Anyone tried the Gecko hooks?

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
clearance said:
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.

OK, You got me there. I've been all over the west coast and have hiked around under some big trees, but not in them. I know some guys that climb the big (as in the biggest) redwoods in CA for research work. That's something I'd like to do some day. They get their lines up with a bow, and not only go spikless, but try not to touch the tree at all (might upset the moss and lichen and little critters).
 
Doctor Dave said:
OK, You got me there. I've been all over the west coast and have hiked around under some big trees, but not in them. I know some guys that climb the big (as in the biggest) redwoods in CA for research work. That's something I'd like to do some day. They get their lines up with a bow, and not only go spikless, but try not to touch the tree at all (might upset the moss and lichen and little critters).
Doctor Dave you are the honest man here. This has come up before many times, I climb with spurs and wear caulk boots by law. Many here have questioned and insulted me for this. I have asked if they thought they could climb spurless in big old growth wearing caulks, instead of just saying OK, they avoided the question and continued to insult me, thank you.
 
i imagine they're not footlocking all that way up! gotta have trust where that line is...chris! although getting a flipline around and up those big bastids would be a supreme effort! i gotta picture in a book with these guys up a redwood 150', taking off the top, which was still 7'!
 
I have Bashlin aluminum spikes, they're coming out tomorrow for a big takedown, I like 'em, but I'm only small and 116lbs.
I found when I bought new boots one of the gaffs doesn't sit in under the arch very well, they were fine with my old pair, I have to double wrap the lower strap and keep a close eye on it, annoying!:angry:

With regard to the spike/no spike CONSTANT 'debate' what is obvious to me is that we have several quite different ranges of work being done by participants on this forum, commercial line clearance and big old growth forestry, residential line clearance and residential/ornamental pruning. (we all agree takedowns are fair game for spikes) These are DIFFERENT applications and require everyone to make their own risk assessment and judgements based on what job is in front of them, their personal and target safety, and the species and health of the tree.

I for one will not spike a residential/ornamental prune, that's just bad, but I will not presume to tell Clearance how to do his job, its a completely different setting, if he came to work for me, things would be different and visa versa. We would both probably agree not to work for each other!!;)

BUT...Never say Never
If I had a big job reducing casuarinas , which are an invasive weed species, in a non residential area I would consider spiking them, the bark sloughs off under you, your boots slip and slide, some are really tall with upward growing branches, there are no aggressive decay fungi which will do any harm within 10 years of the job, and by then the trees would be due for felling, the target safety is a non issue in the bush of a nature reserve. The trees would be monitored... So you see how I could do it?

Peace and love brothers!!
 
just bought new geckos

i bought some used bashlin with pole gaffes 12 years ago. i mostly do spurless climbing - but finally decided to buy some spurs with tree gaffes. everybody has been so hyped up on geckos- so i boughta pair from sherril. i also try to look for new things even though somthing else is tried and true. but when i got them it seemed apparent that I would not be able to tolorate the gecko gaffes so i returned the two gaffes and received the american style longer tree gaffe. i have not used them really yet (only about 3 times 1 hour each) but as i do i'll submit another post. but i think these geckos will be fine. very light and very comfy.
 
userdude said:
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 said:
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"

sounds like a complex.... If I didn't think it could be a serious problem for some, I would laugh.
For those of you who were offended, I'm sorry.
I still think my words were pretty valuable.... One post from Treehousebldr?looking at the name and amount of posts, I thought I was bringing some light.
I said nothing about my climbing. Maybe I can't climb atall... maybe I'm the fat kid.
Where was the God stuff gathered from?
I'm sure that some of the "real" tree house builders gave my post some thought... or atleast seen it for what it's worth.

Don't be hatin.
 
i like the buckingham titanium.

with the velcro wraps.i haven't seen anyone around here with geckos.they look nice though.wolf claws look nice too.
 
clearance said:
Doctor Dave you are the honest man here. This has come up before many times, I climb with spurs and wear caulk boots by law. Many here have questioned and insulted me for this. I have asked if they thought they could climb spurless in big old growth wearing caulks, instead of just saying OK, they avoided the question and continued to insult me, thank you.

I would have rather been 200 ft. up an old one today than in the 100 ft. dead grand fir I was in. It was but sound--and hard as a rock. The bark was thin, and I not only had to chunk my spurs in hard, but I doubled my flip line so that I wouldn't slide down on my nose for 10 ft. (or more) if I kicked out. I did kick out once, and didn't slide at all. I had a confined space (plantings), and had to take a 30 ft. top before I chunked it down. The 30 ft. top was suposed to be 20 ft., almost took out the closeline, but no way was I climbing on less than 6 in. I started off in a jacket, and threw it down part way up; I was in a sweat from the effort and a healthy dose of fear. Gaaa! I feel better after 2 gin and tonics.

