A couple quick Spur and Flip-line tips

I would have to wear a Protos and some Cloggers while swearing like sailor... We all know that ain't happening.....
 
Great video @rico , the tip at the end about keeping your legs straight to avoid unnessary wear and tear on your body is a good one. Thanks for teaching me something today.

I asked about this originally because I was surprised to hear anyone recommending 'locking out' anything for longevity. But, @rico's career has gotta carry some weight that locking out is not necessarily a bad thing.

I'd just always heard that locking joints out is a big no-no. In fact, i had about a 6 month bout of intense right arm tendonitis in my mid-20's from one week of practicing handgun firing with a couple thousand reps, trying out a technique that required locking out the right elbow. Muuuuucked me up - couldn't hold a 5lb notebook pc on my right.
 
Stand up right now in a relaxed pose with your legs straight...No muscles firing, no forced backwards hyper extension, and no forward bend in the knees....That is what you are shooting for..

You highlighted probably the critical difference - 'forced backwards hyper extension'. That was more what I was doing with the elbow thing.
 
I sit my butt down through removals. Leg loops on a saddle are there for a reason...long gone are the days of ‘climbing belts’.


I use a steel biner as my termination biner, advancing my rope 5-15’ with/ without the addition of a throw weight.

I can get better work-positioning with an overhead TIP, allowing me to cut/ hinge limbs more accurately, allowing more finesse and “scaring things“ than needing tons of roping down, reducing ground-worker needs, and decreasing strain compared to cut and chuck from lesser positions, resulting in more arm/ body strain.


@rico how much standing in spurs do you do while actively cutting on the way spurring up when you have obstacles to avoid beneath?
 
I sit my butt down through removals. Leg loops on a saddle are there for a reason...long gone are the days of ‘climbing belts’.


I use a steel biner as my termination biner, advancing my rope 5-15’ with/ without the addition of a throw weight.

I can get better work-positioning with an overhead TIP, allowing me to cut/ hinge limbs more accurately, allowing more finesse and “scaring things“ than needing tons of roping down, reducing ground-worker needs, and decreasing strain compared to cut and chuck from lesser positions, resulting in more arm/ body strain.


@rico how much standing in spurs do you do while actively cutting on the way spurring up when you have obstacles to avoid beneath?
Not really sure what your asking here...

My SOP on 99.9999999% of my jobs is to first haul ass to the top of my tree or a nearby tree using either a rope walker set up, spurring up with the assistance of a floating false crotch which allows for a belay system, or when necessary going old school and spurring/rolling a flipline to the top

Once at the top I get a proper TIP, set any needed rigging, bomb down to the first limbs, and start working the tree....Obviously this allows me to sit in my saddle for a super comfy ride, and gives me the ability to get into better positions for cutting, rigging, and working the tree.

Regardless I still get in a relaxed straight legged stance whenever possible when cutting...
 
Last edited:
I was watching a vid of one of the most famous of the Youtube arb stars the other day and his flipline/spur technique was downright pathetic..Just painful to watch..

Finally found this vid of Eric giving a great in-depth instructional on how to properly roll a flip-line...This is how we do it around here, and if you can't you are going nowheres quickly. Every treeman worth his salt really should have this technique in their tool box.

 
Last edited:
That was my intent... Hopefully you picked up something that will make your time in spurs a little easier and a little more productive.
 

New threads New posts

Kask Stihl NORTHEASTERN Arborists Wesspur TreeStuff.com Teufelberger Westminster X-Rigging Teufelberger
Back
Top Bottom