Spikes

[Jammydogg]

Alrite people, what do you all reckon to the treehog climbing spikes??

[CJM]

I went to renew my spikes a few months back, I looked at these tree hogs they felt heavy the gaffs looked weird like some kind of pencil point and the straps look and felt like they were made from cheap plastic and wouldn't last.

I just bought what I know and what I've been using since I started many years ago, steel bashlins

[Matt McAulay]

Not a bad spike at all, had the old steel bashlins myself but there bit knackered now. Needed a new spike with that I could change the spikes (longer or new spikes) I've found them comfortable, they come with 2 sets of spikes long and short the long don't really need for this country unless you've got a thick ivy tree. Used them all day I've found them more comfortable than the bashlins, now it's all about the long game my bashlins lasted 8 years.

[Thatoldchestnut]

I too thought that they were very heavy and quite cumbersome however haven't actually tried them in the tree

[munky0211]

Is their a method to sharpen Spikes?

Leant out to a nugget who does'nt understand the rules off spikes

[Dilz]

all my sets of spikes have come with a guide for filing them. I generaly dont use them as they get lost after a week.

 

i use a large flat file but it depends on what sort of gaffs you have, on my bashlins i just do strokes on the underside heading away from the bar, do it even left and right. Some folks like i really nice point so they dont have to kick so hard (my knees agree with this) but others prefer a slightly rounded point, you can gaff out a bit more but you dont get stuck and can make moving up and down a lot quicker i sharpened a guys spike he lent me and he went ape as he had quite an aggressive climbing style so booted the tree really hard to get his gaffs in which meant they kept getting stuck after i had sharpened them.

Its important to get the angle right on the tips as i find this makes the difference between sitting comfy or slipping out alot

 

I use Bashlins with the twisted shank, steel and heavy but its what they had and i need the twisted shank to take the pressure of my knackered feet (Plantar fasciitis)I highly recommend the twisted shanks, velcro shin pads, leather ankle straps. Carbon fibre spikes are ok nice and light but they arent up to abuse.