Treerover

Stunning. Yes Derek asked, the dbh is a good measure to begin a calculation . Personally , when they go like these have, with beautiful diverse form instead of drawn up lanky boring specimens , they tend to be over the century mark here in Warwickshire. Check out this leviathan towering over my garden from the neighbouring church yard (now sadly dying back on one side ) Very underrated are good open grown mature Sycamores

I’m not sure I quite follow you Kris ? [emoji1383]‍♂️

How long are people getting from their Zigzags? I’ve had mine for just coming up to 2 years but these days only climb 2 or 3 days a week max . I put it on my new Trestec Atrax yesterday and it was not good ! If I was climbing like I was when I was younger I could understand 2 years would seem fair, but bimbling around with me Zimmer frame a couple of times a week up Elder trees I’d expect more than 2 years ?

I’ll take a peek, cheers Tommy. I was also looking at the Lá Sportiva GTX mids as they’re Goretex and have the similar grippy sole to the Scarpas and reasonably priced

Anyone know which boots these are and has anyone tried them for climbing ?

Is it not still a bit early for them though ?

I had to dismantle an almost dead Sycamore yesterday and once I’d removed the Ivy I discovered it had Sooty Bark Disease. I’ve only come across this once in 25 years so researched it further at lunch. I was slightly alarmed when I read that exposure to the spore can cause a ‘debilitating Pneumonitis’ after 4-6 hours post exposure . Luckily this hasn’t yet happened but has anyone ever suffered this when dealing with Sycamore with this disease ?

Try E bay. £65 a pair [emoji15]

Another vote here for the Freedconn VB’s (800m range) I got a pair in December for me and my groundie. We worked in some really crappy weather and they’ve really impressed me. In fact I can’t imagine what else you’d get for a greater price !? I’m not sure how easy they work with 3 of you though and the battery only lasts a day, but for £65 a pair I’d thoroughly recommend trying them . And when you’re working on your own you can link it to BBC Sounds on your ‘phone and listen to Radio 4s Woman’s Hour and shout profanities whilst you work and look nuts because no one realises you’ve got Comms !!

I'm currently now on a new pair of Arbortec pro which are only maybe 6-8 weeks old so very early days but thus far, combined half the time with the hitched up Echo (although half the time still with the dangled Ms200) they are holding up very well indeed and so seem incredibly tough. The fit is slightly erm, Blue Oyster Bar snug shall we say but i'm very impressed, especially as their first Breath Airs were a pile of ill fitting badly thought out crap suitable only for the 1990's rap act Kris Kross .

I’m considering changing from using a pulley block to rigging rings and this video was very informative . Worth a watch Jamie

Thats pretty reasonable. Cheers my friend for your efforts [emoji106] [emoji4]

After well over a decade of unsympathetic service it’s time to replace my rigging blocks. I’m seeing a lot of love for the various rigging ring configurations and whilst I can get that the user can snug them tightly against the stem and use multiple rings to cheaply(?!) configure various flexible rigging scenarios I have 2 burning questions :- 1) I’ve always used thimbles in my double braid rigging ropes to dissipate the acute bend ratio of just a splice on a carabiner together with slings. These rings don’t look like they’d take a thimbled splice through their aperture. This must mean that should I want to add a second lowering point I’d have to thread the rigging rope tail end first and then rethread it through the main rigging point would it not ? This seems a ball ache or have I got this wrong ? 2) Surely a rotating pulley will have much less drag coefficient when loaded than a wet muddy rope through a ring, especially when lifting limbs on a GRCS ? Have I got this all wrong ? Am I missing something? I’m struggling to persuade my left hand logic brain ? side to convince my right hand anodised, new tech lusting side that these rings are in any way better ! Any advice from anyone who’s using both would really be appreciated [emoji847]

Ok quick further to my earlier post....ordered a pair of Arb Pro Gammas which came yesterday. Sent them back as the inner blocking material does not seem to fit well inside the outer....it seems too big/wide and ruffles slightly inside the outer which I think would become really irritating in the hotter months. Shame as they seemed a really nicely made trouser although a slim fit which may not suit some.

THAT IS EFFIN’ HIGH [emoji15] (bumwinkingly high in fact)

Saw came yesterday minor job for it today. Oh man it’s better than sex !!! ? Thank you to you , Mick Dempsey et al for recommending this wondrous little gem . Came with a Sugahara type little bar too . Nice [emoji7]

Those Clogger Zeros are supposed to be amazing and from Australia ? I think I’m personally going to try Arb Pro Gammas next but so far I’ve only found one person that’s tried a pair so it’s a risky bet .

and possibly more fun !!! [emoji12]

You need one of these Mark ......very effective in such circs (Landrover ....models own!)

I'll be climbing in me grollies after this unexpected outlay [emoji30] ...............again

oh Christ just read this.... I have jaw ache [emoji23]

Brilliant. Large carritool ordered along with a bloody Echo 2511 you sod!! That looks such a great set up. You owe me £412.99 !! [emoji7] [emoji12]

Have you tried the 151 though? I used one yesterday for a day and it flew. Couldn’t fault it (reducing a BIG Oak), but then I’ve never used the Echo. I’m literally about to purchase either the Echo or the 151. How do you find availability for spares on the Echo?

Another great tip, cheers Tommy. Incidentally, have you gone all 'Philip Schofield' on us ?

Very useful , thanks Mark. Does that large Caritool not catch branches all the time and subsequently snap or irritate?