Marc

That's bad, your not doing yourself or others in the industry any favours working at that rate. Do you use your own lowering kit for others or your own use? I only use my own climbing kit and climbing saw, I also do not have insurance when working for others on an ad hoc self employed basis.

We have a 661, great saw if it developed problems I wouldn't want a 660 in its place.

Would you kindly ask them to improve gate reliability please. Thy are as far as I am aware the only major carabiner manufacturer who use the plastic spring tip on their gates, twice this year I have seen these fail with other climbers. They are also the most prone to sticking, I personally had asked to see if they could improve them, they told me it was lack of maintenance by end user! Let's see them take up the challenge!

If they were so switched on they'd fix the problem! It's a shame they make good looking carabiners with such crappy gates.

I may of climbed it, I doubt I'd of done it in a big top, just bit by bit starting at the top. Maybe use a pull rope installed from the ground to give it a pull test and see how stable it felt. It didn't go any further in the winds so on a calm day should be safe enough.

How do you climb now if not on a single rope are you climbing on 2 ropes with independent anchors? Not a serious question just a joke, if it's company policy to climb on a more recognised system then so be it, eventually they may see the light. If what your doing is working well for you then stick at it, you are obviously thinking about it and always looking to improve, keep making the changes and look at SRT in the future. My kit is fairly slim line these days, I went through a kit junkie phase now I just want it simple, the good thing about srt is you need so little, and it's great for working in remote places, I have a rucksack style bag and one I carry in my arms leaving the other free for a saw and off I go often doing woodland contracts where I can access any tree with ease without a ladder which is a heavy bit of kit to lug around.

And why not it is a very good system it's more advanced with a greater understanding by a majority than srt. When DrRT is used well it's just as efficient and practical for most commercial arb in the UK as SRT work position.

If your up for making life as easy and effcient as it can be, then the leap to SRT even if just for access will help. The problem with using a foot ascendor solo for long hauls is it's not very balanced, certain muscles will become stronger leading to problems in the long run, maybe if you had a left and right foot ascendor and alternated you could keep things balanced. This is the reason I never use a foot ascendor solo in the tree only as part of an ascent system combined with a leg loop.

I hope the changes would be worth it, the 362 was a little disappointing next to a 361, the new 362c looks promising, a colleague bought one a month back not had the chance to use it in anger though to compare it to our 362. It may have 2013 on it just make sure you get the new auto tune version 362c

The Hitchclimber pulley is just as good as a Spiderjack or Zig Zag, if not better so a worthy investment.

Don't be tricked by MBS in choosing your rope, I've used the Sirius plenty, it's good affordable rope, myself I'd rather dump big bits on Samson Nystron or Yale polydyne, they maybe 1000kg less on the stated MBS compared to Sirius yet I feel and correct me if I am wrong will be stronger in dynamic loading. In short yes I'd buy the Sirius for us rigging lines only last us a year at best so value wise they are good. Although as it's company money I spend I always get the Yale/Samson

My own personal experience and working with some very good climbers from the itcc most I know use srt for access commercially and they are good at it. The side ways pressure on your knees and force on your lower back is not healthy in the long term.

The problem is unless you got the perfect technique footlock it is horrifically bad for you, realistically the footlock is for comps or occasional short ascents in the tree. There is no real shortcut to the most basic access systems. For me I use 1x chest ascendor, 1x hand or Petzl basic ascendor, foot ascendor and foot loop. Tether between chest and hand ascendor and a kernmantle line. It is a simple system once you see it, with a good system you will be encouraged to use it more.

Pantin on everyday but only use it to ascend SRT hardly ever once I'm in the tree and on my DRT system.

Very good advice

Like a lot of things positioning is important, try to make sure your protected and do not leave yourself open to crush injuries.

Have to admit for £17 it looks a good buy.

Rinse, blow and repeat then liberally lube with graphite powder, I find anything oily cause them to jam up again sooner. I tend to use only Petzl or Rock Exotica biners as the are reliable a and easy to maintain.

A lot of it comes down to demand, plenty of arb shops out there selling non CE approved kit for use in the UK, they just do not stock everything if not enough are intrested or aware of the kit that's out there. Last year I bought Donaghys cougar blue at the trade fair.

I really should get on that book face thingy and check out the group some day. I really got excited about SRT from the Treebuzz and Tom Dunlap who was always happy to help, Kevin was still messing around with the F8. I climbed SRT for both access and work position, eventually switching back to climbing only DRT with SRT as my daily access and rescue system as all members of the crew I work with access srt too. Climbing with Marcus doing big tree reduction he moved so well on SRT and I can see the positional benefits, there was a lot of vertical hauling involved. Marcus though is again young and fit. I didn't start climbing until I was 27 I pretty much started out throw lining and quickly progressed to srt in 2007 often posting here about its benefits, sadly I've never made that leap to full time srt work positioning. Climbing with BenR again he made srt look easy thinning tall drawn forest grown Beech getting right up those skinny limbs, I'm sure my koala bear technique on the big Sophora blew him away and he realised that he was witnessing a climber at the top of his game:001_rolleyes: with Marcus yet again srt'ing the other part. Anyway rambling Marcus and Ben both struck me as young fit enthusiastic climbers, where as I feel a lot more settled in my was not really struggling to do my job daily so making that transition just doesn't seem worth it, I kinda like my mongrel mix of srt and DRT. Although going on a jolly to Treekit this weekend can see myself purchasing some Beal Dynastat and a rope wrench for the cougar blue, if the zig zag does not tempt me..... Decisions decisions. Will Ben Minty Rose make me a tether I wonder ........

It doesn't cost as much as you think!

Out of intrest how old are you Dan? Be infesting to see the age demographic of the srt work position converts. I really got to get back on it myself.

I know what you mean, we all want that, the chainsaw protection in boots no matter the class is highly unlikely to offer any protection against a good hit. Maybe give marginal to full protection from a glancing chain on run down. As a personal opinion I'd rather lightness to reduce fatigue and back strain, given the minimal protection from even the highest class, I assume that's why high end boots are mostly only class 1 given how difficult it is to produce a boot that can protect in real work place situations. Stay safe and never expect your PPE to protect you, good handling and work practice is the best form of protection.

I'd really want the lowest protection possible to keep down bulk and weight. I'd love a pair of Tirol Fighters they are one well made boot, just to heavy and stiff for day to day. You spend more time in your work boots than any other boot/shoe, it's not worth scrimping get the best and lightest you can get.

AKU Cresta's for climbing, non PPE I find them more comfortable and easy to climb in. Meindl wood loggers if I'm doing a lot of ground work with the saw.