My 1st Spikeless Climb!

[tree MDS]

I'm trying to stay small on the firewood end, lol.

 

[corndogg]

I actually just did my first footlock ascent the other day as well! Friggin hard work! Really feel it in a lot of different muscles. I haven't spiked a trim in years, I usually use the ladder and climb branches but these big oaks didn't have branches till 40'. It's gonna take some gettin use to but the workout should pay off. The customers can't believe their eyes when they see ya go up the rope! Nice work nails. A couple years ago the ISA national conventiona and competition was here in Minneapolis. I'd never seen guys climb like that! I have the utmost respect for all you guys who can swing through the trees like monkeys and climb ropes like nothin. That's what I'm tryin to be. Bring on Spring!! (It's here in MN, just a bit wet yet.)

 

[Nailsbeats]

Hey, nice job! But it's easy to see you're a spiker from the third photo. Feet on the sides of the tree as if you had spikes on. Hardest thing for me to remember if i'm not doing a takedown-feet go flat on the trunk instead of on the sides. Too many years on spikes, i forget, my feet slide off the side of the trunk and i crash.

Thanks. That's the first thing I noticed when I got on the side of the tree is you had to flatten the feet to get traction.

I think I was bringing my body into the tree on that pic so I could reach the saw through the cut and push the piece over. You can't really see it well, but my left toe is in a crotch keeping me from slipping.

 

[Nailsbeats]

I actually just did my first footlock ascent the other day as well! Friggin hard work! Really feel it in a lot of different muscles. I haven't spiked a trim in years, I usually use the ladder and climb branches but these big oaks didn't have branches till 40'. It's gonna take some gettin use to but the workout should pay off. The customers can't believe their eyes when they see ya go up the rope! Nice work nails. A couple years ago the ISA national conventiona and competition was here in Minneapolis. I'd never seen guys climb like that! I have the utmost respect for all you guys who can swing through the trees like monkeys and climb ropes like nothin. That's what I'm tryin to be. Bring on Spring!! (It's here in MN, just a bit wet yet.)

I can see already that I'll have to get a prussic so I can footlock both the ropes and make some time on ascents. The footlock feels natural to me already. I love the fact that once I have a good tip I can just go up and around stuff on the rope with out finding a limb path. It's like you are climbing the gaps in the tree instead of the limbs with all those suckers and crap to hang you up.

 

[oldirty]

I can see already that I'll have to get a prussic so I can footlock both the ropes and make some time on ascents.

you know it mang.

just dont be a hero and try to go up doubled without it. i know you know but you never know. you know?

 

[Nailsbeats]

tree forced yoga poses man!

i'm telling you that you need to be an athlete to prune trees. totally different animal than spiking it. your wife is going to love the extra rip you are going to get from spikeless climbing too. you'll see. not only are you not "hurting" trees but you getting a good workout that in turn will get you an even better work out when you get home. lol

i came from takedown mentality and tried to force it on the prunes. the ideas didnt mesh. now that i have some time under my belt with a pruning mentality though i really have a different view towards tree work.

sometimes it feels better to have worked your balls off in a tree and still see it standing than just looking at a pile of stump grindings.



congrats on the climbing effort man, its awesome to see. stay safe.

Right on Oldirty, I much rather see a perfectly pruned and healthy tree in the end.
Point me to a tree and tell me to finnish it off, well I'm ok with that too. I'll just plant another one in it's place.

 

[Nailsbeats]

you know it mang.

just dont be a hero and try to go up doubled without it. i know you know but you never know. you know?

Yah, I know. I will try it anyway though ya know.

If I am going up without it I will be in shorts and a t-shirt like the old highschool gym days. That way when I get up their all I can do is hook the figure 8 up to the drawstring and rappel down chokin on my nuts. OUCH!

 

[oldirty]

Yah, I know. I will try it anyway though ya know.

If I am going up without it I will be in shorts and a t-shirt like the old highschool gym days. That way when I get up their all I can do is hook the figure 8 up to the drawstring and rappel down chokin on my nuts. OUCH!

or if you are anything like me you can blakes hitch your hog around the rope and lean back.

 

[Nailsbeats]

or if you are anything like me you can blakes hitch your hog around the rope and lean back.

I thought of that, it's just the rope burn issue and all. :censored: lol.

 

[Night Owle]

Words that should not go together.....

"Spikes and Prune" or "Spikes and Trim"
At least not in My World.........

Night Owle.......

 

[corndogg]

I used the prussik. Good thing because I had to stop and rest a few times. I wouldn't try to climb without the prussik. It's a safety net and won't cause you any problems during the climb. What boots are your favorites. Mine have big heels and if the rope is back by the heel it's hard to keep a good grip on the rope. It's a bit of work to retie all of your knots when you get up there. I usually leave my voldatain? tied all the time. Now I have to learn to tie it again.

