Rate my setup before I buy...

[icdnarborist]

I'm entering the second semester of my arborist program. During the first semester, I used the school's equipment, but now I'm looking to purchase my own. Any recommendations or advice or things I'm overlooking would be greatly appreciated.

I currently have 150ft Blue Moon rope, eye-to-eye Prusik, DMM Boa Locksafe Carabiner, 2x RockO Auto-Lock Carabiners, and all the PPE. This is what I’m looking to purchase...

Harness Setup
Monkey Beaver Saddle 2.0 with suspenders 2.0
ART Positioner 2 with Swivel
25 foot lanyard with a double action snap on each end (should I get swivel snaps?)
Notch Sidekick Lanyard Manager

SRS Setup
Notch Rope Runner Pro
DMM Ultra O Locksafe Carabiner or DMM Perfecto Locksafe
Climbing Technology Quickstep Foot Ascender
SAKA Foldable Knee Ascender

Accessories
Teufelberger antiSHOCK Chainsaw Lanyard
CMI Shembiner XL
Silky Saw

 

[daniel chode rider]

Sure am a fan of the rope runner.

Where are you located and gonna work, and what kind of trees?

If you're getting a rope lanyard you don't need swivels but you do with a steel core. I would definitely get a steel core and something more like 15 feet. Seems like there's some cool options out there that are steel but still super flexible (courant stileo)

 

[ATH]

Don't do biners on both ends of your lanyard. The Positioner only works one way, so what is the snap on the other end for? I like a swivel on the end, but its not that big of a deal. If you are doing a lot of chainsaw work, yes a steel core is a good idea. Or Sterling TriTech? I've never used it, but looks promising. I don't do removals, so not using a chainsaw a lot, so don't use a steel core lanyard.

Which Silky saw? I use a Sugoi most of the time in the tree. But if I were only allowed to have one, I'd have a Tsurugi - probably large teeth. Maybe medium (I have both, use medium more...but when I am cutting bigger stuff I use the Sugoi).

You have a throw line? I really like Dynaglide.

Are suspenders necessary? If you are climbing with a big saw, probably so. Is that where you are starting out?

 

[Stihlproincky]

Sounds like a hood selection of gear to me, I run the mb 2.0 and suspenders and can't complain. Yes, you'll want a swivel snap, I've use both and the straight is a p.i.t.a
Does sound like alot of lanyard tho, Mines only 12ft and I do removals of trees upto 5'-6' DBH, but go with it if it's what you want. I just shoot my climbing rope to the top and go up, but I rarely chunk down trunks that size. I use the silky sugoi too btw.

 

[Stihlproincky]

Don't do biners on both ends of your lanyard. The Positioner only works one way, so what is the snap on the other end for? I like a swivel on the end, but its not that big of a deal. If you are doing a lot of chainsaw work, yes a steel core is a good idea. Or Sterling TriTech? I've never used it, but looks promising. I don't do removals, so not using a chainsaw a lot, so don't use a steel core lanyard.

Which Silky saw? I use a Sugoi most of the time in the tree. But if I were only allowed to have one, I'd have a Tsurugi - probably large teeth. Maybe medium (I have both, use medium more...but when I am cutting bigger stuff I use the Sugoi).

You have a throw line? I really like Dynaglide.

Are suspenders necessary? If you are climbing with a big saw, probably so. Is that where you are starting out?

On suspenders, think about carrying a chainsaw, a rigging rope, extra carabiners and some slings, your lanyard and a backup or secondary lanyard, may sometimes carry your climbing rope up too, rigging blocks/rings and slings for them, and all the little gadgets. And yes, the occasional times you gotta take the 500i or 661 up there, suspenders are very helpful if you consider doing all that 8-10hrs a day.

 

[ATH]

...
Does sound like alot of lanyard tho, Mines only 12ft and I do removals of trees upto 5'-6' DBH, but go with it if it's what you want. ....

As I mentioned above, don't do a lot of removals...so if I were more straight up and down trunks, I wouldn't make full use of a long lanyard. On prunings, I am often working my way further out on limbs than I would if it were being removed. On some of those long limb walks, the long lanyard is great. Its rare I've thought "I wish this were shorter"....but even at 20' every now and then I do wish it were just a touch longer. Once I went with a longer lanyard, I wouldn't want to go back.

 

[daniel chode rider]

It's still just dependent on region. If you're in the PNW like me you'll need a 15-18' steel core and you might never touch a rope lanyard, let alone a 25 footer. Cuz there aren't really any broad canopies. East coast will be totally different.

 

[HumBurner]

It's still just dependent on region. If you're in the PNW like me you'll need a 15-18' steel core and you might never touch a rope lanyard, let alone a 25 footer. Cuz there aren't really any broad canopies. East coast will be totally different.

You don't ever work on true oaks, big tan oaks, pepperwood, madrone, toyon, maple etc....?

Lots of trees in the PNW have huge canopies......

 

[daniel chode rider]

You don't ever work on true oaks, big tan oaks, pepperwood, madrone, toyon, maple etc....?

Lots of trees in the PNW have huge canopies......

I've done some work on Oregon white oak, which re quire some limb walkin. They aren't native in WA though.

I've climbed some big giant spready oaks but they're the rarity (planted, and lasted long enough to get huge, like 7, 8, 9 ft dbh)

Big leaf maples are usually more tall than they're wide. Black Cottonwood are poles. Red alder are poles. Madrona are poles.

That's not to say they don't have wide canopies, but the canopy never reaches out like live oaks in Florida, or all those eastern oaks that have huge horizontal limbs 20ft off the ground. All our deciduous trees generally grow a tall straight trunk and then break out a canopy from there. So, usually you can just rig big huge limbs and never have to walk out on them. Like I'm never gonna limb walk out on a damn cottonwood I'm slaying. Throw a few wraps on it and let it fly.

And for pruning you usually get a nice high tie in, makes the limb walks pretty chill.

 

[telecasterfool]

You have carabiners with two different styles of unlocking. The Rock Exotica is pull down, and the DMM is push up. I would decide which you like better and stick with one style.

 

[AlotL1keVegas]

You have carabiners with two different styles of unlocking. The Rock Exotica is pull down, and the DMM is push up. I would decide which you like better and stick with one style.

This is good information. I started out with a combination of petzl, dmm, and a lone rock exotica on my lanyard. I found myself fumbling with, and absolutely hated the rock exotica.
I originally thought I would like the rock exotica, so I got 1 to try out. But it was aggravating having different actions.

 

[HumBurner]

This is good information. I started out with a combination of petzl, dmm, and a lone rock exotica on my lanyard. I found myself fumbling with, and absolutely hated the rock exotica.
I originally thought I would like the rock exotica, so I got 1 to try out. But it was aggravating having different actions.

Which did you end up going with? I'm liking the DMM ones, as I've been playing with them (not in the tree yet), and less so the few other odd ones I picked up.