The reTREEver

[rmihalek]

When I was at the inaugural Boston Rec Tree climb, Paul Buck and I were discussing this interesting device he had clipped to his saddle. It's a compact pole that can be extended about 10 feet and used to grab lines, throw bags, etc when aloft. It's called a reTREEver. He highly recommended it.

Well, I am practicing setting new lines in this tall hickory in my backyard and realized a week or so ago that the line I want to set is on another large branch that I can easily reach with my throw bag, but then the line will drop straight down to where I can't reach it.

So, I bought a reTREEver from the local Vermeer dealer in Hopkinton, MA and got to try it out yesterday. I was about 65 feet up in this hickory and wanted to throw across to the other lead to set up a new line. My first couple throws were off target. When I was pulling the throw bag back, it flew off a small branch, went over my head and the zing-it wrapped itself around a 1/2 inch diameter branch about 8 feet behind me. There was no way for me to pull the line hard enough to break this branch and get my throw bag back or to get myself close enough to the branch to untangle the throw bag.

Well, with the reTREEver handy, I just bent the end into a hook, extended the pole and slipped the end through the ring on the throw bag and flipped it around the branch three or four times and then pulled the throw bag back to me. Total time was about 5 minutes. Without the reTREEver, I would've had to cut the zing-it and figure out some other way to get the throw-bag.

This device really worked nicely ands adds a lot of flexibility to repositioning while aloft.

Also, before going up in the tree, it worked great to scare/tickle my kids with it when they were playing the sandbox!

 

[diltree]

Nice

Nice Bob....I was thinking about getting one of those myself......Did you clean up that stump yet???



www.dillontree.com

 

[Fireaxman]

Strange you should mention it. I ordered one yesterday after a similar experience Monday. I was about 75 feet up a loblolly and needed to reach a hanger just 7 feet further out than I could go.

I've been hauling up an old pole saw I had modified with a hook to reach such things, but working with just the homeowner for a "Groundie" I would have had to climb down, get the pole saw, climb back up, etc. My "Groundie" was an 80 year old widow. She could have called 911 for me, but that's about it.

I am also going to put about a 4 foot section of net twine or mono fishing line between my throw bag and my TargetLine, so I can break off the throw bag if it gets hung up where I cant reach it without busting up the branch trying to break about 250 lb test throw line.

 

[moss]

Bob, you may have aleady figured this out but there's a way to work your throwbag so you'll reduce the chances of it wrapping like that again. When you're pulling the bag back through branches to isolate the crotch there is a key maneuver. When the bag pulls over a branch and falls free, give it plenty of slack, let it drop, a lot. That will absorb the energy and prevent it from swinging (on a short length from the branch it just went over) and wrapping around the next branch. I do this on every pull over a branch. I predict that you will get less use out of your retriever. A while back I bought a grapnel (another kind of retriever device) and I've only had to use it once. It figures, once you get the tool, you learn how to make it obsolete. Of course if you don't have it you'll be desperate for it someday.
-moss

 

[Koa Man]

My only objection to the retreever is that the bendable hook bends too easily. I am currently using my retreever as a pointer on job bids. I painted the tip red and you will be surprised how much easier it is to have someone know what you are pointing to with a 10 ft. long finger. I previously used a green laser which stopped working and I am not going to spend the money for another one. It didn't work all that great in bright sun anyway.

 

[rmihalek]

I agree Koa Man that it's a light duty "hook" on the retreever. It worked well for the 12 ounce throw bag. When I tried to hook it around my four year old and pull her towards me it straightened right out!

I'll have to look at the tip to see if it can be replaced with a pre-formed hook made out of solid aluminum. That will solve the problem.

 

[rmihalek]

suckers

Hey Moss,

In this case, one of my throws missed the target entirely and got caught on some suckers on the back side of the limb. I tried to use the retreever to reach around the back of the limb and hook the throw bag, but couldn't see what I was doing and was at the reach limit of the retreever

I knew I could pull hard enough on the zing-it to break the suckers off and get the throw bag back to me. However, when the suckers broke free, the bag went flying back over my head onto this 1/2 inch limb behind me and that's when it wrapped around.

I agree that gentle pulling on the throw bag is usually the best.

I like that idea Fireaxman proposed of putting a length of monofilament between the zing-it and the throw bag. That should help in some circumstances for sure.

 

[Stumper]

Arbor Exotica's Sidekick is more versatile than the ReTreever. Both are useful.

 

[lumberjach]

Arbor Exotica's Sidekick is more versatile than the ReTreever. Both are useful.

Where can I find this?

 

[begleytree]

Justin, didn't you do a side by side comparison and post your findings here once before?
-Ralph

edit: yep, found it

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=23945

 

[Fireaxman]

Bob, are you still happy with your Retreever? I put the first full workout on mine today pruning a big water oak. I'm pretty disappointed. Hooks too flimsy to pull, telescoping rod and hook are too loose and flimsy to push, telescoping rod slips out while I am climbing and tries to trip me up, on and on. Wish I had seen Stumper's advice before I ordered the thing.

