Climbing spur choices?

[softdown]

I finally settled on Klein for these reasons:
1) Good name
2) I like leather
3) Long spike
4) Adjustable length (I am tall). Was able to get 21" and that is all I can use. Many cheaper alternatives only offer 14".

The Geckos appear to offer more padding and support at a slightly higher price. I'm sure there are other good names not offered on Amazon.

Youtube seems to promote the tree service channels that show a LOT of climbing. They like August H and he climbs and cuts in almost every video. He is also based in Oregon where many trees are very tall.

For awhile I was going to avoid climbing if possible. Then decided that climbing is about inevitable. Can a tree service company be fully functional without climbing?

 

[lone wolf]

I finally settled on Klein for these reasons:
1) Good name
2) I like leather
3) Long spike
4) Adjustable length (I am tall). Was able to get 21" and that is all I can use. Many cheaper alternatives only offer 14".

The Geckos appear to offer more padding and support at a slightly higher price. I'm sure there are other good names not offered on Amazon.

Youtube seems to promote the tree service channels that show a LOT of climbing. They like August H and he climbs and cuts in almost every video. He is also based in Oregon where many trees are very tall.

For awhile I was going to avoid climbing if possible. Then decided that climbing is about inevitable. Can a tree service company be fully functional without climbing?

The Kleins should work fine. You might want some extra padding for shins.

 

[Thumper88]

I love my Buckingham Steel irons with big buck pads. I went with steel because Im heavy for a climber, 250 in my boxers. A tree service can do some jobs without climbing, depending on how competent they are at falling and if they have a bucket. But without a climber there are some jobs that physically cant be done from the ground or a bucket

 

[softdown]

The Kleins should work fine. You might want some extra padding for shins.

Others make that point and they may prove right. For now I feel the padding should be adequate. At 63 it is hard to avoid , for me anyway, working at 30 hours/week or less.

Full time topper? Sure, more padding may be needed. Colorado trees rarely exceed 70' as well. Just not real big compared to the monsters I see in, perhaps, most other states.

 

[copen]

Others make that point and they may prove right. For now I feel the padding should be adequate. At 63 it is hard to avoid , for me anyway, working at 30 hours/week or less.

Full time topper? Sure, more padding may be needed. Colorado trees rarely exceed 70' as well. Just not real big compared to the monsters I see in, perhaps, most other states.

Just take care of yourself, dude. You ain't in the geezer range yet, but at least in my experience, the older you get, the easier it is to hurt yourself and the longer it takes to heal.

 

[ATpro]

The Kleins should work fine. You might want some extra padding for shins.

Needed extra padding for shins on my Kleins, seems to be a common thing. Never had a problem but wasn't really a fan of the spurs, wasn't as wide as other spurs. They were sharp and climbed well but I always though they were a little narrow and maybe didn't have the holding power of other spurs. Guess everything has a trade off because they penetrate well and was easy to climb with.

 

[softdown]

Just take care of yourself, dude. You ain't in the geezer range yet, but at least in my experience, the older you get, the easier it is to hurt yourself and the longer it takes to heal.

I could have retired. Then spent everything on heavy equipment for lot clearing and tree service. Theory being that exercise helps keep one young. Literally planning to work for 10 more years. It isn't work if you feel good about doing it.

I spent a few years in the retired lifestyle. Was pretty bored really.

Current uncertainties make me question a lot of things though. Who seen all this **** coming?

 

[copen]

I could have retired. Then spent everything on heavy equipment for lot clearing and tree service. Theory being that exercise helps keep one young. Literally planning to work for 10 more years. It isn't work if you feel good about doing it.

I spent a few years in the retired lifestyle. Was pretty bored really.

Current uncertainties make me question a lot of things though. Who seen all this **** coming?

I wasn't suggesting you retire, just be careful. I'm still feeling a back injury from about 40 years ago while working in auto dealerships as a mechanic. Can only imagine the risks in tree work.
I retired from the local university a little over 4 years ago and now I wish I would have continued working. Just not there. The hierarchy started getting a little weird when the former president left.
Too bad, really liked the work.
.

 

[softdown]

I wasn't suggesting you retire, just be careful. I'm still feeling a back injury from about 40 years ago while working in auto dealerships as a mechanic. Can only imagine the risks in tree work.
I retired from the local university a little over 4 years ago and now I wish I would have continued working. Just not there. The hierarchy started getting a little weird when the former president left.
Too bad, really liked the work.
.

We are kind of floating through space without clear direction these days. Chaos rules without a workable hierarchy.

 

[pdqdl]

For awhile I was going to avoid climbing if possible. Then decided that climbing is about inevitable. Can a tree service company be fully functional without climbing?

I know several around town. I don't have a high opinion of their services, certainly not with respect to overall skill or variety of services.

You just cannot do good trims from a bucket truck. There are lots of removals that cannot be done with an aerial. If you know your niche, the limits of your services, and then stick to those, you'll be fine.

If you are set up for lot clearing, then try to stick to it. If some side revenue comes your way at a profit, then take it. Don't try to beat the specialists prices in some kinds of work, 'cause they will beat your efficiency and profits will go down. Example: I cannot haul off large piles of trees as cheaply as I can hire a grapple truck to do it for me. They cannot afford to compete with me on trimming, because that isn't what they do, and they can make more money hauling off tree removals.

 

[Sierra_rider]

I'm running some old-school Buckingham Steel climbers. Some don't like them, as they don't have the "modern shape" for a lack of a better term, to deal with fouling up with bark. I don't really see it as a big deal and purposely run them, as they have a steeper gaff angle than most of the newer spurs. They also have the long spur and are awesome for climbing thick bark trees like Cedar and Redwood.

I'm just running the leather Buckingham L pad. It's very comfortable for me and I don't feel much pressure on my shins.

 

[softdown]

I know several around town. I don't have a high opinion of their services, certainly not with respect to overall skill or variety of services.

You just cannot do good trims from a bucket truck. There are lots of removals that cannot be done with an aerial. If you know your niche, the limits of your services, and then stick to those, you'll be fine.

If you are set up for lot clearing, then try to stick to it. If some side revenue comes your way at a profit, then take it. Don't try to beat the specialists prices in some kinds of work, 'cause they will beat your efficiency and profits will go down. Example: I cannot haul off large piles of trees as cheaply as I can hire a grapple truck to do it for me. They cannot afford to compete with me on trimming, because that isn't what they do, and they can make more money hauling off tree removals.

I wonder about the damage inflicted from spurs - on the other hand.

 

[ATpro]

I think that's one of the reason for the spur profile change for tree climbers like Klein's.

 

[Silent Matt]

I wonder about the damage inflicted from spurs - on the other hand.

Don’t use them on a tree that isn’t getting removed.