New to the tree house

Hi Elliot.
After a lifetime of climbing in steel Kleins, I visited a fellow Treehouser SOTC aka Willie and tried his cabon Geckos.
First thing I did when I got home ( once I was over the jetlag!) was getting a pair.

I love them!
 
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  • #28
Hey guys, a fellow climber we work with sometimes has a pair of geckos and CRs so hopefully he will let me try them out and see what I think. I'm getting impatient though haha...you guys would all laugh at the spikes I'm using right now.
 
Maybe I should try lighter gaffs. I use a pair of steel bucks from to 80's. They were a retired pair my uncle gave me when I started climbing. The weight never bothered me. They have sentimental value. I should probably switch but sentimental value is powerful with me. When a highly skilled person gives me something, one whose skill far exceeds mine, I tend to cherish it like its an honor for me to be using it. Im a weirdo like that. Its like if Jay sent me one of his wood working tools. Im no carpenter. Id probably hang it up on display like its a masterpiece. Im funny like that.
 
Tucker943 said:
Maybe I should try lighter gaffs. I use a pair of steel bucks from to 80's. They were a retired pair my uncle gave me when I started climbing. The weight never bothered me. They have sentimental value. I should probably switch but sentimental value is powerful with me. When a highly skilled person gives me something, one whose skill far exceeds mine, I tend to cherish it like its an honor for me to be using it. Im a weirdo like that. Its like if Jay sent me one of his wood working tools. Im no carpenter. Id probably hang it up on display like its a masterpiece. Im funny like that.
Click to expand...


Nothin' wrong with that.....;) :thumbup:
 
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  • #35
I can't say the same for me, my steel bucks piss me off. Especially every time I have to jimmy them back together to finish the day.
 
I know. But they don't feel heavy to me. That's the thing. Like, Ive never once said "Dang, these boat anchors are bothering me". They feel like nothing on me.

I do have to get a new saddle though. Lost too much weight. My saddle isn't fitting properly now and is starting to hurt as a result.
 
I think the idea of trying a pair of any given climbers/equip. out if at all possible before buying is a great idea. Our bodies are all different, if you have a lot of gear to buy it will be even less amusing to make a $350-$500 mispurchase.
 
My first gaffs were steel bucks with caddy pads which were fine I thought, then I got a deal on a pair of aluminum geckos which are fantastic, for me it's not just the weight savings it's the stirrup design that make them more comfortable for me. I can't imagin the CF's being that much better than the aluminum.
 
Not that I'm jumping in to try and take this derail further along but(:D), that's exactly what I'm using right now. I have steel Buckinghams with the aluminum caddy pads. I don't really notice the weight, but they do get "a bit" uncomfortable after more than 3 or 4 hours. :( Waaaaay better than the leather L pads they came with though, those things just about destroyed my shins. I've been looking at the Geckos for a long time, they're on my "wish list". I can't justify the cost, "yet"..... ;)
 
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  • #42
Again guys, thanks for all the welcomes! Last night I was looking through my wesspur catalog and reconsidered my harness choice...This is probably going to be the most difficult purchase because I am not going to be able to try on any that I am interested in. But anyways instead of the Tree Austria 3.1 I am now looking into the Buckingham Spartan. Replaceable, adjustable bridge for basically the same price. Also because it is made in the USA I don't pay duty on it.
 
With a saddle, it can be very difficult to know how any particular one will suit unless you get an opportunity to at least hang in it a bit, so if there is a shop that carries them within reasonable distance that's worth doing. If not and you order one shipped in, as is the case for most of us, better to keep it really clean and try a few tests in it before deciding to keep it. It's worth some shipping cost lost to return one and try another rather than spend a pile on a saddle you don't like.
 
Burnham said:
With a saddle, it can be very difficult to know how any particular one will suit unless you get an opportunity to at least hang in it a bit, so if there is a shop that carries them within reasonable distance that's worth doing. If not and you order one shipped in, as is the case for most of us, better to keep it really clean and try a few tests in it before deciding to keep it. It's worth some shipping cost lost to return one and try another rather than spend a pile on a saddle you don't like.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
 
Just to throw in my $.02, I've been super happy with my sequoia. Light-weight, comfortable, lots of storage options, and a pretty good deal. That being said, I started in a fixed-bridge bosun seat which felt like tying my knees together, and come from the rock world where pretty much anything is better than hanging in 1" tubular with some "padding".
 
Hi Elliot
Like others with regards to harness, try before you buy. I ahve 4 different brands and
they all are good in their own way and choose the one most appropriate to climb style-sit/stand/srt/drt/comfy/wide waist/bridge etc.
I was on hand-me-down Kliens with caddy pads on pole gaffs for over ten yrs and
have now gotten very comfortable with my Squirrel max on tree gaffs. I like em plenty.
Cheers
Cheers
 
Hiya, welcome to the hang out spot! I'm Fi...the female 8)

I have Bashlins and CLimb rights, the Bashlins fit well from day one and are STILL comfy, even with T pads. The Climb rights are a great price, I just find them awkward, the shank wobbles up by my knee(a wrap pad might solve that) and the lower straps are not long enought to wrap around the shank to get a good secure fit. if I don't wrap them they come out from under my boot heel...the Bashlins did too but I wrap them and they are fine. straps were plenty long enough.
But CR's are a good price.
Bashlins fit and are comfy from the get go (at least they were for me)

As For a harness...whew, endless choice. I would go for the lightest model you can afford, I'm looking at a Petzl sequoia for my next one, about to retire my 10 yr old Butterfly... Sliding/floating bride is the ONLY way to go.

Wesspur is great for the west coast...I order from them and have NEVER had a problem, prompt pleasant service, good prices...they price match too. Treegear is also excellent, all of the above applies to them too...and they'l send you a free T shirt for writing a review for them!
 
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