New Spur Pad Suggestions

[dc59222]

What pads are yall climbing on? I have been climbing on buckingham gaffs with super climber/Buck/Euk pads for a little over a year and I am looking into a new set of pads. I like the support of the super climbers as compared to the old "T" pads I used previously, but the super climbers get pretty warm in the summer and I would like a little added comfort if I am going to buy a new set. The steel insert pads and the cast aluminum pads both look appealing, but I am not sure that I can justify the cost. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[geofore]

pads

Bashlins 145BC with the aluminium climbers like I got or the 146 AC for the steel climbers. Without the steel inserts 1.8 lbs. with the inserts 3.3 lbs. Double straps, Comfortable is the word I'll use. They are worth it.

 

[GASoline71]

Dude... the cast aluminum "Caddy" pad ain't expensive. Unless your comfort has some sort of price range. Get 'em... you'll thank me later.

Gary

 

[jomoco]

Spur Stays

The short answer to your question in my case is the leather Bashlin spur stays with steel inserts.

However, to achieve all day true comfort on your gaffs you have to go a bit further and spend quite a bit of money to stay truly comfortable day after day and year after year.

It took alot of experimentation and money, but this is what finally did the trick for me.

One set of Buck. Titanium pole gaffs with Bash spur stays. $375
Same as above but with tree gaffs. $375
One pair of custom Wesco 19" Highliner Lineman Boots $450
One pair of Asterisk lightweight carbon fiber motocross
Knee braces (Ergonomic left and right leg) $600
Lightweight Breathable Shift MotoX Kevlar Pants $115

Now I know that 2K may seem like an outrageous amount of money to spend on staying comfortable on your gaffs, but when you do takedowns for a living, I find that the above setup is dirt cheap for me. I feel like an armoured warrior ready for battle, I can place my shins, knees or feet into tight V crotches with total comfort, aggressively kick annoying stubs or small branches off, again with either feet, shins or knees. When going for big roping bullrides I can triangulate the forces and distribute them with no fear of bruised knees if I slip.

Anyway that's my setup, and it has worked well for me for many years.

jomoco

 

[GASoline71]

Dang dude... my spike were a set of used Buckingham's that cost me $75 bucks, my caddies were $75 bucks (new)... my boots are Georgia Boot logger boots (with steel shank) that cost $80 bucks...

Nice and comfy for hours on spikes... all for well under $300 smackers.

Gary

 

[Cedarkerf]

Go with the aluminum.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Dang dude...

Nice and comfy for hours on spikes... all for well under $300 smackers.

Gary

But Jo spends all day in big eucs, I would invest in better ones if all I did was monster TD's.

I like an aluminum sturip with the Buck velcro wraps and ridgid pad.

Often I will wear shin pads and hicking gators to keep the crap from building up in my boot tops.

 

[GASoline71]

But Jo spends all day in big eucs, I would invest in better ones if all I did was monster TD's.

I like an aluminum sturip with the Buck velcro wraps and ridgid pad.

Often I will wear shin pads and hicking gators to keep the crap from building up in my boot tops.

True... all the trees I did when I was climbin' were big spar poles like Doug Firs, Hemlocks, and Spruce.

Gary

 

[Tree Slayer]

The short answer to your question in my case is the leather Bashlin spur stays with steel inserts.

However, to achieve all day true comfort on your gaffs you have to go a bit further and spend quite a bit of money to stay truly comfortable day after day and year after year.

It took alot of experimentation and money, but this is what finally did the trick for me.

One set of Buck. Titanium pole gaffs with Bash spur stays. $375
Same as above but with tree gaffs. $375
One pair of custom Wesco 19" Highliner Lineman Boots $450
One pair of Asterisk lightweight carbon fiber motocross
Knee braces (Ergonomic left and right leg) $600
Lightweight Breathable Shift MotoX Kevlar Pants $115

Now I know that 2K may seem like an outrageous amount of money to spend on staying comfortable on your gaffs, but when you do takedowns for a living, I find that the above setup is dirt cheap for me. I feel like an armoured warrior ready for battle, I can place my shins, knees or feet into tight V crotches with total comfort, aggressively kick annoying stubs or small branches off, again with either feet, shins or knees. When going for big roping bullrides I can triangulate the forces and distribute them with no fear of bruised knees if I slip.

Anyway that's my setup, and it has worked well for me for many years.

jomoco

Wow I where Asterisk knee braces when I ride my dirt bike, but at work my guys would laugh at me.thats the 1st I heard this one are your knees bad? how did you find out about the braces do you ride too?

 

[jomoco]

MotoX Equipment

Wow I where Asterisk knee braces when I ride my dirt bike, but at work my guys would laugh at me.thats the 1st I heard this one are your knees bad? how did you find out about the braces do you ride too?

Yeah, I'm an old Motocrosser who's still too stubborn to quit, even after breaking legs, toes, arms and ribs repeatedly. I'm obviously considerably better at cutting down trees than motoX.

One of my nastier motoX crashes resulted in my having the ACL ligament in the middle of my right knee replaced, an awful proceedure that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy! Any way my doctor suggested that I wear an ACL knee brace if I intended to keep climbing, which I most certainly did. I spent $1300 on a custom fitted carbonfiber and titanium brace for my right leg. After becoming accustomed to it, I realised it had certain advantages for hardcore takedown work, and it wasn't long before my left knee being unsupprted by titanium got beatup to the point that it required surgery, thankfully it was only minor arthroscopic surgery that was a piece of cake compared to the ACL replacement. It wasn't long before the ACL brace was getting beatup and tired, so I tried a few motoX knee braces that sucked, but finally hit gold with the ergonomic Asterisk knee braces, and even though they eventually wear out too, their factory is excellent about replacing the worn out components and getting them back to me quickly.

So yeah, I'm a beat up old Motoman that still cuts down the big dogs for a living thanks to modern day medical and cutting edge motoX gear technology.

The guys at work used to laugh at me too, that is until they saw the work I do each day, not only did they shut up, the few of them that wanted to learn how to do big takedowns too, either coughed up some money for the gear or went back to trimming.

Not everyone is cut out for big takedowns, just like I didn't have what it takes to be a champion motocrosser, you just have to find out what you're good at, then apply alot of time money and effort at honing your skills and keeping an open mind about trying new techniques and equipment.

Knocking on wood and a little prayer seems to have helped me over the years,
I hate it when I have to cut down big beautiful healthy trees and always ask for forgiveness for it.

jomoco

 

[Tree Slayer]

Never hurt my knees, but have friends who have thats why I got a set of braces.sounds like you do mostly real big stuff. stay safe

 

[rbtree]

True... all the trees I did when I was climbin' were big spar poles like Doug Firs, Hemlocks, and Spruce.

Gary

Caddie pads are number one. All other pads bring up the rear. Don't even need high top boots...In fact, I usually climb in any hiking boot that is comfy. Break out the 10 inch Wesco's if I'll be in the gaffs for more than a couple hours. 32 years on 'em....one of the sets are that old...err older, as I got them used in 1975, if I recall correctly. Been through numerous replacement foam inserts. Same with another set, but they were stolen... I've only done a bit of climbing on other pads, but enough to know the Caddies are it for me.