New climber- branch walking confidence!

[Mountain man]

I would say swinging off and slamming into the trunk was something to worry about.

[Djvicke1]

I struggled with branchwalking but I'm getting to grips with it now. I had a good instructor on my CS38 told me that you wont always look smooth branchwalking if its a difficult branch just get down and hump your way up it if you need to and don't be afraid to wrap legs arms round the branch and really pull yourself along it and in the end I was right out on the tips. Use a longer strop (I use 6m) to let yourself back in and reverse everything you did on the way out helps too. Thing I struggle with now is the feeling of karabiners tugging at the connector rings at the side of my harness when turning away from my anchor point just feels like somethings going to snap/break but its mostly just mental things to overcome.

[Djvicke1]

Also try holding your climbing line with one hand and pushing out from the stem to grab something with the other hand then swing back in, it helped me get a balance and feel for the ropes different forces etc and gain confidence being away from the stem.

[Macca]

Use a cambium saver or a pulley at your Tip. Reduces the friction and makes moving out the branches much easier.