Steel core, or, not to steel core?

[Redbull]

Personally, I don't care. I use a rope lanyard and always use,as TreeMachine would call it,the "TITS" method. Some think it's a necessity. What say you?

 

[tophopper]

I say its for ease in flipping and thats all.

For cut resistance? Its false security, but hey, what do I know, I just fell off the turnip truck.

 

[skwerl]

I don't care for the bulk of a steelcore when trying to swing or climb through a canopy. They are fine for gaffing up poles (or trees that look like poles) but a total PITA on 150 year old trees that are 60' high and 120' wide. For my climbing environment I find a regular rope lanyard much more versatile.

 

[Davidsinatree]

I started with 3 strand then went to 16 strand with a petzl micro grab....good combo. Then bought a 10' ''us safety'' steel core non swivel snap. It is much stiffer and flips up the tree much easier. I like it very much, use it all the time now. The only thing that gets annoying is sometimes when your snap is unhooked the weight of the non-snap end can suck the slack back through the micro grab and you have to pull enough back out to reconect when ready.
I sometimes climb with two buck straps untill I get to my tie in point then drop one out to the ground. I'll keep one flipped up around the back of my neck and use it when needed. No matter what I always try to stay tied in 2 times unless I'm just moving to another part of the tree.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I'm with Brian, they get in the way. The only time they are worth it is when working down big trunk wood. Then they flip around better then rope.

Right now I have 2 sizes of 16-strand lanyards that I use, 14 ft and 30 ft. The 14 is for every day use where I can position myself for several cuts w/o having to reflip. The 30 ft is used more like a second rope for the big, wide-open spreaders, like American elm.

 

[pbtree]

Regular rope here - I do not like the extra weight of the wire core ones...

 

[xtremetrees]

I too started on a 3 strand with beeswax lubbed prusick.Anymore I'm steel core. I like it. My spring loaded Gibbs Ascender broke its spring loaded tensioner I like the Gibbs with the broken spring . It did slow me down with the mindfulness of it so I downgraded it to a foot grab. When I'm pruning I use a quickdraw tied in a prusick on a 16 strand 8 footer.

 

[Koa Man]

I use both. Steel core when trimming palms, a 20 ft. 16 strand for everything else. Like JPS, I use the 20 ft. lanyard (with a VT) as a 2nd climbing line for wide canopy trees. The next lanyard will be 25 ft.

The reason I and every other climber I know use steel cores on palms is because we use cane knives to trim them. It won't go through the steel core, but will cut a regular rope under tension with just a little hit. There is a 50 year old guy who lives across the highway from me who broke his back trimming coconut trees with a pole strap 25 years ago. The knife hit the strap and cut it in two. He has been in a wheelchair ever since.

 

[daveyclimber]

I use both , 3/4" three strand at 8ft. and a steel core with swivel snap and petzel macro in a very long 16ft and it comes in very handy for the White oaks here in Cali We refer to them as Valley Oak .

 

[BostonBull]

Davey...

White Oaks dont grow in Cali...must be Quercus lobata?