Beginner Tree Climbing Tips

[bowleggedgoat]

Foot ascenders have somewhat made footlocking obsolete for a career climber, if you want to preserve your body, from what I hear. I never learned, really. I could do it, and have, as needed. Call a Pantin a $60 investment into longevity.

footlocking is kind of fun though...

 

[stig]

What are you..................22 years old?
Footlocking ain't fun once you have grey hair, let me tell you that.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

I can see it as fun, in my younger years. I heard that it was hard on the body, so I understand how to footlock, have done it very, very, very little, and bet my body thanks me for it, which goes back to the career climber perspective of FL'ing being obsolete. You can easily wear a floating foot ascender with spurs, and I have used a Pantin a little with pole spurs.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

You can easily wear a floating foot ascender with spurs, and I have used a Pantin a little with pole spurs.

I do that each time I wear my spurs, except it doesn't float at all.
I put first the Pantin at my ankle as usual, tight. Then, I slide the spur's stem under the front of the Pantin. My spurs are made with flat stock steal, so they are less bulky than the aluminum molded ones. It works well.
The Pantin is a big help to use the HH and I prefer working on the rope when I wreck a tree, but now I appreciate the help of the spurs time to time for positioning and balancing myself in the crown. So I take the spurs from start with the Pantin, and not only at the end for bucking the trunk as I did before.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

bump for Steve.

Actually, Fi, I typed beginner tree climbing, and this was about 10 down the list of threads.
Highlight this thread's address with a right- click, and right select 'copy', then paste into the other thread.

 

[Stevo]

Thanks a bunch.

Not only am i new to climbing, all this forum stuff is new to me as well.
Between work, kids, wife, dog, mom, holidays,new home that wasn't "move-in-ready", i really don't do much for Steve anymore....
and i'm good with that...
But like i stated in my "new member" post, i am now.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

And on that note, Stevo, there's this https://www.masterblasterhome.com/s...mbers-quot-thread!&highlight=official+members


P.S. The NEW POSTS 'button' (top left on screen) and the UNREAD POSTS (top right on screen) are your friend.

And welcome to the tangential posting nature of the TH.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Thread STUCK!

 

[TreeHugger]

I haven't seen anyone mention this and maybe that's because it seems like a no brainer, however I still did it when I first started climbing and it almost cost me my life.

Never run your rigging line and your climbing line through the same crotch.

 

[gf beranek]

As a general rule that is very wise, Fi. There are work-arounds, however, that can make it safe to do. In a nutshell, it becomes a matter of isolating the two systems so they don't conflict with one another. But then again it all depends on the situation, of course.

 

[Tucker943]

Here's my beginner climbing tip and I have the pain in my one hip to validate it. Don't stand in a crotch when taking something large and upright off the tree. Get out of that crotch no matter how cozy it looks to get postioned in there. Things do go wrong and things can go the wrong way. Having that load above you come down and pin you in that crotch will not make a funny story. I had a top come backwards in my first few years climbing and pin me in a big crotch I was standing in. Cutting it apart off of me was pure horror while I couldn't breath from weight on my chest and what I also believed was a crushed hip.

Get out of pinch points if it all possible so you have the option of maneuvering one way or te other in an emergency.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

When you think you have a high enough TIP for a lot of lateral movement, go higher.

 

[MasterBlaster]

And then go another ten feet.

 

[Jake Andrews]

Here's my beginner climbing tip and I have the pain in my one hip to validate it. Don't stand in a crotch when taking something large and upright off the tree. Get out of that crotch no matter how cozy it looks to get postioned in there. Things do go wrong and things can go the wrong way. Having that load above you come down and pin you in that crotch will not make a funny story. I had a top come backwards in my first few years climbing and pin me in a big crotch I was standing in. Cutting it apart off of me was pure horror while I couldn't breath from weight on my chest and what I also believed was a crushed hip.

Get out of pinch points if it all possible so you have the option of maneuvering one way or te other in an emergency.

That's a great tip for newbies. I also had a piece go backwards on me, unfortunately I was lowering at the time and had the rope go across my neck, fortunately and unfortunately I was pole belted in so I had to try and get the load off whilst unable to breath. As I lifted it up and over my head my helmet came flying off in a blind panick and went crashing to the ground. Scared the crap outta me, use angle of rope and gravity to your advantage, not disadvantage.

 

[Bermy]

......

And welcome to the tangential posting nature of the TH.

And get ready for derails...we are masters at it, makes for interesting reading

 

[Climbhigh]

My son just started climbing and he had an interesting idea; practice falling! well not a straight drop, but what if you slip of a limb and go for that uncontrolled swing. who says it has to be uncontrolled. practice makes perfect! here is a short vid he made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-fVJvuQHqc

 

[Limbrat]

Looks like he is very comfortable in a saddle and having fun with it too. With moves like that, maybe he should join the circus!

 

[Gauge]

I am still green here and learning much, but I haven't seen anyone say anything about stretching. I like to get in a decent 5-10 minute stretch before i climb. I stretch all my leg muscles, back arms and even my neck. And I am talking about a good stretch not a 5 second hang over. Again i am still green but I would think it could be catastrophic if you cramped up while in the tree.

 

[woodslinger]

I am usually afraid of swinging into the trunk backward, it never occurred to me to flip over, I find that video very helpful. Thanks for posting it

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm a believer in stretching before the job.

 

[NHlocal]

I am usually afraid of swinging into the trunk backward, it never occurred to me to flip over, I find that video very helpful. Thanks for posting it

I agree, I was thinking the same thing when I was watching it.

 

[Merle Nelson]

I am still green here and learning much, but I haven't seen anyone say anything about stretching. I like to get in a decent 5-10 minute stretch before i climb. I stretch all my leg muscles, back arms and even my neck. And I am talking about a good stretch not a 5 second hang over. Again i am still green but I would think it could be catastrophic if you cramped up while in the tree.

Off to one side of what you are talking about - Somatics by Thomas Hanna. It is pandiculation, what cats and dogs do when they get up and start to move. Looks like stretching to most of us but it is actually taking the body through the full range of motion in any given way. For humans it is reminding our body how to fully release our muscles.

Do it about 15 min a day and your body will work well all your life.

 

[woodslinger]

It reminds me of yoga, and our dogs are way better at it than I am. I found that as horrible as my form is when doing yoga with my wife, I feel better and more limber

 

[Walker]

Good advice.

 

[Raj]

I wonder how that would work with finger cramps, I get them something fierce after about 4 hours of climbing.