Rockin Old School Today

[Husky288XP]

For some reason I still am Old School in my heart.

Today was the day to show the guys that Old School is still production grade.

I kept up with all the guys using Distels, etc. with their Butterfly and Blair saddles.

Get a good look at that snap too.

 

[Husky288XP]

No climbing pictures because the groundies are $hitheads, "No I don't want to take pictures, I don't get paid to take pictures."

 

[fwf]

No climbing pictures because the groundies are $hitheads, "No I don't want to take pictures, I don't get paid to take pictures."

I can think of several good replies, but they wouldn't make it past the censors.

Nothing wrong with old-school, and it can be ???? satisfying too.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

What grade in the Old School are you in?

Blue Streak and a web saddle are pretty modern tools.

Using non-locking rope snaps for your saddle and lanyard tie-ins is VERY dangerous. It's really easy to shoe-horn them open with most d-rings.

Nothing wrong with OS techniques if they're safe and up to industry standards. Non-locking snaps aren't.

If anyone truly wants to claim attendance in the OS, get out some three strand and tie a three-loop bowline and head up he tree. Anything after that puts you in the Progressive Climbing School.

Do you climb with a bridge that long all of the time? If so, the other climbers with split tails and tenders must be pretty slow.

 

[MasterBlaster]

4 dee saddles suck.

IMO.

 

[Eagle1]

True, that is not so old school. That is good stuff. The saddle is old but the Blake is the balls. I still use it everyday!!

 

[Dadatwins]

What grade in the Old School are you in?

Blue Streak and a web saddle are pretty modern tools.

Using non-locking rope snaps for your saddle and lanyard tie-ins is VERY dangerous. It's really easy to shoe-horn them open with most d-rings.

Nothing wrong with OS techniques if they're safe and up to industry standards. Non-locking snaps aren't.

If anyone truly wants to claim attendance in the OS, get out some three strand and tie a three-loop bowline and head up he tree. Anything after that puts you in the Progressive Climbing School.

Well said Tom, that stuff looks pretty modern to some of my earlier gear. I did not even have a rope snap for a while, probably safer to tie rope direct to saddle than those suicide snaps.

 

[treeseer]

4 dee saddles suck.IMO.

Why? I've never used any other kind. What do you want, 8D's?

How much do non-locking snaps cost, $3 less than locking snaps? how in the world could you use that thing?

And the Blake's is space-age to me; despite my friends' good efforts, tautline is my default knot, works fine for most trees, thank you very much.

8th grade in the old school, but getting around just fine!

 

[kf_tree]

i still know 2 climbers that use those stupid snaps.......i think its a macho thing......there is no other reason i could think of for useing those antiques.

the stap where he hangs his line from the back of his saddle is in pretty bad shape. i was going to fix for him with a strap out of my bag of tricks.......but then i told him he was on his own. if i fix it he will continue to use that old piece of crap saddle. it really blows my mind....he's only about 40 years old but he use's the gear of an old timer and refuse's to even listen.

a few weeks ago a window washer was killed in manhattan. i believe it was due to old gear that ripped apart.

 

[Lumberjack]

I never climbed old school. I have used the blakes, I cant see using the tautline.

Using nonlocking snaps is poor wisdom, IMO.

There is no way I will believe that old school can keep up with a good, progressive climber unless I see it. As far as I know, no competitive climber climbes on a blakes or a TL.

 

[clearance]

I use locking rope snaps, but am old school cause I always wear spurs, one hand, and use a tautline. Use the best of old school and the best of new school cause that is in your best interest.

 

[tophopper]

There is no way I will believe that old school can keep up with a good, progressive climber unless I see it. As far as I know, no competitive climber climbes on a blakes or a TL.

Plain vanilla? or High Tech?

I have seen it. Earlier this month we had our TCC. I was asked to judge the work climb. I really enjoyed getting to see 31 differnt climbers and their styles. One fella in particular (whom ive known for many years) is (his words) a "plain vanilla climber". His kit is as basic as they come.
Weaver 4 d saddle, basic lanyard, handsaw and rope. He climbs on a traditional set up with a blakes hitch(not a split tail). Watching him climb I'm always impressed at how smoothly and effortlessly he makes it look. He can certainly hold his own when it comes to climbing and will climb circles around many younger more progressive climbers. He placed in the middle of the pack overall this year, but more than once has placed in the top 4 in years past.
Should I also mention this fella is 58 years old, and in better physical shape than most 25 year olds? Hes in better shape than me, tell ya that much.

Hats off to the Jedi of tree climbing!

Old school is cool if thats what works for you.

 

[Lumberjack]

New school and progressive are two seperate things in my head.

Old school is TL. One hand is a way of life, so are spikes.

