Just had my first climb with my new gear.

[Plasmech]

Don't be discouraged by the figure of eight, they have ruined greater men. Your potency will be perpetually tested by pernicious tools of this trade. The Blakes Hitch and the Bowline are two of the most nefarious implements of the craft. Some will take a lifetime to master them.

This is a joke...right?

 

[ForTheArborist]

That saddle doesn't look useful for tree work.

How is that so?

 

[ForTheArborist]

By 3 stories I assume you mean say 30 feet? Something like that.

Maybe try the Tree Climber's Companion...like memorize that book first.

But I technically don't know anything.

I'm going to work with the stuff as it is. I've been climbing for a while now, but not in anything that my ladder couldn't get me into beside all of the palm trees and removals that I'm allowed to spike.

That Climber's Companion is a rich item for the trade. You're right about how valuable it reads.

 

[lego1970]

I believe I told you what some of the pros and cons are of a figure 8 device are in another post, but you must not of read my response or listened. Your somewhat entertaining but on the Jerry Springer show level and it get's old quick. I won't try to help you anymore. You need to get out of tree work, not that you were ever in it despite what you tell yourself. As someone else mentioned, don't feed the trolls. I should listen to him.

 

[newsawtooth]

Fascinating, you bought a hang gliding harness and a left handed figure of 8. The left handed figure 8's are notoriously difficult to use. The dorsal attachment will come in very handy, not enough arborists take advantage of the work that can be done behind them.

 

[ForTheArborist]

As mentioned test the gear at the ground with all your weight on it, or find a steep but short hill just to get the feel of the gear. The figure 8 device is very basic and if you can't figure it out then you shouldn't be doing this type of work. Apparantly you didn't buy the "The Tree Climbers Companion" for only $20 bucks as everybody as mentioned or you would of known how to work the figure 8 device.

Also I believe a lot of rope manufacturers started out making rigging lines for sailboats and the shipping industry, so this guy didn't invent that. Also I would be pretty worried about useing ropes that was used for sailing. Sure in a life and death situation, I'd use it but not for making 35k a year doing tree work. Also if this guy is so wealthy, why is he selling old climbing gear for $200 bucks. If he is that wealthy, I would think he would scared of being sued for selling old tired climbing gear to somebody that doesn't know what he's doing and could get killed. Especially considering in one of your post you said he made the saddle himself.

Hey Legs, friend. I never get tired of reading your posts. Every time I see the orange horizon in your avator, I know I'm getting some well thought out advice on my threads and on everyone elses threads. I missed your post here because I was putting down two posts in a row, and you posted in beween them. I'll look to see if someone posts in between my double posts in the future. You're no waste of time, and your advice is golden. I just missed ya' there.

The guy didn't invent anything but hang glider profiles and airlite products. As far as climbing and rigging goes, he is just another user like us. The saddle there made by Robertson as you can see in the pic was custom designed for the guy I bought it from. Look up Robertson gear sometime. These two guys were working on stuff together for a long time. As I understand it, Robertson made a bunch of sailing gear to begin with, so he could easily have manufactured the climbing saddle for him.

I'm not through the climbers' companion yet. I scanned ahead for the fig 8, but I couldn't find the skinny on that. I did a few searches online, but that didn't get me far. So I was asking here to find out where everyone else is with their 8s except that it's not much fun for some of these climbers.

I didn't buy any rope from this guy, and I'm not worried about rope. He is 64, and he is not selling me rotten ropes, guy. As far as being rich. His divorced wife took care of that. He does OK though.

I would seriously doubt the law suit could land on him for this going going bad. People sell stuff on craigs list everyday, and nobody comes back to suit because of technical difficulties. My gear is fine though.

I'm still look forward to your words of wisdom. I'm repping you if the server lets me do it again this week. I hope you can read as fast as I type. This took me less than 5 minutes to type, soo...

 

[ForTheArborist]

Fascinating, you bought a hang gliding harness and a left handed figure of 8. The left handed figure 8's are notoriously difficult to use. The dorsal attachment will come in very handy, not enough arborists take advantage of the work that can be done behind them.

Is it a hang gliding configuration? I looked up the gear for hanging from the gliders, and this is what I found:

The guy never mentioned gliding with this saddle. It might look different because it is custom designed for his work on sail boat masts though.

