Advice for a newb, anyone climbing in FL for fun?

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tim o

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Hi all, I am new to climbing and was hoping to get some advice on my setup and see if anyone here is climbing for fun in florida. To start, I have read (for the most part) a couple different tree climbing manuals. I don't have much extra money so my setup has to be cost effective. I have not gone more than 6-8 feet up on this, to learn and because I don't trust the rope I'm using. I have quit climbing until I order a new rope which should be in the next week or so. So here it is:

srt, alpine butterfly and locking biner for tip
old 1/2" 16 strand (looking to replace with 1/2" arbormaster, I am thinking 70ft, and 20' lanyard)
mammut rock climbing saddle (modded like treefool to add lanyard rings, except I used extra 8mm prusik cord I had and alpine butterflies instead of rings)
Locking biners for all life safety tip
8mm prusik cord for bachman ascenders, prusik loops made up with double fisherman's knots (do these need to be backed up?), adjustable foot loops using prusik knot to adjust foot size
figure 8 with ears
bike helmet (i know not the same but better than nothing)

I have heard that using prusik/bachman on srt is and is not safe. I have found with 10 wraps that it holds immediately and securely and easily slides. I want to be safe and I don't mind a slower system if it allows me to get started for less $. I would ddrt but my current rope was too short and I didn't have a friction saver. I am thinking about making a friction saver from some of the new lanyard or climbing rope and a ring and locking biner. I also ran across some advice to always climb on 2 separate lines, so you can always have 2 tips. Then there is also the option to run a 2-1 lanyard which could always give me 2 tips if it was long enough. But then people say lanyards are not comfortable to hang from and will not handle a fall safely (yes I know, no falling allowed).

I am not planning on using a saw in the trees anytime soon, so Im not sure if any of this is necessary. I know some people will argue that its your life and there can never be enough precautions, but if thats the case we might as well never climb the tree in the first place or drive a car for that matter. So as a rec tree climber, I'm not sure how much precaution to take or if I have made any mistakes in my rigging so far. Thanks all.
 
Live Oak, but I have family I visit a few times a year in Port Charlotte. I'll give you a heads up next time I head that way.
 
Live Oak, but I have family I visit a few times a year in Port Charlotte. I'll give you a heads up next time I head that way.
Cool please do! I would love to have someone to climb with. I am in Fort Myers. I have some nice spreading live oaks by my house I climb all the time.
 

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