Were Climbers better 15 years ago?

[Tom D]

The good climbers of today are just as good as the good ones of yesteryear I'm sure. Todays crop of climbers is just diluted with a lot of rubbish, meaning the better ones are harder to find.

 

Britains lack of big challenging trees probably plays a part too, it would be quite easy to spend all your time climbing small city trees and thinking you were ace. If all climbers were great there would be no need for the specialist contract guys like Steve and Reg, I'm sure many of the contractors that they climb for have their own climbers yet still feel the need to bring in an expert now and again.

 

Natural ability + the right experience = great climber

[Rupe]

I was a better climber 15 years ago before I did any tickets than I am now. But back then all climbers were good or unemployed, maybe now people get work with all their tickets but staying in a job through recession is unlikely unless you are up to scratch!

[High Scale]

I was twenty five so I was fricken wicked and dread.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

mmm, i dont think we was better persay, but we was bold, and mad as hatters, we didnt have the rules there are today and you was rewarded for speed not rope technique H+S ettiquete!

 

When i started I was 15 working for an old scholl guy, I was taught nothing, learnt my own ways, and didnt know of NPTC till i moved on after 8 years to a bigger firm (grisswood and Toms)

 

Things and times have changed, we cant compare what we did with what the newer generations will have to do, it simply isnt the same game, and now we have rules and law (thank god in some ways!)

 

I do however miss the big wood days, and the lack of folk telling me what i can and cant do, those times are over, and its time for us old boys to move over and let these new breed of highly technical climbers to show us old fellas the difference between Climbing hard, and climbing smart.

[Frank]

Interesting thread Mike. Sor of backs up what I was trying to get to about aprentiships. The NPTC tickets IMO are designed as a provisional ticket to show you basics in a week. To prove you are physically and mentally competent to learn the trade in a safe manner. They are not IMO designed for someone to whizz through them and call themselves an arborist.

 

15 years ago I was 13 and thought I was gonna be a pro motorx rider.

[Johny Walker]

i dont think the basic,s have changed, we still use the high anker wide angle thery wich has been round for yrs ,but the equipment & techniques employed in using them have changed ,plus the job has aquierd premdona stateus ,not sure were or why that came in to tree work but it has ,but the climbers 15 yrs ago had a lot less kit to hand ,so realy that makes them better,we had to make do with old 3,strand ,make a bow line ,then make yr prussik loop ,out of the same rope ,no strops,use other end of your rope pig tails & all , .............

[Lorry thompson]

I've only been in the trade 11 year but worked mostly with old school and bits with new school, I think it's good to be in the middle. I also think the new school maybe do everything how they are told instead of trying certain things that a college tutor would say is dangerous it probably stems from the fact that most tutors either haven't don't the job or they were crap at it, its good to respect health and safety but also know what you can push yourself to. A wise old arborist said to me that the new boys spend too much time worrying about what you can't do with timber instead of opening your mind a realising what you can do makes sense to me. I also think as someone said 15 years isn't long enough to look back really good thread though.

[Maxwell]

A wise old arborist said to me that the new boys spend too much time worrying about what you can't do with timber instead of opening your mind a realising what you can do makes sense to me.

 

what kind of wood was he smoking??

[Lorry thompson]

The wood that was probably smoking because it was bein worked so fast while you were getting you harness on mate

[Maxwell]

easy now. was only kidding