Marc

Probably something else going, 100ft Ash tree is pretty special though don't think I've ever seen one that tall.

Even a hitch climber on a simple cambium saver is good place to start. I would say owning a hitchclimber works out the same as a Spiderjack when I add up the cost of friction cord used over the year, although the initial purchase is cheaper. Mr Bolam is bang on no point getting hung up what is the best system, look at what's out there and choose what you think is right for you, for me a Spiderjack is a step backwards for others it's the forwards.

An enigma.

It can happen, it does not affect everyone, it all depends on and how you climb and manage rope deflection.

Maybe, probably, Stuart raises a good point. I just always felt the Rig was its biggest selling point. It would not be difficult to replace the bushed pulley with a Rig.

I know right, for smart technology that is supposed to auto tune to changing conditions it all seems rather silly. Like I said before I just run it as normal paying no regard to the manual or setting auto tune and it runs fine for me.

Most of the time, I just wear pruning trousers as in no protection, when I want protection I just have type A's I really don't see the point of C's unless it's company policy or your in experienced, there is no reason to have the saw behind you period. You say most of the damage has been done to the front? You don't mean from a saw I hope.

I've just run all our Stihl and husky auto tune saws like normal without problem. I can't get my head round why calibration is so important if they are auto tuning to changing conditions anyway!

I've never done a side by side comparison, our climbing systems are static, or to be accurate semi-static. As a personal opinion having climbed srt access for several years a Static rope is more trouble than its worth particularly if you add toothed ascendors, and even more particularly if you footlock! A small amount of cushion is a good thing. No I would not use rigging rope as an access line, non that I have seen really appeal to, yes you could use a rigging line if you want just make sure you only use it as PPE. We use our rigging lines as pull ropes to. Or in less critical pulls old retired lines.

Think you do big rigging dismantles? Look at Grahame from Sherbrooke tree services taking down 200ft+ Eucs on a prussik! I think Spiderjacks, hitch climbers and rope wrenches come into there own on crown care jobs. If you have spikes on why use upper body strength? To me the key to changing your style is to utilise different muscle groups, climbing on prussiks thrusting your way up is very upper body intensive, shoulders, elbows and wrists can suffer over time and take a long time to heal or get damaged permanently requiring surgery or retirement.

It is simple in the way you just put it on your line, a bit of a learning curve though. One of the guys I work for who is 56 and been climbing 37 years climbs on a spider jack, although to ascend he would use ladders then a prussik and once he has put in his pulley saver switches over to the Spiderjack. He has just bought himself an access line and rope walker kit after watching all of us use it.

An oldie but a goodie, as in good example of not what to do, if I remember right he broke his leg, pelvis and back. Has made a recovery and is now a personal trainer. I like the way he spikes up to do the lift, comes down and spikes up again to spray paint the wounds so you won't see them. I guess he missed clipped the snap hook. It's best to leave it to trained professionals.....

I use a rope walker system, that involved me throwing a line high into the tree a and through a suitable fork or point I judge suitable enough to hold my weight, then pull a 10-11mm kernmantle line into the tree and tie it off at the base. You will have to google rope walker system, although there are many variations of it and no 2 are the same apart from the basic concept. I then use my legs with a pantin/foot ascendor on one leg foot loop on the other with 2 other ascendors attached to my harness to capture my progress, so most of the ascent into the tree is made with my legs much like climbing a ladder. I'll have on my harness my main climbing line using a hitch climber, I've used all the systems out there and find a hitch climber system suits me fine (YouTube hitch climbers guide to the canopy) once I am up the top I'll tie in and unclip myself from the access system and ascend the short distance to my top anchor, for me getting to the top is the hard part once in the canopy the rest is straight forward. And when you come back down its easy to go back up on the access line.

This 2 year warranty I keep hearing about, isn't that only if run on Aspen? Otherwise it's a standard 1 year? Pain in the that oiling issue sounds Old Mill, I would get it looked at under warranty, been keeping a close eye on mine running a 12" bar the oil is generous and not an issue. As for bent AV, personally I never drop my saw for 2 reasons, one I hate it swinging around my ankles and potentially getting damaged. Two I don't want to drag a saw up to me even if it's a short distance so keep all my saws clipped short by the handle.

I have tried a Spiderjack it's a good device also, also not without its problems!! Don't get hung up on all the minor faults and niggles I mention, I just like things to be perfect like my beloved hitch climber. The ZZ was damaging my rope because the pulley design is not very good at keeping the rope in when the tail of your line is deflected making it run over a sharp edge, the mk2 now has a chamfer to help prevent this. For me the Zig Zag felt very natural and intuitive to use, where as the Spiderjack has a learning curve to really master, I find the way you control friction on a Spiderjack not particularly comfy though. They are both good devices with individual pro's and con's, what right for you..... Go with your gut. Or just get a Hitch Climber:thumbup: the best device out there.

No effectively once it's worn out you throw it away, maybe Petzl would service them but I doubt it. It's design means it should last a long time and be comparable to anything else. As for rope 13mm should work fine, for me the 11.7mm lines worked best like Tachyone or Yale pro (blue moon, limelight etc). For me I'm waiting for more feedback as the way I climb meant my rope was damaged by the zig zag.

Yep that to, although are there not fractometers? Used to ascertain the strength of wood, this is something I know little about. Was hoping someone else would comment on that.

I'm glad they got rid of that ice axe clip and replaced it with something a little more appropriate. What I cannot understand is why they removed the greatest feature - the large ball bearing pulley and replaced it with a small pulley without a bearing??

In what context do you need to know? I imagine there will also be some variation depending on time of year, growing conditions, amount of sunlight etc etc, so you would need a lot of data to get a good reliable mean figure for each species.

Glad you got it sorted and all up and running again Paul.

I had Klein pole gaffs with Velcro top pads from the electric crews. I loved them and wish I'd never got rid of them as my carbon geckos are about had it.

Wait and get a 661, the lower vibes and increased user comfort for me at least makes it a saw I'd happily ring up with all day. The 880 is a beast. Or get a husky 395, not a saw I've used personally but is highly regarded.

Let's hope so.

Like you say it may not be for everyone, I like it because it's small an unobtrusive, and dislike the brick like CMI although the CMI is probably nicer to use. Who knows maybe like all things it just takes time to appreciate.

You can find them for less I'm sure you can get one for £125 with a bit of looking. Paid £85 for mine all those years ago, it's paid for itself now. We all just want to be like Q:001_tongue: