Pole climbing help!

[Dionysus]

i did the 38 before the pole rescue became compulsory, but i have to say i love being on spikes at work, bit iffy when you gaff out, but doesnt happen too often.

[Bolt]

I saw the pic's on your other post.

 

The advice on figure-of-8ing your flipline is good advice, especially on skinny stems like the one you were up.

 

Remember though...

 

What you want are lots of positive experiances to get your confidence up

 

You will feel far, far more secure up a fatter stem.

 

Verticle stems are easier than leaning ones.

 

Thin bark is easier than thick / flaking bark.

 

Get 100% confident at adjusting the length of flipline before you get more than a metre or so off the ground.

 

Don't be too upright, or leaning back from the stem. Too upright, and your gaffs may kick-out. Too leaning back and you will be working far too hard.

As a simple rule of thumb, If you get youself set up on the stem, with your elbow against your abdomen, your clenched fist should be against the stem.

 

 

Happy days.

[mikedrums69]

I saw the pic's on your other post.

 

As a simple rule of thumb, If you get youself set up on the stem, with your elbow against your abdomen, your clenched fist should be against the stem.

 

 

Happy days.

 

Ah, cool! Cheers for that, i'll have a go at that on monday as were gonna recap on it. I've asked the instructor if we could go higher. Just so i don't get to the assessment and bottle it.

But whatever happens i'm just gonna take my time, making sure i'm doing it correctly etc.

[Bolt]

Ah, cool! Cheers for that, i'll have a go at that on monday as were gonna recap on it. I've asked the instructor if we could go higher. Just so i don't get to the assessment and bottle it.

But whatever happens i'm just gonna take my time, making sure i'm doing it correctly etc.

 

Mucho sorry's Mr Mikedrums69... Turns out I was looking at pictures on bobbysm's post.

 

 

Ah well, that will teach you both to put similar subjects on at the same time:sneaky2:

 

 

Anyways, hopefully the advice will hold good for you

[Frankie Lawrence]

 

Ah well, that will teach you both to put similar subjects on at the same time:sneaky2:

 

 

:

 

I did think it was a wee bit odd but I had pictures to post and thing to tell and mike was asking for advice to difernt things

[Frankie Lawrence]

I saw the pic's on your other post.

 

The advice on figure-of-8ing your flipline is good advice, especially on skinny stems like the one you were up.

 

Remember though...

 

What you want are lots of positive experiances to get your confidence up

 

You will feel far, far more secure up a fatter stem.

 

Verticle stems are easier than leaning ones.

 

Thin bark is easier than thick / flaking bark.

 

Get 100% confident at adjusting the length of flipline before you get more than a metre or so off the ground.

 

Don't be too upright, or leaning back from the stem. Too upright, and your gaffs may kick-out. Too leaning back and you will be working far too hard.

As a simple rule of thumb, If you get youself set up on the stem, with your elbow against your abdomen, your clenched fist should be against the stem.

 

 

Happy days.

 

Thanks for your advice know its wrong thread and all that but will be good for mike to sounds like we are at similar positions in regards to climbing and training.:thumbup1:

[Littletree]

Hi Lads that are doing your pole climbing try not to worry . I love pole climbing and so will you to soon in a short time .

 

A few tips to help you get off to a good start .

 

Have a look at the spikes and check they are nice and sharp if not give them a bit of a file with a flat file that will help them enter the pole better.

 

Make sure you do them up really tight if take a couple of steps to check as if they are loose you are more lightly to slip

 

Take one foot at a time and make sure its stuck into the wood before moving up with the next foot and the same for each movement . It does not matter if it takes time the assor will not mind . this way you can be sure not to slip the faster you try and move the more lightly you are to slip. if one foot does slip as long as the other foot is in OK you will be able to stand up on the one spike and reajust the other one then continue .

 

Don't try to hug the pole this will make you more lightly to slip down as you need lean out on the strop just a little this will help you get a good stable position .

 

Use a stiff wire core strop this helps alot as its easier to move up the pole freely. the more flexable the strop is the harder it is to move it up .

 

Take your time and think about each move and you will fine .

you only slip if you rush it good luck and dont worry

 

All the best Littletree :thumbup:

[Rob D]

Never been that confident a pole climber...

 

 

But the more you do it the easier it gets. Even now if I haven't put the spikes on for a while and have to flip line up a tree I'm nervous for a while, but then you're working and you forget about it.

[Taupotreeman]

I've done a heap of spiking for the power line companies in OZ and the previous advice is pretty good. Lean back into your flipline or strop but not so far out that you can't touch the tree. If you get koala syndrome you can always try using two strops or flip lines. I usually use two on smooth bark trees like gums; one wire core and one thicker rope strop. Generally, if you do slip the two tend to tie up together and stop you sliding to far but angle of the body to the tree is most important. Always keep your spikes sharpened to manufacturers specs or it makes it hard work getting them in to the pole and then keeping them in. And if you do slip you can always use your face as a brake

[RobRainford]

Ive been in the same position guys, absolutely bricking ti on my first few attempts, it doesnt help much when the instructors are egging you on rather than helping you. because when your nervous everything seems negative. When having a safety line installed try to keep one step ahead of it, or even tell the belayer to keep it loose, as then you will be in the spikes and not on the main line.

 

Remember to straighten your legs! i still have that problem now but when you get it straight its easy. make sure you are confident with adjusting your strop, if it is a clean pole, even if there are small burrs or decayed branch collars, there is always something there to stop you sliding, usually a foot will catch and you will be on that with one knee in your face almost.

 

I found that trying to spike on skinny stuff was better for confidence as when you got to bigger stuff you just felt more secure. Ive been in your positions before and when i dont do much for a while it still gets me nervous.

 

A way that ive found to help is to use my hands on the tree, not to support myself, but as i step up i use one hand round the back of the tree to pull my flipline up and to keep balance, sometimes if your hand is on it you feel much safer, instead of stepping up and trying to flip the strop, just reach around and pull it up, thenyou know its staying there and that its not caught on anything.