Spurs ??????????????

[tramp bushler]

Which ones are the most comfortable for all day climbing . I have Klien's and they are good so far however my feet do still get a little sore in the arch and where the pad sits against my shin ... How comfortable are the Wolf spurs , compared to Buckingham with the solid tree gaff , or the Kliens . I had a set of Bashlins years ago , they seemed to be very good but I only used them for a month or so . I remember the pads were comfortable . .
.
. Those of you who have climbed for a long time and wore several brands of spurs , Any ideas ??

 

[tramp bushler]

I have an all day climbing job tomorrow and am considering wearing my Scarpa Invernos .. my Viberg 105Ts are very good and about the best boot I've ever wore in the spurs . More comfortable than the Wesco climbing boots I had . Alot more comfortable ..

 

[beowulf343]

If you are having arch problems, have you thought about a footplate?

http://www.sherrilltree.com/Professional-Gear/Pads-Straps-and-Accessories/FootPlates-649

Personal opinion: the wolf-claw's are horrible. I spend 50+ hours a week on my buckingham's and wesco's with no pain.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I got all my 8 climbers new Geckos and they are so happy!
Jeff

 

[pdqdl]

I bought a pair of Geckos last fall, and they are exceptionally light and comfortable. The very wide American gaff, however, makes me wish that I had purchased them with the European gaff option. Hanging that far off the side of your foot puts a lot of side pressure on your ankle.

The European gaff is not so widely set from the ankle; it is one half inch closer to the shank. Lineman gaffs are a full inch closer to the shank than the American gaffs.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Yeah, you need the small gaff- I do not know why they are standard with the longer gaff- maybe so they make more money knowing we need the smaller gaff.
Jeff

 

[tramp bushler]

No I definatly need the long tree gaffs .Spured out WATY too much with the pole gaffs . I wore the mountainerring boots for 1 tree and they were ok but then my feet got too hot . I changed to my Viberg 105s and spent almost 6 hrs in the spurs and had no pain or discomfort at all . ... It must have been my first time in the spurs since last fall , my feet just needed to make the adjustment to a strong firm boot .. I wore Bunny boots for about 4 months and my Sorels before that for 2 months .. If I can get rid of 50 or 60 lbs of fat I should be almost monkey like....
.At least that is the hope .
. By using the tree gaffs on the Klien's I never spured out all day . Last year I came way too close to sining saprano on every tree ........
. Where do they have the Geckos ??
. Thanks for all the replies ..

 

[tramp bushler]

No I definatly need the long tree gaffs .Spured out WATY too much with the pole gaffs . I wore the mountainering boots for 1 tree and they were ok but then my feet got too hot . I changed to my Viberg 105s and spent almost 6 hrs in the spurs and had no pain or discomfort at all . ... It must have been my first time in the spurs since last fall , my feet just needed to make the adjustment to a strong firm boot .. I wore Bunny boots for about 4 months and my Sorels before that for 2 months .. If I can get rid of 50 or 60 lbs of fat I should be almost monkey like....
.At least that is the hope .
. By using the tree gaffs on the Klien's I never spured out all day . Last year I came way too close to singing saprano on every tree ........
. Where do they have the Geckos ??
. Thanks for all the replies ..

 

[jefflovstrom]

No I definatly need the long tree gaffs .Spured out WATY too much with the pole gaffs . I wore the mountainering boots for 1 tree and they were ok but then my feet got too hot . I changed to my Viberg 105s and spent almost 6 hrs in the spurs and had no pain or discomfort at all . ... It must have been my first time in the spurs since last fall , my feet just needed to make the adjustment to a strong firm boot .. I wore Bunny boots for about 4 months and my Sorels before that for 2 months .. If I can get rid of 50 or 60 lbs of fat I should be almost monkey like....
.At least that is the hope .
. By using the tree gaffs on the Klien's I never spured out all day . Last year I came way too close to singing saprano on every tree ........
. Where do they have the Geckos ??
. Thanks for all the replies ..

Well my friend, if you don't need pole gaff's, you are not climbing very far up. The rigging involved with big pieces versus a good climber on pole gaff's knocking out wood a ground man can pick-up and take away, is better than, well, you got the picture.
Jeff

 

[Nailsbeats]

Bashlin Aluminum with straight tree gaffs and aluminum caddilac pads, that's how I roll.

