My spikes, new to climbing and having problems

[Nathan Morrisen]

Keep your legs straight when your spikes are in the wood, if you have your legs bent the spike will be at the wrong angle and slip out the of tree, keep your weight pushed back in the harness by doing this with your legs straight your spikes wont slip out. Dont have your strop to short or to long. If you want to feel more sturdy on a pole whilst cutting then loop the strop once around the trunk this will give you a more comfortable working position and most importantly RELAX.

[skyhuck]

I prefer to keep my legs slightly bent, I think locking them out put more strain on your knees.

[Stephen Blair]

Chris it isnt easy and slipping and being scared is part of the course. I got stuck up the first tree i climbed wearing spikes:blushing:. I found them the hardest part of climbing at first. You are learning you can buy all the kit, look the part and feel like a tool up a tree not managing to go anywhere:laugh1:, i found coming down a nightmare at first.

 

keep at it, its all good, Sharp is best though

[Arborjesus]

Would totally disagree with the idea that tree gaffs are better than pole gaffs. The only time tree gaffs are better are if your felling a Wellingtonia; rest of the time you feel like a ballerina.

[andrew t]

just keep at it would be my advise my spikes are not razor sharp trust your strop and lean back some more nothing wrong with being a bit stern at first your style will naturally change but for know i would go for safety

[combined tree services]

just keep at it would be my advise my spikes are not razor sharp trust your strop and lean back some more nothing wrong with being a bit stern at first your style will naturally change but for know i would go for safety

 

i will second that but also maybe see if you can get a new pair of gaffs/ spikes to go on your set , normally you can un-bolt them and put a new pair on , as for the spiking - if at first you dont succed the try try again.

[RobRainford]

I hated spiking too. And learnt on a sycamore. It felt totally alien. Having these metal things on my legs and walking up the tree!

 

I still haven't got fully used to them. Hell, I've not climbed properly in months. I've lost so much of it now. Need more climbing jobs, a buddy to climb in my free time with or just free time to go and climb

[ad15]

how long is your strop? you don't want to de too "upright"..:-)

 

combined with sharp spikes you should be good,, practice practice,,

[Johny Walker]

well dressed spikes & time ,will pay its own dividends stick @ it lad ,the way i was tought to sharpen spikes was do the in side face ,to keep it uniform ,then again northern electic could be wrong after 80yres

[scottythepinetree]

well dressed spikes & time ,will pay its own dividends stick @ it lad ,the way i was tought to sharpen spikes was do the in side face ,to keep it uniform ,then again northern electic could be wrong after 80yres

 

Used to sharpen the outside of my gaffs until I bought a Bashlin gaff maintenance kit and the instructions said to sharpen the inside edge following the little curved edge around as you go. Makes getting them razor sharp much easier and definitely not going to argue with the guys who make them. Important to get the profile right. Would recommend a maintenance kit not much in them really just a flat file, sharpening stone (to get a really fine edge) and a gauge so you can make sure the profile is right.