Beginners climbing guide, hints, tips and general climbing techniques

[Marc]

Haha, Oh that makes sense. Was good fun and great practice though

 

I was just thinking about this yesterday and discussing it at work, again I am amazed as to why to hell you would want to do that, and why it would be actively taught. Is teaching still so archaic?

 

It is something I would never do or actively encourage, climbing should not be difficult and be as efficient as possible if you want a long and productive career.

 

I hope you do not think I am being harsh, you just need to be approaching everything looking for the easiest most efficient way to tackle canopy access and work positioning. We need to be training guys to look after their bodies so they can be productive arborist.

At the end of day physical strength is not what you need to do this job it's technique which only come with time served and learning from other with good understanding of how to efficiently work the crown.

[Joe Newton]

I was just thinking about this yesterday and discussing it at work, again I am amazed as to why to hell you would want to do that, and why it would be actively taught. Is teaching still so archaic?

 

 

 

It is something I would never do or actively encourage, climbing should not be difficult and be as efficient as possible if you want a long and productive career.

 

 

 

I hope you do not think I am being harsh, you just need to be approaching everything looking for the easiest most efficient way to tackle canopy access and work positioning. We need to be training guys to look after their bodies so they can be productive arborist.

 

At the end of day physical strength is not what you need to do this job it's technique which only come with time served and learning from other with good understanding of how to efficiently work the crown.

 

 

Very wise words!

[dsearle]

Very good point. Some people in the group were arguing this. Saying that they would never climb this tree that way etc. His reply was that in the real world trees are not always the lovely spacious arboretum trees we have at college

[Dan Curtis]

Very good point. Some people in the group were arguing this. Saying that they would never climb this tree that way etc. His reply was that in the real world trees are not always the lovely spacious arboretum trees we have at college

 

In the real world, I've not needed to start at the bottom of a single tree in over two and a half years. I've either throwlined into the top, or spiked up a removal tree.

 

Trust me, I've climbed a lot of skanky trees that aren't anything like arboretum trees.

[MattyF]

Very good point. Some people in the group were arguing this. Saying that they would never climb this tree that way etc. His reply was that in the real world trees are not always the lovely spacious arboretum trees we have at college

 

 

I loved that argument ... In the real world there are ladders or throw cubes that would prevent you tearing your body up on the ascent for sure but building up core strength for climbing is important , it would probably kill me now if I had to Prussik and roll that limb instead of bagging an anchor and clipping on a haas ,pantin and rope wrench to getup there!

[Djvicke1]

Fairly new to climbing just completed my CS38 training and got my assessment on friday.

 

I have always climbed using 9mm prussik loop but in my training i found it started to lock really tightly after I had been suspended in mid air for a while, in fact it locked so hard I could pull all my bodyweight up on it with both hands and it still wouldn't slide down. Gave myself tendonitis by the end of the week from trying to release it all the time.

 

Today I've been practicing with a split tail 13mm Blakes hitch feels much better but it moves so easily that I'm worried it will slip out or am I just being daft?

 

Any tips on friction hitches or good sized rope for a friction hitch? I weigh around 12 stone

 

Thanks

[chrisj]

I used to use a Blake's and found it much better than a prussik. I never had any problems with it slipping, in fact if anything it gradually got tighter and had a bit of a tendency to bind. I generally had to loosen it every now and then. I test weight my system before I head up the tree, if it's working properly at that stage I'm happy to head up.

[Luke McDonald]

hi guys just a quick question...

I'm using a hitch climber set up and had a chat during an assessment about using a foot ascender for bigger climbs. just wondered if it worth doing or is there a better way.

I saw an earlier post about using one technique (Dan Earp) so wondered what options there were/what others do for this situation.

[Adam Bourne]

Always worth it Luke, long ascents are a killer on the upper body and why not utilise your legs!! Silly not to really ?

[Luke McDonald]

I thought so too. the rope was tapping my right foot during the ascent and i'd have faster with leg power as well.

any thoughts on best brand to go for?