“caddy pads” wanted

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  • #3
Anything better than kleins….
They are good besides the shin digging. They were my first pair. Money was tight so it was Kleins and a Weaver 4 D saddle that was probably around $100. I’d rather make the spurs comfortable than get a new pair.
 
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  • #7
Brian, do those Weaver pads hold the shank straight or at an angle? Which is preferable?
They look nice and comfortable.
 
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  • #8
I actually prefer my pole spikes to my tree spikes and will probably get a set of “shin savers” for each. I only wear the tree spikes for the thick bark species as it’s a lot less torque on my knees and they are easily removed from the tree.
 
i think tree spikes are less wear and tear on your knees since you can keep your legs in a more natural position. to actually poke some wood in a little bit larger wood with pole spikes, you have to bend your foot outwards. very uncomfortable for me.

also while „branchwalking“ pole spikes are useless.
 
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  • #10
Good points Friedrich. I suppose that once I get some shin protection on my tree spikes, I may prefer them more. Currently though, the poles are more comfortable. I do wear a set of thin shin guards turned inwards no matter which set I use. This really helps on the poles but not as much on the tree spikes.
 
I'm looking on wesspur's page, and the aluminum Caddie pads are only listed in one style. The C cup pads I like come in five different styles depending on which brand of spurs you have. My concern would be the angles being off if the slots don't well match the spur design. Just a thought if a used set of pads doesn't showup. If you really like the idea of aluminum, gap carries them(currently oos), and a road trip could test them out in your specific spurs.
 
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  • #13
A trip to Gap sounds fun though. I just don’t know when I could do it. I definitely don’t want to drag all the kids up there
 
I wear pole spurs as much as possible.

They hang right next to my tree spurs in my truck.

I find them more comfortable with less pad needed.

All trees have thin bark in small wood.

If I was only using a flip line, I'd probably rely on deeper penetration of tree spurs.

Velcro wraps are a definite comfort upgrade. They are always the right size.


Tree spurs are better for chunking down in thick bark with a heavy saw.
 
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  • #16
That’s a good point Sean about the thinner bark at the top. On yesterday’s removal I only really needed the tree spurs on the first 60’. once in the canopy, the poles would have worked fine.
 
I'd like hybrid gaffs. That would be a good compromise between not enough point for a lot of jobs to balancing on spike tips for others. We don't have many trees out this way that take full advantage of tree gaffs.
 
Tree spurs are wobblier, and more torque on joints, IME. If you can sink the spurs close to the stirrup, they will be more like pole spurs.

Pole spurs work great on poles, presumably.
 
I never climbed a single day of my life on anything but tree gaffs. I never felt wobbly, or torque on my joints. Maybe I just don't know any better :).

I climbed plenty of older conifers than would be difficult with pole gaffs...but Sean is absolutely right, the bark is thin higher up. Never gave me any trouble to be on long points up there, or on younger trees, or our PNW hardwoods. I think I'd feel naked on short points :).
 
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I have Klein hydracool pads on my Klein pole gaffs, which get used the most. I really only bring out my climb right tree gaffs for booted palms or old live oaks with thick bark or the occasional bull pine. I run Velcro wrap pads with a steel insert on my tree gaffs, those are about the most comfortable pads I've found.
 
I'd like hybrid gaffs. That would be a good compromise between not enough point for a lot of jobs to balancing on spike tips for others. We don't have many trees out this way that take full advantage of tree gaffs.

I bought a used pair of spikes that had a funky gaff profile. I resharpened them. They are half way between pole and tree spikes, They work great for me.
 
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