Tomorrow I get to finish deadwooding and thinning some big second growth ponderosa pines (up to 130 ft). These guys have nice thick bark; I don't need my hooks after I'm up in the big branches (even dead ones), but they sure help lower down or for occasional use elsewhere. The toughest one so far was a school marm that went from around 3 1/2 ft. at the base, to 3 ft., and then to 3 1/2 ft at 30 ft where it forked. I was kind of stuck there for a while, as my flip line kept slipping before I couuld get to the crotch, so I managed to throw my life line over a branch and climbed up above the crotch.

The job is for an old retired couple like me and my work, and keep trying to get me to take breaks and give me food and drink. I was way off with my original estimate. Now they just pay me for a couple days at a time. I figure I have 3 days left, besides burning 6 monster brush piles and dragging and burning aother 6 worth piled under the trees. I did a project for about 2 1/2 acres round their million-dollar view home for fire control and the view (they are getting it back now---two mountains (Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood), the Columbia River Gorge, and the Hood River valley.

I'm not gonna do this again as a one man show; I wanted to do exactly what I envisioned doing, and I was lucky that the landowners went with my plan. I'll have before and after pics, a killer reference, and dozens of similar homes in the area to approach with a pitch for a similar treatment---but with a tree service (I send jobs to now in a handshake back and forth referal set-up) to do the small tree and brush clearing and chipping. I'd still do some climbing, but get paid for the brain work of designing a plan including fire control, wildlife, forest management, native plants, aesthetics, forest health, whatever mix fits the owners needs except high-skirting or topping.

I've decided that I like crown thinning to allow looking through the tree, and that's what I'm gonna sell to people as the way to go. What I do is try to make an 80 -100 year old tree look 250 years old (but with a more vigorous top; I leave that alone) by spacing out the branches with an eye to keeping the more interesting shaped ones.

Sorry for the length.

Anyone else make old-growth style trees out of second -growth?
 
FWIW, I've had a pair of Geckos for two years now. I used to think at the end of a day of long climbing about how my shins would hurt when using Kleins, or Buckinghams. Now, after a long day of climbing I just think how wonderful the Geckos are. Honestly, always at some point during a climb I would notice that "my shins are hurting". After trying the Geckos, your question made me realize that I never even think about having spikes on. They are lighter, the shin pad is angled 30 degrees I think so the spike is pointing more towards the tree, tougher than I originally gave them credit for. Only thing I have had to do as far as repairs is reglue the velcro that hold the padding to the shin-guard. If you wrap the ankle strap around the "shaft" before buckling them all you have to do at the top is just snug the velcro wrap. Much more comfortable. The price difference is justifiable to me. I purcased the last pair of spikes I'll use again when I bought the Geckos.
 
I have had the "extreme pleasure" of climbing on everything except the bucklites and the geckos. I own a pair of Bashlin Aluminums w/velcro superwraps (VERY COMFY! but the pole spikes that are on them are a little bit of a pain from time to time) I recently sold a pair of standard issue Klein tree spikes. Never kicked out, but always killed my shin and always moved around. Old buckinghams...no thanks. Not even with superwraps. Was wondering about the geckos, but also about the bucklites (t2) Anybody hopped on those?
 
I've whore most all of the spikes out there currently have a pair of Kline's and a set of Geckos. The geckos are the most comfortable pair of spikes and the design of the tree gaffs stick's in even dead oak really well.
 
my t2 are great irons but super wrap pad with insert hurt me shins i think angle of pad is 2 strong. will get caddie pad next as they seam more strait than super wrap hope this works 4 me because the hooks total 570$ with foot plate n super wrap pad i think a tall pair of lineman boots will work with the caddie pad because strap on calf will most likly be painfull when super wrap padds were new they felt great because pad was so thick but now i feel wrinkles and even saw dust:cry:
 
I bught a pair of Geckos about two weeks ago and used them on a rock elm, they are the most comfortable spikes I've ever used. I am a little concerned with the gaffs though. They are short but I like the angle, good for smooth trees but Im not sure how they would do on thick bark. I've contacted sherrill to see if they have a longer gaff for them and haven't been able to find any yet.
Overall comfort go with the new light weight spikes, gaffs that would be up to your preference or experience. I also like the red wing logger boots with the hi heal and the steel shank, they work very well with my spikes.
Good luck!
 
TreeHouseBldr said:
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

As for everybody on this site wondering, they are as comfy as they look. I got mine from Sherrills a couple of months back. After learning on some oldschool Kleins, These are awesome my legs and feet are the last thing that bother me now! The angle took a couple of weeks to get use too, Although I did get mine with 2006/07 style gaffs. According to Sherrills they improved the gaff angle a bit to please more people. By the way TreeHouse I am 6" 190lbs. Here are some pics also.
 
jemclimber said:
I don't like the angle on my geckos. Used to bashlins I guess. Does Sherril sell that new style gaff??

Im sure they have them in stock by now, I deal with Danny when I place my orders he would know if they had them in stock. I have a freind that climbs on bashlins, I can see how going from those to Geckos would be different. As I stated earlier it took me a couple of weeks to get used to them,but now I wouldn't trade them for anything! They are so comfortable and don't rub my shins RAW...I still can't get over the fact how light they are too...
 

Latest posts

Back
Top