Big climber help.

[deberly12]

I took a semester long hands on class several years ago and learned the basics. I have climbed a few times since on a recreation basis. I have a couple trees that I need to do some trimming and one takedown. And I would like to get more into climbing as well. Unfortunately since college I started office work and I have put on a few pounds and lost some muscle. I am pretty large. 6'2" and close to 300 lbs with boots on. My biggest problems are strength (just pulling my weight up the rope) and confidence. I know both of these will improve with time but I am looking for some tips. I dont really have much money to spend. Maybe just a few dollars.

Currently I have a Weaver saddle, a Samson rope (maybe an arborplex), an eye to eye tenex, a long double ended lanyard, helmet, and a few carabineers. I am using the distill right now. Is there any others that are good for big guys. I use alot of the "old man trick". If that isn't the name used around here that is lanyard around the tree and stepping up like you have spikes even though you don't.

Also how long does an eye to eye piece of tenex last. I have maybe 10 climbs on mine and it is starting to show wear.

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[jomoco]

I've known and worked with quite a few big climbers over the years, very skilled and sensible guys, who without exception, were very adept polesaw n pole pruning experts.

Man's gotta know his limits, or find another profession.

Jomoco

 

[deberly12]

Thanks but my goal is to become a better climber....not stop climbing.

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[jomoco]

It was a hint to buy a set of polesaws, pruners n extensions if you wanna achieve professional results safely in this biz my friend.

Lotsa big climbers have done it, you can too.

Jomoco

 

[greengreer]

As far as ascending, a foot ascender will change your life. Ct makes a really popular one thats like $65.

Instead of tenex try a heat resistant cordage to get your hitches to last longer. If you like the tenex, get some icetail, as it is also a hollowbraid. That stuff lasts forever. I really like samsons ultra tech in 10mm on 1/2" ropes. Teufelberger epicord 10mm would be another good cord to try.

 

[treebilly]

I’m running the 9.3 epicord on my Hitch Hiker and it’s been long lasting. For eye to eyes I prefer armorpruss(?). Really takes a beating and had a very high melting point. Tenex is strong as hell but melts at a very low temp. It can burn up quick.
A foot ascender will help greatly.
Another trick is to add a spacer rope between your bridge and climbing system. This allows you to tend slack while pulling yourself upwith out actually having to stop and tend it. It raises your hitch much higher so it’s not for working a tree, just ascending. I hope I described it ok.

 

[BC WetCoast]

If you're having problems gripping the rope to hold yourself (I'm old with arthritic hands and have problem gripping the rope), try using a hand ascender. I can grip it considerably better than the rope. You can also tie a foot strap to the hand ascender and use it along with a foot ascender to 'walk' up the rope.

 

[deberly12]

As far as ascending, a foot ascender will change your life. Ct makes a really popular one thats like $65.

Instead of tenex try a heat resistant cordage to get your hitches to last longer. If you like the tenex, get some icetail, as it is also a hollowbraid. That stuff lasts forever. I really like samsons ultra tech in 10mm on 1/2" ropes. Teufelberger epicord 10mm would be another good cord to try.

Is the ultra cord the best for heat resistance? Some times I come down and my hitch gets so hot I have to stop and let it cool so I can hold it. I have no particular love for the tenex. It is just the only thing I have used other than the original blake. I hated that. My weight loaded it so bad that I could barely move it up or down. If I used less wraps it would slip.

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[deberly12]

I'm not sure I follow your spacer rope at the bridge....

I like the idea of a foot assender and have considered them. Can they be used with the loose tail of drt or do the only work on srt where the tail is tied off. (I think I have my terms correct)

Gripping the rope im fine on (other than I need to get my calluses back) that is a good idea though.

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[Rick Hammer]

I took a semester long hands on class several years ago and learned the basics. I have climbed a few times since on a recreation basis. I have a couple trees that I need to do some trimming and one takedown. And I would like to get more into climbing as well. Unfortunately since college I started office work and I have put on a few pounds and lost some muscle. I am pretty large. 6'2" and close to 300 lbs with boots on. My biggest problems are strength (just pulling my weight up the rope) and confidence. I know both of these will improve with time but I am looking for some tips. I dont really have much money to spend. Maybe just a few dollars.

Currently I have a Weaver saddle, a Samson rope (maybe an arborplex), an eye to eye tenex, a long double ended lanyard, helmet, and a few carabineers. I am using the distill right now. Is there any others that are good for big guys. I use alot of the "old man trick". If that isn't the name used around here that is lanyard around the tree and stepping up like you have spikes even though you don't.

Also how long does an eye to eye piece of tenex last. I have maybe 10 climbs on mine and it is starting to show wear.

