Another gaff thread...

[arbor pro]

I have the old school buckingham steel spikes with leather pads and i hate climbing with them. They always twist on me and cut into my shins. I wear a short boot. I realize that wearing a tall climbing boot might help with this problem but, I just am an occasional climber (bucket truck baby) who does mostly pruning. I use spikes maybe a couple of times a month for removals when I can't get my aerial lift into the area. Tall climbing boots would seldom get worn except for when I wear spikes.

I do not have a problem with spending money on either better gaffs to wear with my short boots or on tall boots to wear with my buckinghams. As a worst case scenario, I would even consider buying both climbing boots and new spikes.

Can anyone suggest a good gaff to work with regular short work boots that won't twist or dig in and is comfortable for the occasional user? I've read a lot about the geckos. Do they work good with short boots or do you need tall climbing boots.

If having a tall boot is the only solution, does anyone make a climbing boot with an integrated gaff? For me, it would make sense to have an integrated system as I would only wear the tall boot when climbing with gaffs.

Thanks for input.

Scott

 

[TDunk]

I had some Kliens that use to do that. I bought a pair of the Weaver Super Climber pads, haven't had a prob. since. Plus the shanks don't dig into my leg like with the T-pads.

 

[Blakesmaster]

here's some pad's I picked up a month or so back.

They're called the "Big Buck" climbers from buckingham. I put them on my old buckingham spikes off my velcro wraps w/ insert. They're effin great! I was a bit hesitant to get another pad with a steel insert because of my bad experience with the velcro wraps but these are rock solid. No side to side movement at all. Comfy and secure. The main downfall that I can see thus far is it takes a minute or so to strap up. No biggie when your spending serious time aloft though. I got a few hundred hours on 'em and they're more comfortable now than they were out the box. Price? 86 bucks. Score.

 

[arbor pro]

So, let's pretend I dont' even have the buckinghams and was looking to buy something from scratch rather than find a better pad to work with my buckinghams. Would I be better off buying geckos or something else or will a new pad alone make my buckinghams just as comfy WITH A SHORT BOOT as geckos or something else? Weight is not the issue here - it's preventing the twisting of the gaff and the digging into the side of my leg.

I wear echo boots which are fairly short. Though I am part-time, I will spend the money to get the most comfy gaffs available. It is worth it to me to be comfortable - even if I only use them a couple times a month.

 

[Blakesmaster]

Btw, I wear a chippewa boot. They're high top but nothing like those climber boots you see in the catalogs, well below the pads.

 

[Blakesmaster]

So, let's pretend I dont' even have the buckinghams and was looking to buy something from scratch rather than find a better pad to work with my buckinghams. Would I be better off buying geckos or something else or will a new pad alone make my buckinghams just as comfy WITH A SHORT BOOT as geckos or something else? Weight is not the issue here - it's preventing the twisting of the gaff and the digging into the side of my leg.

I wear echo boots which are fairly short. Though I am part-time, I will spend the money to get the most comfy gaffs available. It is worth it to me to be comfortable - even if I only use them a couple times a month.

I've thought about getting geckos too, they do look comfy and light but I can't see spending that kind of money if they might fall apart. I'm pretty hard on my gear and spend a lot of time in it and it's difficult to judge which guys who recommend stuff actually use it everyday. Many people claim gecko's are "the bomb" but do they spend 40 hours a week in spikes? I can't drop that kinda change and have them fall apart in 6 mos like my stupid vlecro wraps with insert did.

 

[arbor pro]

They're called the "Big Buck" climbers from buckingham. I put them on my old buckingham spikes off my velcro wraps w/ insert. They're effin great! I was a bit hesitant to get another pad with a steel insert because of my bad experience with the velcro wraps but these are rock solid. No side to side movement at all. Comfy and secure. The main downfall that I can see thus far is it takes a minute or so to strap up. No biggie when your spending serious time aloft though. I got a few hundred hours on 'em and they're more comfortable now than they were out the box. Price? 86 bucks. Score.

So, are you wearing your gaffs with a tall climbing boot or with regular short hiking/work boots? Will these be comfy with a short echo boot?

 

[Hddnis]

I wear the talon climbers. Once I finally adjusted them properly, by going one set of holes outside their range, they have been wonderful to wear. I have really long legs and they just didn't go tall enough using the three bolts. I went to two bolts and just upgraded the hardware to grade 8. Longest I've spent wearing them in the tree non-stop was seven hours. I was sore, but not beyond getting them on again for two more hours to finish the day.