 

[Nailsbeats]

I don't like heels on boots, I have some but they just don't feel right, I feel like I am walking like a cowboy and not an athlete when I wear them.

Right now I am climbing on Airwalk snow boarding boots with no heal and a wide toe, they are water proof and full leather. Only problem is they are probably 12 years old, time to get something new. I am going to look around a while. I am thinking something light/waterproof, with plenty of traction, fairly stiff sole with side protection, in the hiking style.

 

[oldirty]

tell'n ya dude, you need to climb in work boots. with the heel if your spiking around. boooooots man. not hiking boots.


get some chippewa's or red wings or carolina's. vibram soles and steel toe.

if you wanna go bigtime get the wesco's or white's or whatever else is top of the line.

when you are on the ground go with the short heeled boots.

i personally feel ass naked if i am not wearing my boots doing anything work related.

and athletic? cmon man, i'm a better athlete than you are a drummer. for sure about that.

wooooo!

 

[2FatGuys]

+1 on the boots! There is no way I'd be in the tree or on the ground without them!

 

[treemandan]

Wow Nails! How many prune jobs did you previously spike? I like the fact that you actually had a real good reason for the highwaters.
Anyway good to stop with tthe spikes. I think you could of gone your life with out admiting it though, as it is a pretty nasty little habit. Like say me saying that I had sex with a sheep. This is just an example, I did not sex with a sheep; I can't catch em.
Also nice work of the gear and port a wraps. Try some thick rubber soled boots for better traction than Redwings, it easier on the bark and more comfortable for you.
I worked for while topping big maples in residential yards. The next step would be to take them down. Who knows?
Anyway I always roped climbed them with no spikes. Alot of them turned out to be hatracks, which eased the stituation, but some turned out OK and not spiking them looked better.
I guess you could say it might have taken longer to mutilate those trees with out spikes but not really. Just tie in high. You will get good use of those straps you bought.
As fot the topping of all those maples? Well, what are you going to do? To much liablity being so big to stand, to little money to finish the job. I might come across doing it again, maybe I use my spikes.

 

[treemandan]

I don't like heels on boots, I have some but they just don't feel right, I feel like I am walking like a cowboy and not an athlete when I wear them.

Right now I am climbing on Airwalk snow boarding boots with no heal and a wide toe, they are water proof and full leather. Only problem is they are probably 12 years old, time to get something new. I am going to look around a while. I am thinking something light/waterproof, with plenty of traction, fairly stiff sole with side protection, in the hiking style.

I feel like a straight up ****** when I wear those high heals, with my ass out about to fall forward. I of course stoppped wearing them.
I like those snowboard boots for spike work but use those columbia types rubber winter boots. Add a set of hockey pads and you can strap those spikes as tight as you want around your foot and your shin.
Go ahead jam your foot into a tight crotch with redwings then try the rubber ones. I go climb a sycamore and it sounds like a basket ball game with all the traction. I do it with redwings and the like I slip, no good.

 

[oldirty]

I feel like a straight up ******..... .

at least you admit it.



hey to each their own when it comes to footwear. ive been in boots since day 1 and will end my career in them.

 

[tree MDS]

...Just could'nt imagine driving to work with "special" footwear, aka: "sneaks", and then actually expecting to be taken seriously upon changing into you're "workboots" in front of the would be employer, lol.

 

[treemandan]

at least you admit it.



hey to each their own when it comes to footwear. ive been in boots since day 1 and will end my career in them.

Not only that, those heals hurt my back just walking. I don't think they are very good for much. My feet hurt way worse in those Redwings than a pair of good hunting boots with a thick rubber sole and some cushion. My feet would start to bend down over the spike and no wiggle room.
The boots I use are relatively flat soled but have a small indentation for the spike. I don't have a problem with the spike shifting just bending down to get them on is a pain.
I have been working with guys in tennis shoes, one guy lost one and I had to yank the little bling bling tag off the other guys shoes.
By the way i have 2 pair of Redwings size 9 and 91/2( for the extra socks) up for grabs. They have a nick or 2 from the saw in the heal and are quite broken in but by all means not worn out. If you want em you can HAVE em. I think I spent close to 400 for both pair. They will last forever, but why you would want that is beyond me.

 

[treemandan]

...Just could'nt imagine driving to work with "special" footwear, aka: "sneaks", and then actually expecting to be taken seriously upon changing into you're "workboots" in front of the would be employer, lol.

You would love me as a swap out my SANDALS in the morning and put them back on for the ride home.
I used to ride my bicycle 13 miles( in any weather), get there and strip down butt naked right in front of everybody and jump into my tree climbing clothes. 8 hours later I did it all again but backwards. I take my time putting on my boots now, wherever.
If I had a would be employer that gave me hassle for swapping out my clothes throughout the day,well I guess he would not be my employer.
Any takers on the job?