I can't find anything about left handed 8s. I would have assumed the hot pink metal figure 8 descender/belay device would not be specific to either hand, left or right. What am I not understanding here?

That metal ring in the back does look like something that I'd use in the trees. I've watched a lot of vids of them in the trees, and I've see some of them take advantage of a ring fixed into the back. It's a good and useful saddle for me. I doubt I replace it for a long time.

 

[treesquirrel]

I can't find anything about left handed 8s. I would have assumed the hot pink metal figure 8 descender/belay device would not be specific to either hand, left or right. What am I not understanding here?.

Different companies use varying methods to distinguish between left and right figure 8 rings.

Most use color codes, some use sizing differences.

The basic idea is you need to always be aware of which hand is your brake hand. By using the distinctive left or right handed 8 you know which hand is your brake hand by merely glancing at the 8 ring and you will not need to recheck how your rope is routed.

there have been a lot of fatalities due to climbers forgetting which hand is for braking and the right and left specific designs limit these deaths by over 63% according to an ANSI study.

The ambidextrous 8's are now all but extinct. I still own one but I am very careful when I use it.

 

[fishercat]

Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you should practice a little lower and were the ropes used as well

i STRONGLY second this advice!

 

[treemandan]

That saddle doesn't look useful for tree work.

what saddle? You see a saddle? I heard about a saddle but never saw no saddle. Was there a saddle? Huh?

 

[Plasmech]

what saddle? You see a saddle? I heard about a saddle but never saw no saddle. Was there a saddle? Huh?

I was wondering the same thing...

 

[NCTREE]

I see something that could be pawned off for a saddle, but it looks more like a diaper to me.

 

[treemandan]

I see something that could be pawned off for a saddle, but it looks more like a diaper to me.

I ain't seen no saddle alls I'm sayin. whar's it at!?

 

[ForTheArborist]

I just realized that this saddle only has some shoe strings for clipping on gear but not a chain saw. I'll probably have to improvise here to clip the saw on.

I still think I got a good deal. Even though I can see me spending a few hundred on an arborist's saddle in the future, this saddle was basically free. It will be sufficient for the time being.

 

[NCTREE]

I ain't seen no saddle alls I'm sayin. whar's it at!?

Dude bought a hang gliding saddle

 

[ddhlakebound]

I just realized that this saddle only has some shoe strings for clipping on gear but not a chain saw. I'll probably have to improvise here to clip the saw on.

I still think I got a good deal. Even though I can see me spending a few hundred on an arborist's saddle in the future, this saddle was basically free. It will be sufficient for the time being.

What, looking in the mirror with your new saddle trying to decide whether or not it looks like a diaper when you realized it had no tool attachments?

And now you're gonna improvise? Eh, don't worry, I'm sure the duct tape will make a great loop for your 1320.

Seriously....post a pic of your new saddle....we wanna see how the sailors do it.

 

[ForTheArborist]

Dude bought a hang gliding saddle

There is no such thing as a hang gliding saddle, little boy kool. Do a search. You'll get nothin'.

You must have one of those head injuries that the ol' timers are always posting about because they don't want to see anyone else get one too. Either way I'm looking at a climbing saddle, but youuuu seeeee somethiiiiing totally "COOL DUDE!":jawdrop:

 

[ForTheArborist]

What, looking in the mirror with your new saddle trying to decide whether or not it looks like a diaper when you realized it had no tool attachments?

And now you're gonna improvise? Eh, don't worry, I'm sure the duct tape will make a great loop for your 1320.

Seriously....post a pic of your new saddle....we wanna see how the sailors do it.

The pic is at the front of the thread, mossy. The saddle, the ascenders, fig 8, foot step, it's all at the front of the thread.

NM, I'll put here again.

Here is all of the gear I bought the other day for $200. I think I got a deal.

 

[NCTREE]

There is no such thing as a hang gliding saddle, little boy kool. Do a search. You'll get nothin'.

You must have one of those head injuries that the ol' timers are always posting about because they don't want to see anyone else get one too. Either way I'm looking at a climbing saddle, but youuuu seeeee somethiiiiing totally "COOL DUDE!":jawdrop:

All right you go sail around the twees in your diaper, let me know how it works out.

 

[ForTheArborist]

All right you go sail around the twees in your diaper, let me know how it works out.

Showing off your five year old style game?