

Working a skinny pine the other day and while I was chunckin/blocking down I found myself unbalanced n awkward. Is there techniques to helping stay more balance and secure.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

540* lanyard wrap.

Leave some branches on one side to open the drop zone, yet leave dampening wiggle absorbers here and there, especially on a topping cut.

Climb on that skinny pole on gaffs and flipline while belayed and just 'cruise around'. Get more comfortable with it, and try to relax.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Any underlying conditions that really added stray to the camel, hydration, food, rest, outside stress?

 

[ch74]

Thanks southsound . I did wrap my landyard like u said . I still felt like I was going to fall over. I aslo Did leave a branch about ten foot under me for the wiggle topping effect It did help. Is there a gaff technique to go with the double wrapping landyard. ?

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Pole spurs or tree spurs?

Generally considered an oddity, I prefer pole spurs, almost exclusively. This is most important in skinny tops.

Leave a lot more branches.

 

[ch74]

Tree gaffs. Sir.

 

[ch74]

I see What your saying. Idk if that one branch helped. But the ride was awsome.
Do you even use pole spikes on yellow pine trees.? When do you use tree gaffs if or when u feel you need to.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

E ticket

 

[ch74]

Im sorry Cursed but what is E ticket.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

It's the big kids rides at Disney Land

 

[ch74]

Lol. Sorry I just took a stupid pill I guess. And yes im hooked toppong n chuncking down is my fav.

 

[ch74]

Anyone else use pole spikes exclusively. ? I can see how they would help with CG placement. But how are they in thicker bark trees.

 

[MasterBlaster]

A PITA.

 

[ch74]

Pita? Im on this dumb kick today I guess.

 

[ch74]

Got it. Nevermind. Do you use pole or tree gaffs MB. ?

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

I think some pine is looser barked than our pnw fir.

Species specific.

 

[ch74]

Yea but to me its not that thick. Its yellow pine out southeast and a lot of it.

 

[sotc]

If you can have most of your weight on one hook, have the other a little higher and just enough weight in it to balance. You can also have your flip line a little higher on the trunk than normal.
One more thought, new guys seem to want to rub their belly button on the trunk, lean back far enough to use your climbing saw between you and the tree just above your flip line. That's usually an ideal angle

 

[ch74]

Auhhah your right I do like being kinda close to tree that might be half of it. The spike thing like southsound mentioned is part of it. Those tree spikes sometimes I feel like im on high heels.

 

[ch74]

What is to close and to far . ? Pictures would be the most helpful if not that much trouble.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Hey Charles, pole gaffs (and sharp ones at that) are not something to be believed in, they are something to be tried. It's easy to climb even a 4x4 with them because the rest of your boot is down so close to the object you are climbing. I frequently have two or three points of contact on each foot. The gaff, and boot on one side of gaff or both sides. I have a set of pole and tree climbers with me most of the time but pole gaffs is what I do 95% of my spur climbing on.

Also most of the time just walking up the tree sets the gaff, even just walking up a 4x4. Find someone that has a nice set to try out. I still wonder if Climbrights dont have a bulkier profile which matters to a deep solid set of the gaff as you climb. Heck power pole climbers even opt for polished pole gaffs to get the smooth steel to help with a better set.

Fun to see your still working it forward.

 

[Merle Nelson]

Willie's thoughts in post #18 are something that I do without even noticing too regarding foot and flipline placement. However when I'm at the top of a tree and standing on a 5 inch round pole flipline wrapped around 3 inches of pole I don't feel good about doing a lot of leaning back. There again I think pole gaffs work for me. I can climb with my body right up against the spar and still get a good gaff set.

 

[ch74]

Hey Mr. Nelson that was spoken like a professional. I sold the climb rights and bought a pair of geckos that alone made a big improvement. I still have yet to try pole gaffs which im very interested in doing but there pricey.

 

[ch74]

My style is kinda close but not really . But in the top yes sir im up right more also. Also, ty for your help in the past and im not giving this up its my thing now to get better n better i still have your advice in my mind when I climb and I ALWAYS stay tied in twice. Sometimes I bring up mu tail n tie a blakes if im worried .

 

[Merle Nelson]

Shoot just looked, I thought Geckos had replacable gaffs. Anyone else starting out consider Bashlin aluminum climbers. Not only are they very comfortable (for me) but, for about $60 more and a few minutes of screwdriver work you can have pole and tree gaffs with you at all times. I did that for quite a few years when I first started out. (Also aluminum "caddy pads" fit Bashlins with a few minutes of file work even though they say they don't.)