Anyone tried the Gecko hooks?

[TreeHouseBldr]

Hey all,
Was looking throught the Sherrill catalog because I need to buy me my own set of climbing spikes. I'm tired of using ones with only 1 strap and bare metal jabbing into my knees. But I don't have enough experience to know what I like in terms of gaff length and style. The catalog talks up the Geckos a bunch. Anyone have experience with these? Comments? Or ... what types of spikes/gaffs *should* I get? I'm 5'9" 150lbs.
-THB

 

[boo]

No spikes are good for treehousesbldrs. :hmm3grin2orange:
A better question would be "how to build a tree house without harming the tree?" or "what kind of insurance should I have to build tree houses?"

 

[TreeHouseBldr]

Not a very useful reply, boo.

FYI, my day job is pruning which is now turning more toward removals, thus the post. Sheesh.

So, any real climbers with real advice out there? It'd be much appreciated.
-THB

 

[rmihalek]

I got a pair of Buckingham spurs from a neighbor to try out. I don't know how old they are but they are definitely well used. I never climbed with spurs before so there was certainly a long learning period, but switching to a steel core lanyard certainly made climbing easier because its so easy to flip the steel core up compared to plain rope.

Anyways, the spurs killed my shins, so I started wearing my motocross shin guards, and that solved that problem. I needed to sharpen the gaff quite a bit because the tip was totally blunted over. Once they were sharp, they went into the wood easier and also pulled out easier.

The gaff is about 2.5 inches long and sticks out from the frame at about a 30 degree angle (rough guess). I read that the Gecko gaffs stick out even more, like a 45 degree angle, and that this takes some getting used to from people who learned on regular spurs.

If you're going to be spending a lot of time on the spurs, you should get boots specific for the task. Your entire body weight is resting on this 1 inch strip of steel that runs under your arch. My timberland boots were okay for the hour or two that I would practice with these spurs, but I could feel that my feet wouldn't deal with the abuse for 4 or 5 hours per day, day after day.

 

[TreemanFJR]

I have the Geckos and I really do like them. Extremely comfortable. I was weary about the Velcro strap but I have yet to have a problem with it. I had an older pair of Buckingham gaffs before these and I thought I had died and gone to heaven when i got in these. But like I said I've only used two different brands of gaffs so I'm not going to say these are the best when I haven't been in all the others. I will tell you I am really happy with the Geckos and I haven't had a problem yet.

 

[Doctor Dave]

I have the Geckos and I really do like them. Extremely comfortable. I was weary about the Velcro strap but I have yet to have a problem with it. I had an older pair of Buckingham gaffs before these and I thought I had died and gone to heaven when i got in these. But like I said I've only used two different brands of gaffs so I'm not going to say these are the best when I haven't been in all the others. I will tell you I am really happy with the Geckos and I haven't had a problem yet.

I'm happy with my Buckinghams; I wear them with a heavy pair of Redwing steel-shank steel-toes. You do have to get the straps really tight. Gotta go and lift/deadwood some big pines and firs!

 

[ddhlakebound]

I'm happy with my Buckinghams too.......but I wore several pairs of them which I didn't like much, because they were adjusted for the wrong height, and had much smaller single strap pads. They dug into my legs badly, and were difficult to get comfortable positioning in.

My new pair has the SuperClimber pads, about 8 inches of padded stiff leather which wraps totally around your calf, and has 2 upper straps. Very comfy, but also not light at all......heaviest spikes I've worn.

No way I'd trade the light weight for lack of comfort. A little extra weight is just a little extra workout.

 

[boo]

Not a very useful reply, boo.

FYI, my day job is pruning which is now turning more toward removals, thus the post. Sheesh.

So, any real climbers with real advice out there? It'd be much appreciated.
-THB

I DID give real advice. No harm intended.
Take it for what it's worth.... most people in the tree care industry know to avoid spiking prune jobs or recreational tree climbing.
My intention was to get you to ask the question that you did NOT know the answer to.
Maybe I was just having a little fun with you, but I thought my reply was pretty valuable, didn't you?

Can you define real climber?

 

[PUclimber]

I purchased a pair of geckos and I love them. Super light weight if you're going to be in them all day. Super comfortable. I've tried other spikes with wrap pads and all taht stuff and the geckos are just so comfortable. The only complain I have is the possibility of the studs wearing through the padding.

