Mr. Squirrel

I think all of the high end trousers, arbortec, pfanner, sip etc are pretty comparable. The main difference is the fit in my experience. Get all of them and see which fits best, send the rest back.

Apologies, clearly having a brain fart as I didn't clock your second paragraph, even when I removed it from my quote. I'd be terrible at the BBC, don't last long there if you just call everyone bas***** 😂 Fwiw, I think the current reliance of many on welfare is more of a symptom of the merciless capitalist system you mention than just millions of people being work shy. The divide is constantly growing and the richer these people get the more disempowered the working classes become. Blaming the poor is just playing into the hands of these pri***.

So nothing to do with greed; wages for many having dropped over the past 30 years, while super rich people like Bezos amass inconceivable amounts of money?

Presumably because having better trained operators in the industry would just be awful 🤷🏻 Begs belief really.

The small/micro businesses you mention would only really be an issue if people were doing their tickets and immediately setting up a business. Which isn’t that common, and those who do are typically pretty dreadful. I suspect most businesses in that category are started by people with a few years experience who have grown tired of low wages and long hours working for an employer. In Germany you do an aerial rescue ticket, and then after logging 300 hours (I believe) you can do their equivalent of a chainsaw in the tree & rigging ticket combined. Personally I think it’s a far, far better system. The UK’s is frankly inadequate.

What’s the deal with the switches? Are they the same as the 160t, or even worse?

Just have to bear in mind it’s against manufacturer recommendations to use the rrp in a pick off rescue. Drt or srt. Same with the akimbo.

Correct, while the forces on your dirt anchor point are less than a base tied srt line, you don’t have to isolate the srt line. It can be going through multiple unions and there is some degree of backup. The forces at the top aren’t often double on a base tie either, as there’s potentially a great deal of friction spreading the load. Base ties are excellent for accessing medium-large trees.

A better question might be why the government organisation, Ofgem, are upping a price cap designed to protect consumers to a level where they KNOW many can’t afford it. We all know oil companies are basically printing money right now because of peoples suffering, and the government are essentially sanctioning it. I agree that payments shouldn’t be happening with the energy malarkey. Because this shouldn’t, and wouldn’t, be happening if our government wasn’t made up of venile, self serving cu**s out to hoard wealth for for them and their ill bred cronies. You say that you’re in favour of supporting people, but then you’re against working tax credits and a minimum wage? How does that make sense, if anything it sounds like you want people to be poorer, so they can haul themselves up by their boot straps presumably? Universal basic income is a baseline, it doesn’t mean everyone earns the same, that’s communism. So everyone gets £500/m say, and you earn on top. The super rich must love it when normal people start pointing the finger at those with very little, rather than those who have been exploiting the work force for decades.

2&3) I can highly recommend the click buckles top and bottom.

I had the Ally ones for ten years and they were fine, but I never enjoyed wearing them. Sprung for a set of carbon clicks a couple of years ago and they we’re worth every penny. I think there’s a subtle difference in shape, as even just standing in them is much more comfortable. The click buckles are brilliant too. No regrets.

It's a very good point that. I've spoken to people who have complained about how there aren't many decent climbers about, but have also turned their nose up at taking anyone inexperienced on. You can't have one without the other... Also, despite what some might think, we were all hopelessly useless at some point.

I'd be inclined to agree with those saying to request proof of their claims. Without that their case is baseless. I'm not familiar with the tree, property, the local soil etc. but there's no reason why a mature tree shouldn't be present within a small garden, indeed assuming it's in good structural condition I'd regard it as an asset, personally...

I’ve been seeing things pick up recently. Not sure how long it will last, I suspect when peoples heating goes back on it’ll tail off again. But for now, it’s ok at least.

What serial number is your zig zag? There was a recall on them due to slipping recently. Covers quite a wide range of manufacturing dates, because the zig zag is shit. Pretty sure petzl ropes are made by Cousin who are reputable. Doubt it’s the fault of the rope. https://m.petzl.com/INT/en/Professional/recalls/2021-8-31/Safety-information--cases-of-slippage-with-ZIGZAG---ZIGZAG-PLUS---ZILLON

Also, just to be pedantic even if it is/was 350 years old, it wouldn’t be regarded as ancient for the species. The oldest in the UK is between 3,000-5,000 years old, this one was practically a sapling.

Check out BAAS, the Belgian arborist association. Guessing they might have a resource for finding knowledgable professionals.

I’m guessing you’re in Belgium then? What kind of area? Lots of very knowledgeable arborists over there. The girdling root is more indicative of the bigger picture with regards to rooting problems than the crux of the issue. I can’t imagine it being beneficial to remove.

Ok so it isn’t so black and white then 😂 2m you’d let em off with, wouldn’t you? 5m I’d be miffed but let it slide, 10m and they’ve just bought themselves a used 40m lowering rope.

Company pays. All of the ins and outs of freelancer or subcontractor blah blah… not relevant here in my opinion. If you’re using your own gear on someone else’s job and one of their employees wrecks it then they replace it. It’s not like ropes are even that expensive to a company, but coming off a freelancers day rate aye it’s a big whack.

You use three strand with rigging rings as a crane tie in? I’m surprised a crane operator would be alright with that?

I’m amazed at people who ever thought he would do good. His track record before being an MP was dreadful enough, and it was all widely reported in the run up to the last general election. Sure, probably mostly by those made lefty’s at the guardian and such like; but they weren’t telling stories… Not having a go at you or others who voted him in. It is what it is and we’ve all learned a thing or two I imagine. But his conduct in office has been exactly in line with his character and behaviour since people began bothering to notice him. This outcome is not at all unexpected. So what’s up next? One of his pals who supported him for years and only jumped ship when it was absolutely clear the ship was on fire will take over and likely carry out business in a similarly pathetic manner. Yippee. Funny isn’t it, when May seems pretty good actually, and Cameron a positively moderate conservative with decent political backbone 🤦🏻

Might be a bit of a sting when the person you're subbing to tells you you'll need to lower your date rate if they're buying all your PPE for you too? 🤷‍♂️

Yeah that was the taper pattern I used too, except I didn’t go top/bottom. Just one strand from every carrier to the left, then the same from the right. I did spend more time getting the crossover and eye really tight before burying and just really trying to keep as much tension as possible in there. The cover being so thin, it seems prone to a bit of bagginess in the eye if you aren’t careful? Nice rope though.

“John Parker, the chief executive of the Arboriculture Association, said: “The trouble is that people do not know what arboriculture is. Schoolchildren don’t say ‘when I grow up I want to be an arboriculturalist’. We need to change that.” I liked this bit. Perhaps if the AA did a decent job people would know what arb was.