Mr. HE

 

[Blakesmaster]

So, are you wearing your gaffs with a tall climbing boot or with regular short hiking/work boots? Will these be comfy with a short echo boot?

I'd assume so. My Chippewa's do offer a bit more padding around the protruding ankle bone, whatever the hell it's called, but you can always wrap your lower strap on the spike for more padding. It'll help some, but you still might want to think about getting a boot that's an inch or 2 higher for more protection. Maybe there's a spike out there that doesn't rub that little ankle bone but I've used T pads, L pads, Velcro with insert, velcro without, and they all rub that ankle bone. If that's your main problem I can't help other than to say you need some different boots. I don't think you need to spend the money on those monster one's that go up to your knee though. They seem a bit unreasonable to me.

 

[Blakesmaster]

This is my boot

A bit higher than yours but not much. Not very good for golfing, though.

 

[arbor pro]

I'd assume so. My Chippewa's do offer a bit more padding around the protruding ankle bone, whatever the hell it's called, but you can always wrap your lower strap on the spike for more padding. It'll help some, but you still might want to think about getting a boot that's an inch or 2 higher for more protection. Maybe there's a spike out there that doesn't rub that little ankle bone but I've used T pads, L pads, Velcro with insert, velcro without, and they all rub that ankle bone. If that's your main problem I can't help other than to say you need some different boots. I don't think you need to spend the money on those monster one's that go up to your knee though. They seem a bit unreasonable to me.

My ankle bone isn't the problem. What bothers me is that the gaff itself tends to twist around to the front of my legs so the shaft is not to the side. Then the top pad digs into the area below my knee and it feels really funky. I try to strap them as tightly as I can but they just don't seem to stay on the side of my leg. When I installed the pads, i paid close attention to the directions and I'm pretty sure they're on right.

If someone sold a taller climbing boot with a gaff built into it as one unit, that would be the ticket for me. I'd just slip off the eccos and put on the climbing/gaff boots and not have to worry about whether they're strapped on right - just lace or velcro the boot onto my foot and I'm good to go. Seems like it would be a more solid system too if integrated into one piece with a removable spur rather than having to strap the gaff onto the boot every time. After all, who needs the tall boots when you're on the ground. That's what chaps are for if you're worried about cutting into the side of your leg with a saw. Chaps and a short boot with steel toe would be just fine. You don't need the tall climbing boot on the ground so why not just have the gaff built into it?

(I ask this as a novice climber. I really would like to know why this would be a bad idea for the occasional climber/gaffer.

 

[arbor pro]

A bit higher than yours but not much. Not very good for golfing, though.

I have tried to wear taller boots for regular ground work but I don't like the rigidness of them for regular wear. Even for hunting, I seldom wear my expensive cabelas boots and end up wearing my eccos which are so so comfy but very short.

 

[arbor pro]

Time to go do some tree work now. I'll check back on monday to see what else you guys have to say. Thanks Blakesmaster for the help so far!

Have a good weekend,

scott

 

[treemandan]

So, let's pretend I dont' even have the buckinghams and was looking to buy something from scratch rather than find a better pad to work with my buckinghams. Would I be better off buying geckos or something else or will a new pad alone make my buckinghams just as comfy WITH A SHORT BOOT as geckos or something else? Weight is not the issue here - it's preventing the twisting of the gaff and the digging into the side of my leg.

I wear echo boots which are fairly short. Though I am part-time, I will spend the money to get the most comfy gaffs available. It is worth it to me to be comfortable - even if I only use them a couple times a month.

I think your best bet is decent set of double strap pads or the like and some soccer shin pads which ended this problem for me for good.

 

[Blakesmaster]

My ankle bone isn't the problem. What bothers me is that the gaff itself tends to twist around to the front of my legs so the shaft is not to the side. Then the top pad digs into the area below my knee and it feels really funky. I try to strap them as tightly as I can but they just don't seem to stay on the side of my leg. When I installed the pads, i paid close attention to the directions and I'm pretty sure they're on right.

If someone sold a taller climbing boot with a gaff built into it as one unit, that would be the ticket for me. I'd just slip off the eccos and put on the climbing/gaff boots and not have to worry about whether they're strapped on right - just lace or velcro the boot onto my foot and I'm good to go. Seems like it would be a more solid system too if integrated into one piece with a removable spur rather than having to strap the gaff onto the boot every time. After all, who needs the tall boots when you're on the ground. That's what chaps are for if you're worried about cutting into the side of your leg with a saw. Chaps and a short boot with steel toe would be just fine. You don't need the tall climbing boot on the ground so why not just have the gaff built into it?

