Tree climbing gear

[marhar]

I am decent with a chain saw and in relatively good shape. I am interested in buying climbing spurs, a belt and flip line.

I am looking for recommendations on what I need, brands, and where to buy. I will not be using to make a living but to cut a few trees that I cannot easily drop because of space. I, therefore, do not need the pro equipment, I want to be safe and have something that will work.

 

[4570Man]

Is renting a man lift for a day an option?

 

[marhar]

Is renting a man lift for a day an option?

Maybe.

A family member owns a camp ground. It seems like once or twice a year there are a few trees that are either hollowing out or starting to die.

I think I would enjoy the challenge.

Now, if I have a tree that has room to fall I will climb it and tie it off as high as possible. I then cut a notch and take the tractor and tighten the rope. I cut the back side part of the way and pull the tree over with the tractor. Sometimes I do not have room to drop a full length tree. In those instances I would attempt to climb, cut and take the tree down slowly.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

As a younger man I used to order my climbing stuff from Madsens in Washington State. They sell stuff to professional loggers.

Madsen's Catalogs

On this page is a link to download a Madsen's catalog and information on how to get a printed copy.

www.madsens1.com

I now be to old to climb (its a young mans job)
Madsens is where a lot of professional loggers get their stuff versus where city folks buy their climbing stuff.

 

[David in KY]

I have bought climbing gear from these guys:

Tree Climbing Gear & Arborist Supplies || WesSpur Tree Equipment

TreeStuff.com Professional Arborist Supplies and Tree Climbing Gear

TreeStuff.com Professional Arborist Supplies and Tree Climbing Gear. Same-day shipping, outstanding customer service. Tree gear by tree people for tree people.

www.treestuff.com

and sometimes

Westech Rigging Supply - Rigging Equipment, Rigging Hardware, Safety Supplies

A family-owned rigging shop in the Pacific Northwest, specializing in rigging and wire rope sales to loggers and those in the timber industry.

www.westechrigging.com

You can learn tons from the youtube videos these guys and others post about arborist work.

Generally, you only spur up trees that you intend to remove. The spurs cause significant bark damage that can lead to disease. I access trees using SRT (single rope technique), which is basically getting a rope into a tree, then climbing that rope. There's lots of rigging methods to disassemble a tree safely, and various equipment needed. It's difficult work to do alone, but not impossible.

I've been using an old pair of lineman spurs (probably Klein or Buckingham). They work fine. Also bought a used Buckingham harness, then use a flip line and work positioning lanyard when sawing. You can spend $1000 in a blink on new gear. Spurs, harness, helmet, flip line and work position lanyard are the minimum gear you need to go up trees safely. But there is so much more that make things easier. However, you can do without most of it for part-time/ occasional work. But like everything. It depends on the specific scenario.

 

[zzvyb6]

This is a JLG T-350 battery powered self leveling lift on a trailer. Bought from Home Depot. needed a new hydraulic hose. I bought it for raising & servicing windmills, but the use as a tree trimming really took off. Flag poles fixed, weathervane & cupola installation, cleaning grape vines out of pine trees, hang holiday lights,... Lots of uses. You can remove the bucket and install a jib crane (made it myself). This trailer goes up 35'. A 50' version is also available worldwide. I like the battery version because you don't have to yell at the person on the ground over the engine exhaust sounds, added benefit by the battery chain saw I now use with it.
These lifts are made by several companies, some of which I rented before I bought the JLG. On the others, it might take 1/2 hour to level the darn things by yourself. On mine you hold the safety switch up and the leg extension lever up and it rocks & rolls for maybe 5 seconds until bubble level.
As for tree trimming, your 'ladder' is far away from your saw and you are generally positioned above the cut, so any bucking branches dropping down won't threaten your escape route. Be prepared for the neighborhood free rental requests for roofing, house painting, gutter repair, security light-bulb replacement at the malls,

 

[old and tired]

What type of tree? For pines or straight trunks, (In a pinch) I've used a climbing chair... deer climbing stand... whatever you call them. Two piece, one for the feet and another for your butt. Slow but steady...

 

[MossRoad]

Man, rent a lift if it's only once or twice a year. Climbing with experience is hard enough. Climbing with no experience is bad juju. It just takes once for you to get above your rope and you'll flip over and be hanging there with your head down wondering how you're gonna get out of that.

We have been through fall restraint training at my employer annually, as we do a lot of work on roofs. Even with the harness, if you fall and are uninjured, you only have about 20 minutes before your blood gets trapped in your legs due to the straps, and you pass out. It's called suspension trauma.

We have roofs that they tell us it'll take the fire department over half an hour to access, so they give us trauma straps. These are on the sides of the harness, and you can deploy them. They hang down and you can slip your feet into them and stand up, which puts your body weight on your feet, instead of the straps around your legs and groin.

Suspension Trauma -- Occupational Health & Safety

Those writing fall protection plans must understand the hazards of harness hang syndrome in fall protection.

ohsonline.com

Anyhow, seriously think about it and get some professional training if you plan on doing it. Have ground assistants that can call for help. And have a rescue plan.

Good luck in your decision making process. I know we all like to be self sufficient, but sometimes it's not the best decision.

 

[sea2summit]

I'd also say get a manlift and be safe.

Jeff Jepson's books are worth their weight in gold for both "groundie" and in tree work, pretty much anyone touching a tree with a chainsaw should read them IMHO.

 

[hslogger]

One flip line is not enough. TWO. You always need to be supported by a lifeline and belt line, or two belt lines.
Modern arborists embrace mountain climbing technology using different apparatus. When climbing around and over limbs and branches, always be tied off somewhere. When chunking out a tree stem, be supported by a belt line and another beltline, or a life line suspended from another tree. Aluminum spurs with neoprime pads are the state of the art today.

A belt that fits YOU with real arborist hardware. Not some duffer stuff from HF.