spur climbing set up for redwood questions

[norcalshoot]

I am new to climbing and buying my first set up. I will be mostly limbing up and removing redwoods. My questions are

1: How are climb right spurs for redwood? are 2 3/4" long enough or do I need something longer such as buckingham 3 1/2 fixed spurs?

2: I have decided I like the weaver extra wide back saddles, but dont have any experience in them. I don't know which one to get, Split legs or butt strap, Split suspension or sliding dees or double sliding dees

3: I want a steel core flip line. What are the advantages / disadvantages of 5/8 and 1/2" flip lines?
Thanks in advance for any help. I would greatly appreciate any advice or suggestions

 

[Gologit]

How big are the redwoods? We talking OG here or smaller stuff?

 

[jefflovstrom]

I am new to climbing and buying my first set up. I will be mostly limbing up and removing redwoods. My questions are

1: How are climb right spurs for redwood? are 2 3/4" long enough or do I need something longer such as buckingham 3 1/2 fixed spurs?

2: I have decided I like the weaver extra wide back saddles, but dont have any experience in them. I don't know which one to get, Split legs or butt strap, Split suspension or sliding dees or double sliding dees

3: I want a steel core flip line. What are the advantages / disadvantages of 5/8 and 1/2" flip lines?
Thanks in advance for any help. I would greatly appreciate any advice or suggestions

Wow! Who hired you and do they know you don't know much?
Jeff :msp_ohmy:

 

[Gologit]

Wow! Who hired you and do they know you don't know much?
Jeff :msp_ohmy:

I read his profile. 23 years old, total greenhorn, currently unemployed.

But look out! He's gonna get himself some climbing gear, as soon as somebody tells him which gear to get and how to use it, and he's gonna climb himself some REDWOOD TREES. Wow.

Cut him a little slack Jeff...we might have a future Jerry Beranek here. Kinda doubt it, though. :msp_biggrin:

 

[TreeAce]

I read his profile. 23 years old, total greenhorn, currently unemployed.

But look out! He's gonna get himself some climbing gear, as soon as somebody tells him which gear to get and how to use it, and he's gonna climb himself some REDWOOD TREES. Wow.

Cut him a little slack Jeff...we might have a future Jerry Beranek here. Kinda doubt it, though. :msp_biggrin:

YA...but think of it this way for a minute....atleast he took the initiative to ask about somthing that most 23 year olds are far to lazy to even think of, let alone inquire about. Asking questions like his are much better than playing video games.

 

[jefflovstrom]

YA...but think of it this way for a minute....atleast he took the initiative to ask about somthing that most 23 year olds are far to lazy to even think of, let alone inquire about. Asking questions like his are much better than playing video games.

All valid point's. But who is the guy that is gonna pay him? Sound's sketchy to me unless he is doing it on his own. Not trying to be mean, but I would not hire a guy without experience unless I plan on training him.
Jeff :msp_smile:

 

[TreeAce]

All valid point's. But who is the guy that is gonna pay him? Sound's sketchy to me unless he is doing it on his own. Not trying to be mean, but I would not hire a guy without experience unless I plan on training him.
Jeff :msp_smile:

I dont think you were being mean at all. Who knows, it does seem wierd though. If he had work with someone worth while then THAT person should be telling him what he needs. And if he doesnt have someone to teach him then thats just no good at all.

How about some more info norcalshoot?

 

[norcalshoot]

ouch you guys don't give much slack around here. Nobody is hiring me. I am not looking to steal peoples money while I am leaning to climb. I have 20 acres of second growth redwood to practice on. I like the forest when it is limbed up and we had a great view of the ocean, but their are alot of tree tops in the way now. I have someone who is going to teach me who seems to know what he is doing but is not the god of climbing and has only used the gear he owns. I guess what I am looking for is some opinions on the gear to see what is working for others in redwoods. our largest trees are probably 4-5 feet with the average 2-3 feet diameter in the butt and those will be getting the lower branches cut to clean up the trees. Their are alot of over crowded small trees from the last logging that need to be thinned. And for anyone who might think I am going to damage these beautiful redWEEDs with spurs, I doubt it. If you cut a redwood down at the ground, at the end of the year you have about 40 suckers growing from the stump that are at least 3 feet tall.