(I ask this as a novice climber. I really would like to know why this would be a bad idea for the occasional climber/gaffer.

If your ankle bone isn't the problem and twisting is, get the Big Buck's I use. They'll work with your current gaff's and they're solid. The steel insert helps hold everything where it should be and the double straps up top provide some serious aid in that department as well. When I used the velcro wraps with insert I had the opposite issue you do, the steel insert would bend and the gaff would slowly work it's way around to the rear of my leg. Very uncomfortable. Go to page 31 of the new wespur catalog, pull out your phone and credit card and order the "Ultra Stiff Wrap Pads". Those one's are made by Baslin but look exactly the same construction as mine. ####, and they're 7 bucks cheaper.

 

[Blakesmaster]

I have tried to wear taller boots for regular ground work but I don't like the rigidness of them for regular wear. Even for hunting, I seldom wear my expensive cabelas boots and end up wearing my eccos which are so so comfy but very short.

I like the tall boots, after a month or two they're no where near as rigid either. But like I said if your ankle's not the issue, you don't need 'em.

 

[masiman]

That's good info to know Blakesmaster. I have the velcro wraps with insert and really like them. But I'm not climbing then 5 days a week. If your velcro wraps had not given out, would you have liked them better. I.e. were there any other issues with them besides the durability?

I'd go with trying to save the money. I think pads could really help. I could barely climb in my old T-pads. I probably wasn't too good a climber back then, but getting the velcro pads made a world of difference. If these velcros wear out, I'll probably go with the aluminum wraps to try them out.

Taking the wrap on the shank should help with the twisting.

Like BM says, if it is an ankle bone issue, maybe try the Gecko's or Kleins. They seem to give more room for the ankle bone based on how they look.

 

[Blakesmaster]

That's good info to know Blakesmaster. I have the velcro wraps with insert and really like them. But I'm not climbing then 5 days a week. If your velcro wraps had not given out, would you have liked them better. I.e. were there any other issues with them besides the durability?

I'd go with trying to save the money. I think pads could really help. I could barely climb in my old T-pads. I probably wasn't too good with better pads back then, but getting the velcro pads made a world of difference. If these velcros wear out, I'll probably go with the aluminum wraps to try them out.

Taking the wrap on the shank should help with the twisting.

Like BM says, if it is an ankle bone issue, maybe try the Gecko's or Kleins. They seem to give more room for the ankle bone based on how they look.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the velcro wraps when I first got them. Super comfy, quick on and off, great, but they don't hold up. Once that steel ( or aluminum if you have the new version ) starts to tweak they get super painful very fast. I probably replaced my steel insert 6 times in the 2 years I had them. ( mind you I was only full time climbing the 2nd year of ownership ) IMO, if they simply found a better way to attach the top of the gaff to the pads they would have lasted much longer.

It's hard to explain and those pads are long gone so I can't provide pics but if you have them, that little velcro strap that's supposed to hold the gaffs in place ( it's underneath the big velcro strap that attaches them to your leg ) is the weak link. It's not sturdy enough to hold the gaff and pads in the same position on extended climbs. As soon as that little attachment strap starts to shift it puts pressure on the insert which will eventually bend. I'm not a big guy ( about 200 lbs. last I checked ) and they wouldn't hold up.

As far as the gecko's or kliens, I don't know. OD had a bad experience with Kliens durability which shy'ed me away from those. As far as the gecko's, people seem to like them but that's some serious coin to drop if they fall apart on ya.

 

[Bearcreek]

I use the steel buckinghams with the aluminum leg pads and I love em. One of the guys I work with has gecko's that I've tried a few times and I've not been impressed. Mostly i'ts its the european shape spikes on them that I don't like, but I think the aluminum pads are more comfortable too. The gecko's are a bit overpriced for what you get IMO.

 

[tree MDS]

I use the steel buckinghams with the aluminum leg pads and I love em. One of the guys I work with has gecko's that I've tried a few times and I've not been impressed. Mostly i'ts its the european shape spikes on them that I don't like, but I think the aluminum pads are more comfortable too. The gecko's are a bit overpriced for what you get IMO.

I've got them with the amercan spikes and they are mint. I hardly know that there on.

Blakes: I'm not sure of the long term durabilty (sinse mds has been bucket fortified for a couple years now, so no 40 hours climbing anymore here) however you can get parts, and the tip themselves require just an allen wrench and probably some locktite to swap out. Sure they aint cheap but I think theyre worth it - especially climbing that much.