Starter Climbing Kit advice

[prd]

I'm looking at getting a basic kit to do some recreational climbing with my son, he's 9. All low level balancing / swinging stuff.

 

I also do mostly groundwork and thought the kit would also be handy for some big hedges and deadwood removal in the grounds I look after. Nothing too adventurous

 

I've been soaking up the info on here and bought myself a copy of the Treeclimbers Companion. I've put a shopping list together on Jones' and come up with this lot for a basic Traditional Dynamic rig as described on pg53.

 

Any advice, additions, options and pishtaking more than welcome Great forum btw

 

1 off Petzl Sequoia climbing harness (for me)

 

1 off Petzl Simba Kids Harness (for my lad)

 

1 off Yale XTC Plus climbing rope 1 splice (45m)

 

2 off Silverstreak knotted prussik loop 650mm w/serial conforms EN566

 

4 off ISC 30kn HMS 3 way karabiner (aluminium)

 

1 off Yale steel core flip line 3m

 

1 off Marlow braided throwline 50m

 

1 off Marlow split tail 1.5m

 

1 off Marlow split tail 3.5m

[BenR]

Sounds like a plan. Split tail is cool cos you can adjust the length of the blakes hitch for you son as a prusik that long might be too long for his reach? Have fun, Im sure he will love it. I first had a go when I was about 10/11 made me want to do it all the time

[LSD]

All looks pretty good, not sure you need the flip line though and personally I’d go for a 5m lanyard instead of 3.5, makes it that little bit easier limb walking, and progressing up the tree

 

Have fun, and be interested how you get on with the kids harness.

[geoff]

Yes good list,I would forget about the steel cored flipline,and maybe look at getting a 20 metre length of climbing line as well as the one you already have on your list,that way you can climb with your lad to keep an eye on him.

Be aware of the panic drop if someone holds onto or above a prussic knot,starts decending and panic grips the line or knot,dissabling the prussic.

[josharb87]

youre kids going to need a rope, prussicks and carabinas too.

for rec' climbing, you dont need the steel cored flipline, this is only really used when on spikes taking a trunk down with a chainsaw cutting near (ish) to the flip line. if youre using both ends of the rope to climb on, and are only rec' climbing, you could get awaw without having a side strop, aka lanyard, work positioning strop ect

what are you using the split tails for?

you will also need a throw bag for the throw line (a weighted bag which you chuck up over the branch, bringing the line back down)

 

maybe a couple of helmets too? get youre lad into good habits!

[prd]

All food for thought, thanks for the feedback. Now the grass is slowing down its time to start on the hedges and deadwood. Time to press the button on Joneses website.

[Kev Stephenson]

Ring Jonesie, he offers invaluble advise and will let you know of any special offers/end of lines he has that might save you a few quid.

 

As said above, helmets for you both are a must really

[WeeDee]

The Simba kids' harness is primarily designed for rockclimbing, so there's not so much thought put into the child's position when hanging - other than motionless safety. The tie-in point is at chest level so, when suspended, the child hangs with very little chance of inversion (turning upside down and falling out).

The problem that I've found with my daughter using this harness is when she's trying to abseil, the device (fig 8, Petzl stop) is almost above her head!

 

If you're planning to let your son 'control' some of his own work on a rope, I'd recommend an extra small conventional climbing harness with the option of adding a chest harness to the set-up.

 

Dee

[prd]

Keep it coming! I'm still dithering over finalising some choices - Yale XTC and some Yale Silver Streak Friction for the Prussik. Sound OK? I've also swapped the Sequoia for a Navaho. I'm not spending all day every week in this gear so I'm trying to get a balance (ie under 500 notes inc a new pole saw and and decent lopper

 

Dee - do have any suggestions for 'an extra small' harness? I could pop down to the local climbing wall we use and pick their brains.

[WeeDee]

Try this on Ebay (it'll give you an idea at least).

 

Black Diamond Wiz Kids climbing harness.

 

I know that Petzl also cater for very small climbers - not that they're particularly better, but at least I'm sure that the Petzl harnesses are small enough to fit securely.

 

Good luck, Dee.