 

[RandyMac]

Really, sprout right outta the Stump?

 

[norcalshoot]

no joke. REDWEEDS. honestly I hate them they are like a nightmare, The more I cut the suckers down the stronger and faster they grow back.

 

[RandyMac]

are Redwoods as big as they say they are?

 

[norcalshoot]

They can get big. Don't you have redwoods in the upper left hand corner of California?

 

[RandyMac]

I was waitin' on that.:msp_biggrin:

Welcome to AS.
Do you drink beer?

 

[norcalshoot]

Yeah I drink beer. Is that allowed on AS?

 

[RandyMac]

sure enough.
We are also friends with Jim and Jack.

 

[imagineero]

1: How are climb right spurs for redwood? are 2 3/4" long enough or do I need something longer such as buckingham 3 1/2 fixed spurs?

2: I have decided I like the weaver extra wide back saddles, but dont have any experience in them. I don't know which one to get, Split legs or butt strap, Split suspension or sliding dees or double sliding dees

3: I want a steel core flip line. What are the advantages / disadvantages of 5/8 and 1/2" flip lines?
Thanks in advance for any help. I would greatly appreciate any advice or suggestions

1: I cant really comment on redwoods since we dont have them where I live. We do have some very thick barked trees though. The consensus among most climbers (myself included) is climb on the shortest spikes you can. There are a few who go the other way though. With longer spikes the angle of the spike seems to come much more into play. Those with offsets seem pretty popular. I'm climbing on steel bashlins with pole spurs, I love them and rarely find myself underspiked.

2: very much a personal call. I'm climbing on a treemotion and love it more than my own family. If you're a fat bastard then you'll appreciate the buttstrap, especially if you are going to spend a lot of time hanging. If you are skinny or will be doing a lot of technical work (limb walking etc) then leg straps are more the go - less comfort but more freedom of movement. The floating bridge vs fixed D's is much the same scenario; floating bridge gives more freedom of movement. The floating bridge comes into its own on technical removals in tight spaces. You can have 2 adjustable tie in points rigged to independent parts of the tree (or even different trees) and tie this into the bridge and be rock solid, still with your pole strap as a 3rd point. While solid 3D location, you can spin around to face any direction, 180 degrees with lots of freedom.

3: i've climbed on both but prefer 1/2" because all of my hardware is 1/2". If you get the thicker flipline you'll need a grab that will fit it and you miss out on some grab options. I use the microcender as my flipline adjuster, but they do make a bigger version of it. I think some adjusters only come in 1/2". There's no real strength benefit from the bigger line. Some might find the thicker line to be easier to handle I guess, but the 1/2" is just fine for me. Be sure to get one with a swivel on the snap, and have a think about whether you want a single snap or one at each end. If you want a single then 12'~15' should be fin even on fairly large redwoods, I use a 10' and that goes fine for me. If you want a double ended then you will want to tie into it with a unidirectional grab, or a prussik and you'll want a longer line.

Shaun

 

[Gologit]

sure enough.
We are also friends with Jim and Jack.

There you go Randy...you can go down and help that guy thin his second growth. Exercise those yellow saws a little.

 

[RandyMac]

There you go Randy...you can go down and help that guy thin his second growth. Exercise those yellow saws a little.

Limby poles in the rain, been there.
I think a beer or two at the Vance maybe.:msp_biggrin:
It would be a good work out for the PM850.

Might have a line on something for you.

 

[norcalshoot]

imagineero, Thanks thats what I was looking for. Reading around this forum I see a lot of people say butt straps are the way to go and much more comfortable but the guy helping me out says he hates them and leg straps are the way to go.
Does anyone have experience with the new climb right climbers? the gaffs look rounded at the point but haven't seen them in person.

 

[Gologit]

Limby poles in the rain, been there.
I think a beer or two at the Vance maybe.:msp_biggrin:
It would be a good work out for the PM850.

Might have a line on something for you.

Beats doing dog hair in the snow.

Beer at the Vance? How 'bout straight shots at the Ivanhoe?

Let me know on the saw...no rush...I can wait for something good.