What do new climbers want to know???

[hobby climber]

Hi, I'm Hobby Climber and have been a member at AS for about a year now. A lot has gone on (here) in the recent past for what ever the reason but as far as I'm concerned, its just that...in the past! I would like to know just what the newer members (or less experienced climbers) want to learn about here at AS.com . There are a lot of lurkers out there viewing in silent with lots of questions they'ed like to ask so ...what cha waiting for??? Join up, introduce yourself, maybe a little background, and tell us what topics you would like us to talk about to improve your skills and knowledge level. No such thing as a dumb question you know! There is a lot of knowledge you can tap into from the AS.com membership , all you have to do is ask. So who's going to be first to ??? :blush: Don't be shy, your among friends! HC

 

[ozy365]

Here goes:

I am new to the climbing biz, but I have been doing my own tree work for 6 years. I live in Central New York with my wife and three kids . My question:

I climb with a dynamic system on Arbor plex with a split tail and have a hell of a time with a body thrust pulling line without wrapping it around my hand and forearm each time. Do I need different gloves, different rope, or do you guys take wraps around you hand and forearm as well? I am using natural crotches. I figure a friction saver may make the pull easier, but does it limit your vertical gain. I like minimizing equipment, but I figure by the end of the summer I'll be SRTing with ascenders. I think I would rather stick with the dynamic system through a pulley or friction saver(or both?). Anyone got some feedback for the noob?

 

[alanarbor]

Use the rubber coated gloves. That will help your grip. Try footlocking the tail, and getting your legs in on the action too.

 

[fwf]

HC,

I don't have any questions but I sure do like the tone of your post. That paragraph should be copied to the ArborSite home page!

Joe

 

[jason j ladue]

i dont use gloves while climbing a rope/thrusting, they always get in the way and or do not help my grip- bare hands.

 

[ozy365]

Thanks.... I see a lot of guys writing about all of the equipment they use and I want to minimize my overhead. I figure $8 for gloves from Sherrill is a good use of cash.

Footlocking I am starting to use, but i find I slid half the distance that I try to stand. I use a "soft" footlock on descents and find I can come to a stop easily. I'll probably get the hang by May. Thank you again for your time.

 

[ozy365]

Jason

Do you use the gloves on descent?

 

[MasterBlaster]

i dont use gloves while climbing a rope/thrusting, they always get in the way and or do not help my grip- bare hands.

And I always use my ugly gloves!

A most excellent thread, Bob!

 

[ozy365]

What kind of rope do you guys prefer to body thrust with? What friction savers and what kind of lifespan on the ropes are you getting?

 

[jason j ladue]

yep, good thread. ozy, cool signature

 

[PRUNER 1]

i climb ddrt with no probs and now after 5 years taking one wrap aroung the hand for thrusting happens naturally. i dont like footlocking as i like to climb the tree to assess what the beef is and how ime going to get to where i need to be when working. thats just my way tho and ime pretty quick too much to the amusement of my boss. keep getting told to slow down. hey the less time up there the better eh? defo gloves tho! gotta keep the skin on your palms. i was taking an ash down last week, i was topping down the stem and being a bit greedy. the two groundsmen had the lowering rope but we didnt have a capstan or owt so it was the wood against them. i dropped the wood and chuckled as they went straight accross the garden on theirr knees. one had gloves, one didnt, guess who got a burnt palm? made me laugh tho

 

[Stumper]

Pruner1, I have a humorous tale or 2 about flying ropehandlers but, it really isn't funny at the time-only after everyone and everything is okay. My tales are about groundies who didn't follow instructions. Your story seemed to indicate that you knew that the groundsmen had no belay point and dropped too much weight on them anyway.(=Stupid climber error). Be careful out there. Killing people and breaking things is honorable when done by military personell in the course of their duties. When we do it in the trees there will be nothing but shame and disgrace.

 

[Lumberjack]

I wear no gloves on the ascent or descent.

I climb on Arbormast Blue Streak, and use a pantin. My blue streak lasts a maybe a year, and I am a parttime climber to say the least. While the rope is in good condition, I need to replace it and retire it to rigging.

