Jamie Jones

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The 550xp is a great saw, I have a 562xp as well. Personally I think the gap is a little too close together and you would be better of stepping up to a 572xp with the 20" bar or a Stihl 500i. But with out knowing what you fully want to be doing it is hard to advise.

Hi Steve How did you get on with the Euro's because lining them up the don't actually penetrate any deeper into the tree (in length), and at best due to the angle change will only straight line penetrate a maximum of 3mm. I do think that the angle of the hook will just act as a scoop and they will be no better in real terms or of the very slightest of margins. I will be sending the Euros back and putting the Long Gaffs back on.

Hi Pete Thanks for the feed back and the offer to send them to me. I have had a set turn up today from Treekit (now HoneyBoros) on a deal price as I have previously purchased the Distel DDM Spurs and the extra set of Long Spurs.. I will give them a go to see if they are any better than the Standard gaffs. Otherwise I will just go back to the Long Gaffs or I will go for a set Edelrid Talons

Why are the Euros Horrendous?

***** UP DATE ***** It turns out that I am not the only person having this problem in talking to HoneyBros and other dealers.... As they have now brought out a 3rd option in Spikes. The 'Euro'. Short = 43mm *Euro* = New Spikes, 48mm and angled more outwards Long = The Spikes are very long and only really for trees with lots of soft bark. The new Euro version Spikes, are slightly longer at 48mm and angled more outwards to get the spike further into the tree so it does not slide out of the soft bark trees so easily. Thanks... I have just had a chat with HoneyBros/TreeKit .. Having put up a couple of postings on the net and then talking to Honey Brothers Ltd other people have had similar feedback on the short spikes and Gaffing Out and also the long spikes big too long on most UK trees. Distel I've now brought out a third option of spike which is called the: 'Distel Heidelberg Spare Gaff' or Euro Spike as an accessory... Honey Brothers Ltd put this down to Dorset shop which used to be Treekit where I got my spikes from and they have done me a pair of those new spikes at a discounted price as a good will gesture towards solving the problem. So a big shout out to them for doing that and hopefully my spikes problem should now be resolved..

This is how mine Destil DDM Click- Buckle spikes are set up. See Picture The 'J' Frame angles slightly forward, and the outer edge of the 'J' Frame has the slope angled back for for the heal strap. And this is how I see it set up on all the marketing pictures. So I am guessing that is how everyone else has theirs set up ?

I agree that they are very comfortable.. But in both Flipping the flivline up and while working they keep gaffing out on the Short gaffs, which is just an accident looking to happen.

Pole Gaffs = Short Pikes 43mm Long Gaffs = Long Spikes When I ordered them I was told everyone just uses the shout gaffs. As I could not get used to them, I went to the long Gaffs... They were better by I had to keep wrestling to breaking the long gaff out of the trunk because the would get stuck in the tree.

I have the height bang on and they are very comfortable..

My previous set of spikes were the treehog spike. Didn't have an issue with the gaffs, but they were so uncomfortable it was unreal.. With the Distel DMM about a weeks work on the short gaffs, and a couple of weeks on the long gaffs. Just tried the short gaffs again and it was just a nightmare, gaffing out while flipping the flipping and sliding down the stem. Gaffing out when trying to work around the tree. It was dam dangerous on the short gaffs. Total loss of confidence. Ideally I need the manufacture to do me a set of gaff midway between the short and the long to try and get a working balance.

DISTEL DMM SPURS Advice and Help needed.. I have upgraded my budget Treehog Spurs for a set of 'DISTEL DMM SPURS WITH CLICK BUCKLES'... I like the Distel DMM Spurs for the comfort, padding, and most of all the quickness to getting them on and off. But I am really struggling with them when climbing. They came with the short gaffs and although they look ok. I am finding that I am gaffing out all the time. Especially when I am on a stem and going through the motion of flipping the flip line up the stem. Which means that I have been loosing confidence in them. To try and remedy this I ordered a set of long gaffs. This has solved the 'Gaffing Out' issue. But I feel the long gaffs are too long. As I feel like I am always on the points and don't get the use of my feet balancing on the side of the tree's stem. Plus with my weight I often find that the spurs have buried so deep into the trunk that they stems to stick in and I have to wrestle them out which is getting annoying. I have since going back to the short spurs only to find that I was continuously gaffing out again. Ideally I feel that a set of intermediates length spikes would be best to have the right balance between the long and the short gaffs. But they don't do any. Apart from the discomfort of the Treehog spike I am thinking of going back to them as I was far more confident in climbing with them. Question: 1) Has anyone else had this issue with the DISTEL SPURS or the DISTEL DMM SPURS? If so how did your get resolve this problem? 2) I have spoken to the dealers and they say that they don't do an intermediate length spur... Does anyone know who the manufacture or importers are for them? As I would like to see if they will do me a set of medium/intermediate length.. I have looked on the DMM website and they do not even list them, so I'm not sure what the DMM connection is with them.

Stand corrected it is a 4t4Rx.

I have both Stihl and Husqvarna brush cutters... I originally started out with a couple the Stihl FS460 Brushcutter (Now FS461). They are good and I use a mulching blade set up on one and the old style (all black) twin line feed head with 3mm Vortex Chord on the second machine that I some times swap out for the 4x chord head of fixed lengths of 4mm Vortex Chord. I hate the new style strimming head with the white base plate. have been very reliable. I also have the Husqvarna 454rx (husky equivalent to the Stihl FS460/FS461) and the Husqvarna 555RXT. Personally I prefer the Husqvarna Brushcutters.. They were harder to get used to compared to the Stihl's and you have to use them slightly differently. The Husky strimmer heads a way better and longer lasting the the Stihl heads. My view on what to get for brash, brambles etc that will require the the Mulching blade is the biggest engine possible option. This is because it will drive a bigger mulching blade that will cut down the amount of time spent doing the same job. So I would advise that you opt for either the Stihl FS561 or the Husqvarna 555RXT. Both will require the different deflector guard set-up as an added extra. If I am doing a big brash or long grass smash down my first option is always the 555RXT. Grass I always use Vortex 3mm chord, and tougher brash the Mulching blade. The 555RXT is the first machine I will go to for big area grass cut downs for two reasons; The power of the cut as it also helps smash the waste better, and the key reason was the diameter of the cut, from the two ends of the separate chord. This means I can cover a bigger area quicker. If I have a second operator it will be the FS460 or the 454RX with 3mm for long grass, and if it is light brash it would be the Stihl FS460 with the 4mm Vortex Chord on the four-chord head. But that is only because I don't have a four chord head for the Husky 454RX. Both brands are very reliable. Although the Husky 555RXT has had a couple of gearheads replaced. but that is just down to the amount of use they get. Grass and light brash and brambles the FS461 or equivalent Husky will be grate. But for hard brash, brambles where constant mulching blades are required... Just go straight for the biggest engine machine possible... Stihl FS561 or the Husqvarna 555RXT. Sorry I don't have any pictures of the FS460 with the Mulching head set-up Stihl FS511 with Shredding head set-up video: The FS561 will just be even better...

Solidor Trouser... I have a number of different pairs..