 

[beowulf343]

I have tried the geckos and didn't like them. The gaffs were at just a little different angle than I was used to after 10 years on buckinghams. Yeah, the geckos were light and fairly comfortable (even though they were a little short on my legs.) I'll stick with my buckingham 3" gaffs with the velcro pads-they may be heavy but I like them and am used to the weight.

 

[Climb020]

My first pair wear Geckos and I really like them,. They are really light and comfortable. They do have a different angle so if you are use to other spikes they might be a little bit weird to use at first. I have talked to a few guys about them and being they are use to a traditiional angle gaff out a bit with the geckos.

 

[coydog]

they work great on some trees, but the gaff is a little puny for: very thick barked, hardened dead, punky(tends to kick out because they either dont penetrate and the angle causes them to want to slide, or they don't have the penetration to reach solid wood, and agin, kick out). my biggest criticism is that there are not options to change the style of gaff. pretty comfy, but I prefer buckingham t2's or bashlins with the velcro wrap around pads for production work if your looking for comfort..

 

[userdude]

No spikes are good for treehousesbldrs. :hmm3grin2orange:
A better question would be "how to build a tree house without harming the tree?" or "what kind of insurance should I have to build tree houses?"

treehousebldr: Get used to replies like this from some of the guys here. It makes them feel like gods since they can climb a tree without spikes and they want everyone to know it. The Geckos are great and I would recommend them. Good luck.

 

[clearance]

treehousebldr: Get used to replies like this from some of the guys here. It makes them feel like gods since they can climb a tree without spikes and they want everyone to know it. The Geckos are great and I would recommend them. Good luck.

Best thing you have said, you got 'er, "look at me, I can climb spurless, I am so special, all bow down to me, I am a God"

 

[nitwit dolt]

New spikes

Sounds like you like the spikes and not the pads. I haven't looked for new spikes in awhile, but as I recall there were as many choices in pads as the were in spurs. Don't even know what kind I own, keep em sharp, keep em tight, dig em in, and the do the job.

 

[Diesel JD]

I wonder if you could just get some upper leg pads they make a huge difference not having them digging into your shins. Honestly how you clkimb trees is your business, but these arborists consider it very poor practice to use spikes on a living tree unless it is to be removed. Its not good for their vascular system, but like I say that's your call, I'm not going to judge ya! I know nothing about Gecko spikes. I am learning on an old pair of Brooks,a nd Ihave yet to get comfy in them.

 

[TreeHouseBldr]

Thanks, most of you, for your replies, though they haven't helped me make a decission. I actually think I'll go with the Buckinghams. I'll take the leather and steel over the plastic and velcro. I'm sure they all work well, it's just what you're used to...

For the rest of you, why you would *assume* I want to spike live trees is beyond me. I have never spiked a non-removal and hope to never need to (aerial rescue comes to mind). In fact, I've done takedowns w/o spikes... fussing around with a bunch of slings for footholds. I want to put *that* behind me.

But anway, it's good to see the decent folk outnumber the cankers by a healthy margin.

This is probably a seperate thread but... when I learned to climb it was most definitely spurless, those didn't come into play until I'd been climbing for a good 6 months. I guess I had the luxury of a lot of nice pruning work. Be interested in hearing how others' experience differs.

 

[Doctor Dave]

Best thing you have said, you got 'er, "look at me, I can climb spurless, I am so special, all bow down to me, I am a God"

Well, you would have to be immortal to climb a second growth Doug fir that has the first live branch at 50 ft, and only 2 in. thick at that. Since I'm not immortal, I'm not going to trust my life on that limb not breaking tomorrow! I also better put a figure 8 knot on the end of my 100 ft. rope.

 

[1I'dJak]

i use buckingham spurs, but everybody on my crew uses klines and tells me to throw out my buckies and get klines and i'll be a happier, less prone to gaffing out guy...it'll be easier on my knees too...these guys have been climbing big ass forest trees for a while so they know what they're talking about

 

[clearance]

I climb with Buckingham straight spurs, have used Kliens, both good, rarely gaff out. Some guys climb with Kliens, some with Buckinghams. Now Doctor Dave, try climbing big spruces with no live branch for 80', spurless and all, could be done, try it with a big old cedar with all the branches drooping down at 80', lots of dead ones first. I climb with a 200' rope and I line out constantly, so I tie in again after coming down 20' or 40' or 60', and always a figure eight in the end.