Clearance, do you look for attention? You keep mentioning the same thing in nearly EVERY post trying to start something. We call that a troll. No one likes a troll.

 

[Lumberjack]

Top, that last post was to the troller.

As to you, I knew there would be an exception. It works for some, but imagine if they were that fluid with new school. No split tail? Thats one fast dude!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Plain vanilla? or High Tech?

I have seen it. Earlier this month we had our TCC. I was asked to judge the work climb. I really enjoyed getting to see 31 differnt climbers and their styles. One fella in particular (whom ive known for many years) is (his words) a "plain vanilla climber". His kit is as basic as they come.
Weaver 4 d saddle, basic lanyard, handsaw and rope. He climbs on a traditional set up with a blakes hitch(not a split tail). Watching him climb I'm always impressed at how smoothly and effortlessly he makes it look. He can certainly hold his own when it comes to climbing and will climb circles around many younger more progressive climbers. He placed in the middle of the pack overall this year, but more than once has placed in the top 4 in years past.
Should I also mention this fella is 58 years old, and in better physical shape than most 25 year olds? Hes in better shape than me, tell ya that much.

Hats off to the Jedi of tree climbing!

Old school is cool if thats what works for you.

 

[Tree Machine]

please clarify

I never climbed old school. I have used the blakes, I cant see using the tautline.

Mind me asking where you draw the line between old school and new school?

 

[Lumberjack]

Not at all.

Old school. Taunt line, no slack tender, basic buckstrap, leather/unpaded saddle, 3 strand rope. Tom said a bowline saddle, i wouldnt go that far. The blakes hitch didnt come around till the late 80's early 90's? I dont remember. Think back to the 60-70's, thats old school, just like old school rock.

New School advanced hitch and slack tender, DEDA or other advanced hitch adjusted (or art positioner or grillion), ness/master II/Bfly (or other saddle in the same class), 16 or 24 strand rope.

The blaster is prime example of in-between. He uses a weaver saddle, 16 strand rope, gibs adjusted lanyard and a TL hitch. And he makes it work for him, kudos!

I have used the blakes, mainly to just give it a shot or as a second tie in. Now I solely use advanced hitches for everything, but I wanted to have the knowledge of the blakes. I started on the VT, but decided to be fair/educated I would have to give it a shot.

 

[Tree Machine]

So one is Neanderthal, the other Cro Magnon. One is markedly advanced over the other, the one hitch over the other hitch, that is, but they both still treat friction in the same way. A Valdetoin Tresse is a hitch, and the industry calls that 'advanced'. I'll agree with that; advanced, but within the same school.


So the difference is in the older hitch over the not as old hitch. How does that change schools? They're both hitches, different twists on a hundred year-old system.

It's not a matter over one school being better than the other, I just want to define what the school is. Tell us some more.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

I prefer to speak in terms of "Traditional" and "Progressive"

John had the enviable opportunity to see Gary Albig climb in competition. Gary is the finest climber that I have ever known. His climbing skills are second to none. He's contributed more to arborculture in MN than anyone. His influence has had an effect that most people will never know. Gary climbs with a simple kit and makes it look so easy.

I've done gear checks at the ITCC for many years. There are climbers there who have a kit that's not much different than the one in the pics. They all do have proper rope snaps though.

Climbing is a continum that has fluid markers, not rigid points to measure from. It's as much a state of mind, open to change, as it is in the use of the latest tools.

 

[Tree Machine]

Thank you, Tom. As you've pursued the outer limits yourself for so many years and have personally hung around and amongst the giantist of the giants in this world climbing arena, your words help define the parts of our industry.

I prefer to speak in terms of "Traditional" and "Progressive"

KF is definitely a progressive-styled climber.

His climbing skills are second to none.


re: Gary Albig

Gary Albig keeps the rest of us in check. Most tree climbers, myself included, think that they're hotshots. Albig really IS a hotshot. Albig climbs progressive OS (old school), or maybe traditional OS, but either way he has it nailed down.

Climbing is a continum that has fluid markers, not rigid points to measure from. It's as much a state of mind, open to change, as it is in the use of the latest tools.

But there are clear, delineated markers between OS and New S.

Between "traditional" and "progressive", Lumberjack listed a good number of the differences, the ways in how old-old school is different than new-old school. Old school is good. It's what 99.99999% of all arborists are climbing on, been around for over a hundred years, since the days of three-strand manila. It's ALL traditional, in that sense, and we climb on hitches because that's how it's always been done since the earliest day of arboriculture. At this time in history, with the aid of split tails and 'advanced hitches' and the internet attendance at Old School is now stronger and hosts far greater numbers of climbers than ever. Old school is the big school. It's where all the kids go.