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The extent of the job ,taking down and trimming the trees are hard to say without visually looking at.I climbed for many years,and have worked with some big guys and small.To me, i would be more concerned with your experience,then your weight.Climbing for fun is not the same as wrecking out a tree.How much time have you had in the saddle with a saw,or roping down any wood or knots.Just from the explanations you gave and the lingo you used , i personally would have someone with more experience do the work.I understand the money thing,but believe me,getting hurt can be way more expensive in the end ,and painful,then paying somebody who knows the work.If you want to get into being a good professional climber,then you need to start on the Ground and go from there.There are no short cuts,or books that make a good tree man.I'm not saying that books and videos are bad.It's just that you need to start as a ground man. Chipping,running ropes and getting your knots down.You need to be a good tree guy on the ground,before you can be good tree guy up in the tree,there is no other way.If that is a career move that you want,then hire on with a good reputable tree service and go from there.You start dragging brush around and moving wood,running ropes,and keeping your guy in the tree going smoothly,and getting to know the saws,and all your knots,believe me,you will tone up fast and be also physically ready too.I wish you all the best,and Merry Christmas and a Happy N.Y.

 

[deberly12]

Thanks I appreciate the input. I am an engineer working in that field and looking at this as a hobby. The main goal at this point is cutting a few branches that are about 2 in across with a hand saw. I have one tree that I may consider taking down completely but that is a ways off. I have been running saws for about 8 years felling and cutting firewood. Started when I was 15. I am competent with a saw and felling. I basically want to learn a new skill. Like I said before for now I want to climb mostly for recreation. If I was just felling I would buy a pair of spikes and have no problem getting up. They were a joy to climb with when I've had the chance but you shouldn't use them unless you are cutting the tree anyway. Working for a ground crew would be a blast!!! But I can't very well quit my day job especially when supporting a wife and child on the way. I'm not a big fan of falling so I carefully think through every move I make in the tree. ( That sound better than saying I rest often lol) As an engineer I do have a very deep understanding of the forces and physics of it and I do not take it lightly.

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[treebilly]

Sorry I’m not very good at describing things. Basically what I would do is choke another eye to eye on a caribiner and clip not that extending my rope bridge to where my friction hitch was above my head. As I pulled myself up it was tending the slack for me. Pretty much made obsolete with the use of a foot ascender though.

 

[greengreer]

A foot ascender runs on the tail under your hitch, srt or ddrt. No tie of on srt.

All the hitch cords I mentioned are heat resistant. Tenex is 100% polyester. The heat resistant cordage is sometimes called tech cordage.

 

[deberly12]

A foot ascender runs on the tail under your hitch, srt or ddrt. No tie of on srt.

All the hitch cords I mentioned are heat resistant. Tenex is 100% polyester. The heat resistant cordage is sometimes called tech cordage.

Awesome... I'm sorry I am still learning alot of the terminology. I will check into those other hitch cords. As well as a foot assender. (There goes my Christmas money lol)

What hitch knots do you guys work and what hitch cord length is your preference? I am using a distil hitch now. I would like one that is easy to tend and doesn't "stretch" much. (Probably the wrong term. I am referring to where the loops spread and the knot gets longer as it gets weight on it.) I am currently slack tending with a non rated carabineer. Not as nice as a micro pulley but it does work.

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[benjo75]

I've started using HRC cord. Around 28". I have eye to eyes and just started buying it by the foot and tying the ends. You can get a hitch cord for about $6 as opposed to $25 for the spliced eyes. I'm 6'1" and about 230lbs before gear. Srt is 100 times easier than Ddrt for me once I figured out my system. A hitch cord can be glazed and be fine. You'll know when to retire it. Stay away from fast descents and they should last quite a while. I use the Michoacan hitch. It seems to work best for me right now. But the hitch really depends on a lot of things. Type and diameter of hitch cord, type and diameter of rope, Srt or Ddrt, natural crotch or friction saver, weight of climber and style of climbing. The Distel works good but is hard to break loose for me. I used VT for a while which takes a longer hitch cord. Works great. I used the Schwabisch for a bit but it seems to bind also. The Michoacan works best for me once dialed in.

 

[greengreer]

I also like a michoacan. It's very adjustable for your specific weight and gear combo. It's compact and easy to tie.
I'll second buying some 5' lengths of cordage instead of eye to eyes. You can fine tune the length of your hitch cord and its much cheaper as was mentioned.
If you are going to get a micro pulley, the hitch climber is great but they recommend a spliced eye in the climb line so the termination knot doesn't collapse the hitch.
Those little purple cmi pulleys are great and around $20.

 

[Overwatch]

A SRT-RADS system is good for big guys. Ask me how I know.

You can build one relatively cheap using a grigri, with prussik/biner instead of a hand ascender, and a footloop.

 

[northmanlogging]

I am 320 and 6.0

Srt with a couple handled ascenders with foot loops is totally doable.

Super bee prusik with a vd tress

Anyway not good on all the names, but getting your legs involved makes it a lot like climbing a latter

 

[BC WetCoast]

An old poster on here (I'm not sure if he still lurks), John Paul Sandborn was 6'10" about 280 I think. If you do a search for old posts, you will find a lot of information about how he climbed. He was able to straddle the bucket (1 leg in 1 leg out).