Maybe it would be a help handling throwline, but once I am in the tree I usually use throwing knots made of the tail of my climbing line (1/2" 12 or 16 strand). The Retreever is way to light duty to help me handle the 1/2", and just forget about pushing or pulling a piece of 5/8 double braid around with it. I'm back to my modified pole saw. Want a slightly used Retreever, cheap?

I also have a West Marine telescoping aluminum boat hook in one of my boats. It locks in position when you twist on it (like maybe the Sidekick, but probably heavier and with fewer sections). Think I'll try that next time.

 

[rmihalek]

Hi Fireaxman,

I'm getting some good use out of the retreever. I agree that it is flimsy and at full reach it flops around alot. I spent about 5 minutes trying to get the hook into the ring on my throw bag at one point because of the flexibility. The one time so far that I set up a new TIP, I used a throw bag with zing-it, and the retreever can handled that amount of weight pretty well.

Just to see if it worked, I made a monkey fist with the end of my climbing line and threw that through a crotch and was able to pull the line back to me. I haven't tried using the retreever to push anything. I doubt it would work; I think the sections would start to compress.

Make sure you straighten the end of it out when you're moving around in the tree so it doesn't grab on anything and start extending itself.

I'd venture to say that the retreever is primarily a recreational climbing tool. I think the pros need something stronger with more versatility.

 

[old dude]

sidekick vs. re-treever

Guys--
I am the creator of the sidekick rope retieval device. As such I believe the sidekick to be a supperior tool to the re-treever. Therefore I would like to make the following offer: To the first two arborists that contact me to request that I send them a sidekick---I will do so at absolutely no charge.
The only conditions are that they must currently own and use a re-treever and that after a short period of 'up-use'(of the sidekick) post their most objective thoughts vis-a-vis the two tools on this web-site for all to see.

[email protected]
PS: should I fail to respond it simply means that I have already given the units away

 

[moss]

Nice offer there Old Dude. Unfortunately I don't own the Sherrill tool. I have used a Retreever. I prefer a grapnel device for reaching thowbags and lines, it has much greater range than either extension tool (or a pole saw) and is way smaller to carry on the saddle. By comparing the specs on the tools in question it's clear what the advantages and disadvantages are. I left out the common advantages and disadvantages like "It gets snagged on everything while I'm climbing" or "It gives me the reach I need to get that throwbag hanging out in space". Correct me if I'm wrong (doing this from memory):

Sidekick cons
Has longer collapsed (minimum) length
Requires hand locking for each section (barely a negative considering the advantages of locking sections)
Shorter overall extended length

Retreever cons
Non-rigid hook, can only pull something that has low resistance
Non locking sections, can't be used to push anything except with low resistance

Sidekick pros
Rigid system when extended, pushes and pulls most small stuff that's out of arm's reach

Retreever pros
Compact, smooth profile, less likely to get hung up on stuff while climbing
Implements quickly

Conclusion
It's like comparing apples and oranges. They are similar tools but have different capability. The Sidekick is essentially rigid and allows the climber to do more. The Retreever is simple and has known limitations. Each are good tools for what they're intended to do.
-moss

 

[Fireaxman]

Guys--
I am the creator of the sidekick rope retieval device. As such I believe the sidekick to be a supperior tool to the re-treever. Therefore I would like to make the following offer: To the first two arborists that contact me to request that I send them a sidekick---I will do so at absolutely no charge.
The only conditions are that they must currently own and use a re-treever and that after a short period of 'up-use'(of the sidekick) post their most objective thoughts vis-a-vis the two tools on this web-site for all to see.

[email protected]
PS: should I fail to respond it simply means that I have already given the units away

Send me a sidekick. Dont care if I have to pay for it. My ReTreever is now in 2 pieces, and not 3 pieces only because I couldn't bend the butt section enough to break it in the time allowed.

This afternoon I tried to use it about three times to pull some of my 1/2 " in a big live oak. The hook was too flimsy to pull it, and then if it did not fully streighten out it would rotate and drop the line just before I was able to reach it. Finally, I was on the ground rigging for my next ascent, Retreever fully collapsed but still clipped on my saddle, hook streight, and the blasted thing extended itself while I was walking, got between my feet, and tripped me. Last straw. The first wrap across the iron rail of my trailer took off the tip. The succeeeding 4 blows bent the buttsection a little past 90 degrees, but surprisingly enough did not break the Retreever into the desired 3 pieces. I'll put the fireax on it tomorrow and finish the job.

 

[moss]

Oops! Looks like it didn't quite make it through product testing!

 

[Fireaxman]

Couriously enough, this showed up in the Sunday Times Picayune this morning. I dont golf, but I can identify.

http://www.comics.com/comics/drabble/index.html

Scoll down and click on the calendar for August 6 if you look at it after tomorrow.

Sorry, Bob, did not mean to contradict you. I respect your opinion and thank you for the advice you gave me on the new saddle. The ReTreever I got may even have just been defective, but it is definitely too light for what I need.

 

[Fireaxman]

I use a 200t. It has never given me any excuse to abuse it.

 

[Fireaxman]

However, I can show you where a WildThing met a watery grave.:biggrinbounce2:

 

[Climb020]

Someone please post the web site to by the sidekick. Thank you.