For SRT (ascent only) my new setup is going to be the pantin on my right leg, a handled ascender with a chicken loop going down to my left foot and another leg going to my saddle, and the CMi rope walker sliding along the middle. After I get the rythm down it should be akin to climbing a ladder.

For DdRT I use an ART rope guide, which i set after I have climbed up to my TIP, if I decide to use it.

I would recommend a different rope after you wear that one out, get a good 16 strand, I of course, would recommend the Arbormaster series, but talk to OK arborist supply, he has a line that cost $.53 a foot and would make an acceptable climbing line or light rigging line. A 200' piece of blue streak with 2 splices is 180 bucks, around 150 without the splices.


You said you use a split tail, what knot? The advanced hitches are worth looking into, also I will recommend a micro pulley to make it easier.

My first purchase for anyone is the tree climbers companion (15 bucks from sherrill) and a pantin.

 

[NickfromWI]

Ozy, I don't know what gloves you're using, but good atlas blue smurf gloves can often be had at a local hardware store for $4/pr.

When footlocking the tail, if you squeeze the two ends of the rope together between each footlock, you can lock your position in place for that second it takes to make another lock, thus minimizing or eliminating the "two steps forward one step back" phenomenon you seem to be experiencing.

love
nick

 

[pmuscato]

No gloves. Blue streak, bodythruster from way back. Blake hitch. No fancy stuff. Keep it simple i say. I'm not against change, hell i learn the Blake's.

 

[jason j ladue]

Jason

Do you use the gloves on descent?

not necessarily. i just started using gloves at all very recently. i still dont use them much of the time. in most needle bearing trees(esp. pine or spruce) and thorny ones too(hawthorn, locust), i will wear them. but if i am in a maple, birch, oak, willow, even a doulass fir, i generally skip the gloves. my hands are usually a little beaten up, but it's just what i'm comfortable with. i like being able to feel everything (well, almost every thing. i'm not into pain)

 

[jason j ladue]

thus minimizing or eliminating the "two steps forward one step back" phenomenon you seem to be experiencing.

i guess a slack tender can also be used for this(i have never used one). i find that if i keep the bridge short- like an inch or so- and the knot isn't quite set all the way, the blakes hitch has slack tending proreties. you can cruise right up, one thrust after the other w/ very little stopping.[xtc spearmint- 8mil. splittail for the hitch]...

 

[ozy365]

I have just about worn out my first copy of the TC companion. I do like the Blakes hitch on a short 8 inch tall (but I think I'll check the 1 inch idea Jason). I started with Arbor Plex cause I like to find out if I can do something before I invest over a mortgage payment.... Smurf gloves and a pantin are the next purchases for sure. I'll upgrade rope next purchase as well.

Any of you guys ever work Upstate New York? Insurance is killer, but I won't take pay withoout it. Mostly I trim around home and for buddies (will work for Beer?). My question: Anyone find insurance that could be afforded in New York without keeping my day job.

And Yoda rocks, Jason. :alien:

 

[RedlineIt]

Great thread.

Anyone here like to use the "groundsman body-thrust assist on a munter belay"? (If it has a real, proper designation, I don't know it.)

Works like this: On a long thrust-and-hitch to the first workable limb, the groundsman throws on a saddle and clips a proper munter 'biner to the front D-ring(s) and pops a munter hitch in. Once the climber has cleared his head the groundsman gets directly beneath the climber as close to the trunk as he can. Then it becomes a team with some real timing.

On the thrust, the groundsman pinches the tail of the munter up to the climber's tail and squats, on the hitch the groundsman stands and brings the slack being fed him up to his next pinch. Next thrust, Bam, groundie squats. Hitch, Bam groundie stands pulling slack. Repeat.

Helps if the groundsman actually controls the timing with a "Hup, Hip, Hup, Hip, cadence. With practice this teamwork can have the climber flying up a long trunk and arriving a lot fresher than battling gravity on his own.

Note: There are 'biners made for use with a Munter hitch, round smooth pear shape.

---------------

Puner1: Where I work, if the groundsman figures you out for a jerk, they'll feed the tail of your climb line into the chipper and see how long it takes you to figure it out. Big laughs all around.


RedlineIt.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Sweet, that sounds do-able!