Joe Newton

Why do you think he said "without"?

For those who take emergency first aid seriously, as we should though, I have my take on it. As a subby climber roughly a third of my lunch backpack is taken up by my first aid kit. I dont believe I should have to carry a team kit, but I've worked for too many companies where the van kit is a Halfords camping kit or the like. I've removed the plasters and the small dressings, we're not looking at paper cuts. I've added: 2 emergency blankets. One isn't enough, you want one layer to act as an insulator between the casualty and the ground. The second can wrap the casualty and preserve body temperature. Eye wash and bandages. It's important. Of my eight years climbing the two hospital trips have been fired for eye injuries, including blunt force trauma and lacerations to the cornea. Bleeding from the eye is no fun. Cold packs. Not a necessity, but bumps and sprains need cooling to prevent inflammation, not rubbing with some quacks magic ointment. Tuff cut shears. You might need to cut through the sane stuff you expect to stop a chainsaw. Burn gauze: we work with petrol and combustion engines. Burns suck massively, it's worth having. Now for the serious stuff, and its important to understand that this kit is useless unless your first aider understands it. Torniquet: I like the RATS torniquet because its easily applied with one hand, and fits over a chainsaw boot and leg. This is a life or limb resort. You don't reach for it first. In the event of massive trauma like an arterial bleed it can mean the difference between keeping someone alive and not. If other methods of blood control have failed, you'll need this. Try and note the time of application, it will be useful to the docs. Israeli Bandage: great for any kind of severe wound. Can apply pressure (not as much as a torniquet, I've tried) and stop moderate to heavy blood flow. Can be used along side celox. Celox or other haemostatic products: these vary in design, but I prefer the gauze over the powder. Mainly because wind or height won't cause you to spill or lose it. You can push this into a cut to stop severe blood flow. Indispensable for neck lacerations where pressure bandages and tourniquets are not an option. Large absorbent dressings: to pack out wounds that are too large for haemostatic gauze to fill. Note that I've no more first aid training than most of you, but if rather have the kit and not need it than the other way around. Call it the condom principle.

For once I agree with you, for things such as bumped limbs and bruises, I meditate. For instance, I was chucking stub cuts into the chipper with my second climber, and I turned around as he was chucking one. Caught a log above my eye. Split the skin and swelled up like an egg. I'm pretty sure it would have been fatal had I not walked away and meditated until the pain and anger had subsided. I live to spread the word

Yeah, the horizontal line doesn't really benefit you much imo. Ideally you want two high points going out at opposite angles to your limb walk for it to be really beneficial.

Nah, literally just add another doubled rope system to a different anchor point, just like your main line, but to somewhere else in the canopy, wherever is going to work. That way your weight is supported in 2 directions, kind of triangulating yourself, and you still have your lanyard available to clip in where you want to cut. I haven't got a picture to hand, but if its still unclear ill get busy with paint.

Bollocks. Climb the tree when you can if its easier.

I can do then as long as my free hand is bracing my wrist, but I'm guessing that doesn't count. My elbows have been battered enough anyway, I'd rather just chuck my rope up. At the risk of sounding snarky, if you're having to use that much brute force, you're working too hard and not efficient enough. Look for easier ways (not to be confused with lazy shortcuts) and practice them until its easy.

Mate, try working for some of my local councils... I genuinely had a tree officer come out and tell me that if any residents wanted anything else doing, just keep them happy...

Well really! Wait till he starts telling you that you've been doing shit wrong...

Sounds like Jonah Hill. It makes a lot of sense that Vesp gets his ""knowledge" from videos like these. I reckon he also learn how to pick up chicks from Kobe Bryant's YouTube channel. Moral of the story is that if you're happy to learn from any old dickhead, that's what you learn to be.

Are we really supposed to believe that Vest works alone of his own choice?

Careful, or ill try it myself and then send it to you after...

Is there any scope for timing advance?

What's the most you've done you a 150 Steve?

A big carabiner?

Wasn't it Adam Bourne he got in?

I dont get why people are suggesting that you'd take a hit money wise getting another climber in. Even if they charged £200 for two easy days including time spent with you in the tree training you, there'd still be far more profit left on the job than your multiple repeat visits plus trips to arb suppliers buying lots of kit you likely don't need. If you sincerely wanted to learn this would have been your best bet, but you seem adamant to do it yourself (fair enough) but obviously don't believe you have anything you learn from others.

So you rig one branch, then go down to untie it, climb back up and repeat? Mind you with all that friction you could rope the best part of a tonne out from the tree... Where do I pay?

@RC0 what do you think? Can I expect a review video?

So what advantages does it offer over the safebloc, or natural crotch friction? Doesn't make any sense, you'd need a groundy to untie the piece anyway so let them apply friction. A fool and his money...

Might be as well, the thread has become a spastic magnet.

For Christ sake, you fed it. This wasn't where I was trying to steer this conversation.

Alright mate, calm it down a touch. From my perspective, there's a wealth of knowledge and experience on here, they're generally good guys with a lot to offer. A few of them have tried to contribute, but you've come across like you don't need the help. Enemy for life or not, I'm not bothered. You're a pseudonym on a forum. It won't cost me sleep. If you're local to me however, and genuinely willing to learn, I'd happily make time to go for a climb with you. If you're still pissed off and want to vent, pm me for my number.

I get that from people now and then. Usually hapless new starters with inflated opinions of themselves, you know, the know it all fuckwits who can't take advice because they can talk about tree work for longer than they've actually done it. I find that if I've got to explain myself then I'm wasting my breath.

Probably best for everyone