Beginner climbing gear?

Jan_ said:
If you really want to get started on SRT without spending too much money, use a RADS with a GriGri and a hand ascender. It will save you about 200$ and is not a bad system for "slow and low" climbing.
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Since he wants to get in to tree work, I think the hitch hiker is a better option, because it'll take larger ropes and is much easier for doing limbwalks.
 
Learn MRS with a solid modular system. Develop strong foundation and become proficient with basic climbing techniques. Advance techniques and develop as a climber. Adopt SRS and aquire the gear you want based on your climbing style and experience
 
Be best to kinda be under someone's wing,
see what they have etc. as some benchmark starting point.
Have seen some places will allow you to sit in harness(es) in store hanging from rope/toes on floor.
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Diaper seat for beginning tree climbing i think is jest something we tell mountain/rescue folk..
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i saw a magician that looked fast at his craft, but proved to me was just slow motion perfectly seamlessly smooth flow, that only seemed fast in it's clean orchestration that made it efficient. Have found many things just the same as that, since was 10yr. old brought to magic shop by grandfather, to buy off same folks he had bought from in Old Chicago. Made many trips back over years to l-earn this. Go slowly, purposefully, strong to target, and clean up workflow; not race!
 
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moss said:
Ha, let the arguing begin, it's educational for a climber getting back into it ;-)

I once watched a newish rec climber smack himself in the face with a steel carabiner as he pulled his lanyard back off a limb. He never used a steel carabiner for climbing again. I use steel carabiners for rigging, auto-locking aluminum alloy carabiners are mainstream and proven safe for tree climbers.

Mechanicals are cool but very expensive compared to hitch cords. One could take the argument further and say simply climb on a Blake's Hitch until you understand why you would want a hitch cord or mechanical.

The knock-off throwing cubes from Sherrill or Stein are so cheap compared to the most excellent and long-term durable Faltheimer cube. Collapsing laundry containers work, a paper shopping bag works, a light tarp or your shirt on the ground works, choose your poison. If you climb off of lawns you can get away with not using folding cubes if you don't mind sorting your throwline every time you start. If you're in brush or woods etc. you need something to contain or separate your throwline from the twigs, leaves etc. or you risk premature madness.

It is difficult to get into a tree without setting a rope first, throwbag and throwline are essential tree climber tools. You can make a monkey fist with a climbing rope and throw it over a limb, you can bear hug a tree and inch your way up. It's all about individual philosophy about how to learn to climb, once again choose your poison.

Ebay is a catch 22, you have to know tree gear to buy used gear and not waste your money.

Thomas, what do you recommend as a throwline substitute?
-AJ
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I enjoyed reading this Andrew.
 
The 2 things I found I wasted money on when I got started was crappy hitch cord and non-triple-lock carabiners. Go straight to good high temp hitch cord samples, and go straight to triple autolock biners. Every other mistake has found a use somewhere.
 
I totally agree about a second throwline. I started with just one, and got it stuck on one of my first few throws. I spent over an hour trying to toss a rock tied to a kiteboarding kite line into the tree just to retrieve my throwbag and line. I never succeeded. I finally found about a 20 ft. long limb and climbed up a step ladder to nudge the throwbag enough to retrieve it. Funny looking back, but super frustrating at the time.
 
dmonn said:
I totally agree about a second throwline. I started with just one, and got it stuck on one of my first few throws. I spent over an hour trying to toss a rock tied to a kiteboarding kite line into the tree just to retrieve my throwbag and line. I never succeeded. I finally found about a 20 ft. long limb and climbed up a step ladder to nudge the throwbag enough to retrieve it. Funny looking back, but super frustrating at the time.
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I have also suffered this fate...However, don't forget that in many cases you will have 150+ feet of throwline. As long as you have 2 throw bags you can always throw the other wnd of the line, access the tree and remove your stuck first attempt. You F that one up and well...thats a shitty day
 
B_Strange said:
I am a beginning climber as well and agree with all the comments on buying quality gear first. You won’t regret it. I am climbing on a TM. Super Light and love it. I would LOVE an Evo for the extra back pad and buckles.
@Crimsonking has a good suggestion on an extra throwline kit. Throwline loves to get stuck and when you only have one count on it getting stuck.
If you are going to be using a saw get a pair of saw pants. I use Clogger Zeros year round in SW Virginia and like ‘em. A friend wears Arbortec’s and really likes them. The Notch pants are super scratchy on the inside but my mom wears them and likes them.
READ READ READ! And ask questions here. No BS and good advice. I am learning a lot. Practice low and slow and leave your ego at home.
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The upgraded back pad is worth buying. The buckles on the old TM are not an upgrade from the slide buckles on the S.Light, they only keep you from having to step into the thing. I do not know that they changed them for the evo.
There are conversations about the buckles.
 
Th
SomethingWitty said:
The upgraded back pad is worth buying. The buckles on the old TM are not an upgrade from the slide buckles on the S.Light, they only keep you from having to step into the thing. I do not know that they changed them for the evo.
There are conversations about the buckles.
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The slide buckles are pretty much my only complaint. I tried an Evo on at last year’s Expo and liked how easy it was to unbuckle and get in and out of. Idk if it is 589.00 easy though. For a beginner the S.Light is perfect I think. No bells and whistles you don’t need and comfortable.
 
B_Strange said:
Th

The slide buckles are pretty much my only complaint. I tried an Evo on at last year’s Expo and liked how easy it was to unbuckle and get in and out of. Idk if it is 589.00 easy though. For a beginner the S.Light is perfect I think. No bells and whistles you don’t need and comfortable.
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The buckles slide when used, and are just about impossible to retension in use.
 
