What is your backup when spiking up a stem?

[Phloem]

I've worked mostly in forestry but I'm doing more arb work recently, and will be getting my climbing tickets soon, so I'm not really clued up on spiking/climbing a tree.

 

I've seen lots of guys just spike straight up a tree with no backup, just their lanyard holding them close to the tree which seems stupidly dodgy if they were to gaff out. How do people on here recommend securing themselves in case they slip?

 

There's a Japanese guy on youtube I found who uses a method I'd probably go for, but interested to hear what others think and what other options there are.

 

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[Dbikeguy]

He seems to be leaving his lanyard low.
I use a Zigzag so either use is single line with a similar cinch system to him round the stem (tech against the rules with a chicane above it to make it SRT safe but i’m 75kg and won’t be side loading it on the way up)
or DRT mode using a ring cambium saver.
I tend to hold both together and flip up rather than move one, then the other as it’s too slow.

[maybelateron]

I use my climbing rope as a second strop. If there is a branch I can get it over higher up I use that. I have been climbing for a long time now, and have gaffed out a few times - never slid more than 3-4 ft down the trunk before strop stopped the descent, just a few grazes. I would be interested to know what the biggest drop (we call it woodpeckering) anyone has experienced in this situation.

[Phloem]

11 hours ago, maybelateron said:

I use my climbing rope as a second strop. If there is a branch I can get it over higher up I use that. I have been climbing for a long time now, and have gaffed out a few times - never slid more than 3-4 ft down the trunk before strop stopped the descent, just a few grazes. I would be interested to know what the biggest drop (we call it woodpeckering) anyone has experienced in this situation.

Were all the trees you gaffed out on quite big? I can imagine if the trunk was fairly big in diameter it'd stop you falling, but smaller ones seem like they'd not hold you. I dunno though?

[Phloem]

19 hours ago, Dbikeguy said:

He seems to be leaving his lanyard low.
I use a Zigzag so either use is single line with a similar cinch system to him round the stem (tech against the rules with a chicane above it to make it SRT safe but i’m 75kg and won’t be side loading it on the way up)
or DRT mode using a ring cambium saver.
I tend to hold both together and flip up rather than move one, then the other as it’s too slow.

Can you explain how that's not really what you should do? I'm new to all the equipment - I know a zigzag can be used for double rope systems, were you using it like the guy with the lockjack in the vid on a single rope?

[maybelateron]

I can’t remember for sure, but you may have a point there. One option is to wrap your strop all around the trunk so it acts as a choker, that way you can’t slip far, but it does slow down your ascent. But safety is comforting.

[Dan Maynard]

I use my climbing rope as a second strop. If there is a branch I can get it over higher up I use that. I have been climbing for a long time now, and have gaffed out a few times - never slid more than 3-4 ft down the trunk before strop stopped the descent, just a few grazes. I would be interested to know what the biggest drop (we call it woodpeckering) anyone has experienced in this situation.

Love the word woodpeckering for that.

Multisaver choked on the stem for me, hitchclimber drt so I can easily descend from any point if necessary (one handed).