treeseer said:
Free climbing generally means with no spurs either, much less fun than using ropes.
I free climb things like crabapples, light duty fine pruning stuff in plums, dogwoods and maybe magnolias, but generally, to me freeclimbing involves at least having a saddle, and the flipline ready to assist and facilitate the climb. At that point, it's hardly worth not clipping a short rope on, whether or not you use it is your choice.
Bigger trees, man, ya gotta hate going up and being limited as to what you can do, where you can go, and how precisely and swiftly you can drop into position for cuts. Missing a rappel, even if it's a short one, and having to climb DOWN the tree, that's just working without having the fun-meter pegged fully to the right.
I still remember my early days, doing things with what minimum I had. It was slower, less safe, very limiting, and way less fun.
Joy can only be fully attained by achieving a state of fully unrestricted expression of your talent, and the confidence of not having to question your own personal safety. Becoming one with friction and gravity, that's where it all crystallizes. That's what we, as technical climbers, nourish ourselves with.