 

[flushcut]

Buck T2 standard point and super pad works for me

 

[GlennG]

For all day climbing Its the boots and saddle you wear , not so much the gaffs. My main gaffs are steel Buckinghams short pole climbing gaffs. 1 1/4 inch spurs. I have the 3 inch Bucks too but never use them. I do a lot of large tree pruning so Im usually in sneakers. Great boots if you can swing it, Wesco boot.

 

[mr. holden wood]

Well my friend, if you don't need pole gaff's, you are not climbing very far up. The rigging involved with big pieces versus a good climber on pole gaff's knocking out wood a ground man can pick-up and take away, is better than, well, you got the picture.
Jeff

Things are little different up north my friend. Pole gaffs are for palms,eucs and telephone poles. Our trees are much bigger, the air is cleaner, the women are hotter,we climb much higher and our gaffs are way longer.

 

[pdqdl]

...
. Where do they have the Geckos ??
. Thanks for all the replies ..

Sherrill's sells the Gecko's. Last fall they let me not pay until spring. Damn! The bill just came in, too.

If you are kicking out on your spurs, unless you are in something like giant redwoods with exceptionally thick bark, or vine covered trees, lineman's gaffs alone aren't the problem. I'd guess that your spurs are dull, probably filed down too much also.

Technique might be a problem, also.

 

[Climb020]

Only ever used the geckos. Bought the red ones when they first came out and learned on them then have since switched over to the new carbon fibers. Used Euro gaffs on the originals but prefer the longer gaff that I have on the carbon fibers. Only time I wish I still had the euros is on white pines to prevent from digging in too far. So light barely know you are even on your feet. Also check your boots, and type of sole in them. Personally use mountaineering boots as well either Asolos or Garmonts.

 

[tramp bushler]

Well my friend, if you don't need pole gaff's, you are not climbing very far up. The rigging involved with big pieces versus a good climber on pole gaff's knocking out wood a ground man can pick-up and take away, is better than, well, you got the picture.
Jeff

Well I'm going up to where they are 4" dia . . . How much skinnier do you go up White Spruce and Silver Poplar ?

 

[jefflovstrom]

Well I'm going up to where they are 4" dia . . . How much skinnier do you go up White Spruce and Silver Poplar ?

Thats no problem with pole gaffs, are you on 4" with tree gaffs?
Jeff, CTSP

 

[tramp bushler]

Things are little different up north my friend. Pole gaffs are for palms,eucs and telephone poles. Our trees are much bigger, the air is cleaner, the women are hotter,we climb much higher and our gaffs are way longer.

.


Well said .:agree2:.

At this point I don,t use a saddle , but have just slightly modified the standard old fashion way of climbing and topping with belt , wire core rope and spurs ..Infact I'm still using the Klein safety belt I bought in 1982 from Pan Handle Rigging Loft in Ketchikan . . It,s been up and down alot of verticle miles of trees .. I found that by the time I completed this tree job 225 trees taken down most just directionally fell but about 60 of them klum and topped or rigged and pulled ..That my Viberg 105 s were the best boots I had , and tho I would be tired by the end of the day my shins didn,t really hurt much and my feet and arches had got used to standing in the spurs ...I sent off my Viberg Lace to Toe spring heel boots to be rebuilt with a Line mans Sole and heel .. I hope they are as or more comfortable . Thanks for the replies all !!! I know I need to get a saddle ect. and lots of rope and rigging

 

[tramp bushler]

Thats no problem with pole gaffs, are you on 4" with tree gaffs?
Jeff, CTSP

.
Ya , Klein tree gaffs . I had the pole gaffs in these for several tree jobs and about gonadded my self by spuring out everytime I had to climb thru a crook or a big knot.. My fore foot would sometimes cause the gaff to skid off . I had them sharp also . according to the Klein instructions ...

 

[tree md]

I've been climbing 20 years and have used several different climber/pad combinations. The Aluminum Bashlins are what I use now with the velcro wrap pads. Very comfy. I have pole gaffs on mine as most of the trees I climb now are smooth/semi smooth barked hardwoods. I also have a set of steel Buckingham's with tree gaffs for deeper furrowed bark trees like mature Cottonwoods and what have you. The Buckingham spurs are the least comfortable I have worn out of all that I have worked in. I started out with steel Klein's with the offset tree gaffs. I wore Kleins for several years. They were my favorite until I tried the aluminum Bashlin's out. I would still be comfortable in them.