Kenn,
Save your $ for good climbing gear, and get a $80-150 pr of hiking boots, gore-tex if desired, with a small heel. Maybe bring your gaffs to the store and a chunk of wood so that you can try out the feel. I now only break out the Wesco's if I'll be standing in gaffs for a long time. My current Merrell's, and previous Asolo, Technica, etc, boots have all been adequate for spur use. And much preferred for gaffless climbing.
Chances are the Red Dawgs are OK. I have climbed in White's, Northwests (out of bus.) and Wesco's. They all work, but the current Merrels feel just fine on the foot and arch.
I've climbed for 30 yrs, 20 on a tautline hitch, 2 on a blakes, and 8 on a Vt. I seldom use the schwabisch/distel as they are simply not as good as a Vt. I've used a split tail and pulley slack tender for 10 years.
Using a Petzl Pantin to ascend DbRT "Doubled Rope Technique" is half as fast with half the effort of SRT or straight footlocking. If footlocking, it is called footlocking the tail. Only problem with this method is the friction at the crotch, if a cambium/friction saver has not been set.
Thus the reasons for using SRT or footlocking for long ascents are to make it easier on yourself and the tree.
Another favorite access method is to use two lines. First set a throw line in a strong crotch. Key here is very strong!
Set a line, tie pulley to an end, run lifeline thriough pulley. Pull line 1 up to crotch, keeping both ends of lifeline in reach. Tie off line 1 at the base of the tree. Now you have a frictionless ascent. I have been pulled, using my own effort also, up 60 feet in a very short time. Ok you regulars, chime in here, are my load calc's right, or are the figures double?
Recently I have done some very tall trees, where I used my 200 foot static line, tied at the base, and climb on ascenders. With no ground help to untie the line, I have worked the tree with the static line tail or a second lifeline, then descended on a figure 8.
Here's Eli nearing the end of a 70 foot footlock. He's using an Ushba (An odd Russian camming device) with Vt backup for his footlock belay.
