Ideal size for a climber?

[The Branch Doctor]

Any of you guys think there is an "ideal" size/weight for a climber?

It came up in another thread and made me curious what everybody else thinks of the subject.




Except the Canadians... nobody cares what they think.

 

[MasterBlaster]

As long as their feet go all the way to the ground...

 

[The Branch Doctor]

As long as their feet go all the way to the ground...

Ha! You could say that they always do... eventually.

 

[top hopper]

Ive always thought tall and slender would be the ideal build.

6 ft tall, 200 lbs ish ??

Im only 5 ft 9 ish, and appprox 175 pounds depending on the season, and I've always been a little envious of the climbers that were a few maybe 4 inches taller.
That additional reach would be nice.

 

[lumberjack]

Either super tall and trim, or normal and trim.

Not 6'2" and 260lbs, that's more of a groundy.

 

[lumberjack]

My height and 200lbs would be pretty slender. The antithesis of a ground guy. Back when I was doing PT 5 days a week and got down to 220, I could climb better but couldn't lift near as much.

 

[The Branch Doctor]

IMO, 6ft-ish and under 200lbs. 165-185lbs is a lean mean climbing machine that's light enough to do some serious limb walking, strong enough to handle the strains, and the endurance to stay aloft for long periods of time.

My .02

 

[SkwerI]

Long arms and legs are more helpful than overall height. I know that with my hands cuffed behind my back, I can step through my arms and bring my hands in front of me (while sitting in the back of a patrol car).
NO, I'm not sharing any details. Besides, it was a decade ago.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Cops love it when you do that, lol!

 

[NickfromWI]

I think just under 200 pounds is good, and almost 6' tall. I am 160 and hauling up a 046 wears me out sometimes. Carrying it around throws me off balance.

I think if you have enough mass and muscle to sling a big saw, you're good.

The smoothest climbers I've seen are usually small framed people.

love
nick

 

[sotc]

at comps ive seen guys, like an aussie named straun, make the footlock in fewer grabs as they are 6'2"- 6'4" and make traverses that normal size people find difficult

 

[Old Monkey]

It depends. When I have to do spruces I think it would be great to be small. When I am removing large trees I think being 6' 4" is great. Slender would be good. That's on my things to do before I have a heart attack list.

 

[xtremetrees]

5'9 165. whoa thats me!

 

[squisher]

Skinny= long term aches pains and strains imo. 5'9" and sitting right around 200, 180 is slim and trim for me and I've never experienced a sore back.

Imo size/build don't really mean squat. Some people climb others...........don't.

That's a Canadian opinion.

 

[sotc]

null and void
im 6' 190, seems a nice balance, cept for the spare tire

 

[Old Monkey]

Willie if you have a spare tire, then I'm the Michelin Man.

 

[sotc]

how do you climb like that?

 

[IchWarriorMkII]

I think I come in lighter than the whole bunch of you guys...

 

[MasterBlaster]

It's all in how many one hand chin/pull ups you can do.

 

[JIML]

We got a few guys at work that climb that are 6'-6'5" not 100% sure, one of them is real tall. He can reach so much more than us short guys. Plus he is strong as an ox, can handle 4-5 pruner sticks in a tree no problem... IMO our best limb walker is a little short guy. Has balance like a squirrel...

 

[Hobby Climber]

Size? ...I donno, I'm 6'4" at 265lbs and can hold my own, (for a 43 year old fella that is). Not the best but not the worse either, just somewhere in between!

*

I met a very interesting fellow last year at the Michigan T.C.C. and man can this guy climb!!! WOW!!! I think Theresa (TC3) may know him.

He's a big guy and not once did I see him loose speed going up & down all day long!

He goes by the name of Whiz over at the Buzz and is pictured on the left below. Oh and thats Tree Rat to the right!

HC

 

[lumberjack]

Haha TC's bro. I was there when he won those snazzy pants!

He climbs like an ape from what I've seen.

 

[Koa Man]

I think someone like Kareem Abdul Jabbar's body type would be good for a climber.

Tall, but not heavy and strong. Big hands to grab limbs and long limbs to reach out and cut stuff a shorter guy would have to climb up to.

 

[Al Smith]

Well idealy I suppose an orangatang but not an old one .

 

[pete mctree]

Power to weight ratio and balance are the important things IMO. I'm 5'10 and about 170. Great for most work, but when blocking down a stem with a 660 I struggle in comparison to the big guy's.

The ape index does help too (height compared to armspan) + numbers are what you want, I'm +5 - my span tip to tip is 6'3!!