RyTheTreeGuy said:
I have also suffered this fate...However, don't forget that in many cases you will have 150+ feet of throwline. As long as you have 2 throw bags you can always throw the other wnd of the line, access the tree and remove your stuck first attempt. You F that one up and well...thats a shitty day
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I had only one throwbag at the time. I now have 4. Live and learn.
 
dmonn said:
I had only one throwbag at the time. I now have 4. Live and learn.
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I have 3 bags with each having 3 weights. Thought 2 bags w/ 2 weights each was enough at one time until I hung both lines and all 4 weights in a stressed elm that had growth everywhere. As much as I wanted the customer to understand how bad this tree was, I don't think he did. Never again.
 
Birdyman88 said:
I have 3 bags with each having 3 weights. Thought 2 bags w/ 2 weights each was enough at one time until I hung both lines and all 4 weights in a stressed elm that had growth everywhere. As much as I wanted the customer to understand how bad this tree was, I don't think he did. Never again.
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One time I had 5 balls stuck in one sawtooth oak. I ended up ALTing my way through the 70 feet or so to the top.
 
As a recent beginner climber, two years ago, I would add my tuppence that it is time well spent to listen to these pros on here! These is never a good reason to re-invent the wheel, if someone else has already travelled the road you are starting out on. In just about any industry, where tools are in regular use, you want the very best available. Buy a cheap tool starting out and you are stuck with it and will curse it from then on. But the best equipment will be a joy to use and make learning a pleasure. Now, specifically, from my own experience, one of the best things you can do as a beginner is to attend the nearest climbing comp. Watching these guys (and gals), and talking gear and technique with them, you will learn more in a day than you could in weeks or months of painful trial and error. Even if you have to drive quite a ways, get a motel room a few nights, whatever, it is SO worth it. Along with that, there are numerous excellent online resources which explore almost every aspect of climbing and gear use. Lots of youTubes by Richard Mumford, the huge website at climbingarborist.com, to name two. And of course, the posts and archives on these forums. An incredible wealth of experience and info here. Low and Slow starting out to build confidence, overcome any fear of height, and get used to the gear.
 
Burrapeg said:
As a recent beginner climber, two years ago, I would add my tuppence that it is time well spent to listen to these pros on here! These is never a good reason to re-invent the wheel, if someone else has already travelled the road you are starting out on. In just about any industry, where tools are in regular use, you want the very best available. Buy a cheap tool starting out and you are stuck with it and will curse it from then on. But the best equipment will be a joy to use and make learning a pleasure. Now, specifically, from my own experience, one of the best things you can do as a beginner is to attend the nearest climbing comp. Watching these guys (and gals), and talking gear and technique with them, you will learn more in a day than you could in weeks or months of painful trial and error. Even if you have to drive quite a ways, get a motel room a few nights, whatever, it is SO worth it. Along with that, there are numerous excellent online resources which explore almost every aspect of climbing and gear use. Lots of youTubes by Richard Mumford, the huge website at climbingarborist.com, to name two. And of course, the posts and archives on these forums. An incredible wealth of experience and info here. Low and Slow starting out to build confidence, overcome any fear of height, and get used to the gear.
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Speaking of comps, is there anyone on here that will be attending the Ontario Tree Climbing Championships? Saturday, September 21st in Butlington. If so, let me know and we can put faces to forum names. Cheers
 
Burrapeg said:
As a recent beginner climber, two years ago, I would add my tuppence that it is time well spent to listen to these pros on here! These is never a good reason to re-invent the wheel, if someone else has already travelled the road you are starting out on. In just about any industry, where tools are in regular use, you want the very best available. Buy a cheap tool starting out and you are stuck with it and will curse it from then on. But the best equipment will be a joy to use and make learning a pleasure. Now, specifically, from my own experience, one of the best things you can do as a beginner is to attend the nearest climbing comp. Watching these guys (and gals), and talking gear and technique with them, you will learn more in a day than you could in weeks or months of painful trial and error. Even if you have to drive quite a ways, get a motel room a few nights, whatever, it is SO worth it. Along with that, there are numerous excellent online resources which explore almost every aspect of climbing and gear use. Lots of youTubes by Richard Mumford, the huge website at climbingarborist.com, to name two. And of course, the posts and archives on these forums. An incredible wealth of experience and info here. Low and Slow starting out to build confidence, overcome any fear of height, and get used to the gear.
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It’s been said, “I’d rather be a rich duplicator than a broke inventor”.
 
Get 2 cubes and 2 lines with 6 weights......2 10ozs... 2 12ozs.... 2 24ozs..... Buy falteimer cubes only. You will still own them 15 years from now. Buy a Treemotion light all from Wesspur. Get 200' of Calamine from Sherrill. Buy a hitchclimber and 6 CT ovals from treestuff….. get a pinto pulley. Buy A CTquick step foot ascender and a SAKA mini from wesspur. Buy a Kask helmet. Get a lanyard made from Wesspur 10' long with sewn eyes and a edelrid aliuminium rope snap on one end. Use Yale R.I.N.G for the lanyard. Buy four prussic cords 3 28" 9.3 epicord with sewn eyes then a 20" handspliced HRC for lanyard. All these from wesspur. Get a ropewrench with an @HEIGHT shorty double leg tether ( special order item ) from wesspur. This will be the best investment ever. And your will save yourself a lot of headache. Put it on your credit card and pay a bit every month til it is gone. Thank me later. PM me with your questions on hitch setup of adjusting harness for sweet spot and adjusting your SAKA mini. I will help. DO NOT BUT CHEAP CLIMBING GEAR..... oh yeah get a Fimbl Saver 1.25 Length... those might be 1.5 length......
 
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