Climbing Ergonomics

[Mark Chisholm]

Columns and layers

A friend of mine has done research to find how much grip strength is needed for half inch and larger as well as smaller ropes. Bare handed or grippy gloves.

Turns out above with no glove is about equal to below with gloves.

So grippy gloves don't matter?

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Bare handed on small ropes takes more gripping power, that makes sense. Add grippy gloves to small rope usage and it equals the gripping power neede on large ropes. Add grippy gloves to large ropes and it goes down even more.

 

[Bart_]

I just noticed the other day using a fresh set of grippy gloves and then accidentally grabbing a set of pine sap encrusted/dried rubber half gone gloves and was astounded how bad they were. Fresh gloves, even the first several hours of use are markedly grippier. That's the latex smurf gloves, Atlas. You can tune to your requirements, using bit older gloves to avoid the velcro grip syndrome were you can hardly slide a rope through your hand.

The SRT secret is transferring load from your arms to your legs as much as possible. Don't feel ashamed to Pantin a small DRT jaunt that you know you could muscle with moderate effort. Every rep into your arm/elbow/shoulder takes its toll. Spoken as an older climber (grey hair) doh. sucks to be old

 

[Reach]

I have also found, at least for my personal wrists, that a hand ascender helps a lot on long climbs, or even for pulling a rope out of a tree if it’s not cooperative. The angle of the handle is easier on my wrist, and easier to hold on to.

 

[Brando CalPankian]

Most people haven't learned to transfer their work out of their joints and properly into their muscles effectively. After my 2nd major shoulder injury that resulted in surgery, I took physical therapy seriously and learned SO much. Aside from all of the gadgets, a lot can be said about learning how your body operated as a unit. Much like tree health, what you do to your arm doesn't just affect that arm. All of the muscles and joints and nerves are connected and work as a team to accomplish work. As I began to take that concept more seriously, it changed how I moved in amd out of the tree. I crafted workout regiments that were less about brute strength and more about health, which had the byproduct of making me stronger AND more efficient. It also taught me to slow down and work on being more efficient instead of trying to be fast, which paid out dividends. As a roundabout way of addressing your concerns, I think it is less about the climbing hitch or device or whatever, and more about your own physicality and willingness to learn, adapt, and grow. As others have mentioned, there are a myriad of things in this line of work that beat you up. Climbing doesn't hurt me, humping brush does. All of my injuries have been a result of being branch manager for a day.

Climb high, brother!

 

[evo]

I have also found, at least for my personal wrists, that a hand ascender helps a lot on long climbs, or even for pulling a rope out of a tree if it’s not cooperative. The angle of the handle is easier on my wrist, and easier to hold on to.

the dust has been blown off... I keep a petzl basic on my saddle all the time and use it primarily as a rope handle for ascents, not unlike a 'old school' (HA!) rope walker system without the foot loop or any attachment what so ever. Smaller than a handle ascender but equally "grip" or "grab-able". Takes no space on the harness and super easy to use for other tricks like a quick 3:1/rads haulback, hoisting a big saw by pulling down vs lifting up, somewhat sketchy single attachment point for redirecting or un-redirecting natural crotches. Basically a swiss army knife that is super compact.

 

[Brando CalPankian]

the dust has been blown off... I keep a petzl basic on my saddle all the time and use it primarily as a rope handle for ascents, not unlike a 'old school' (HA!) rope walker system without the foot loop or any attachment what so ever. Smaller than a handle ascender but equally "grip" or "grab-able". Takes no space on the harness and super easy to use for other tricks like a quick 3:1/rads haulback, hoisting a big saw by pulling down vs lifting up, somewhat sketchy single attachment point for redirecting or un-redirecting natural crotches. Basically a swiss army knife that is super compact.

I never gave in and got a hand ascender. Might look into it. I like multipurpose items

 

[telecasterfool]

I never gave in and got a hand ascender. Might look into it. I like multipurpose items

I don't come from a tree climbing background, I come from a construction background. This is not a criticism, but the attitude that using a hand ascender is giving in is, in my opinion, an industry fault. I have the CT quickroll with a footstrap attached. I use it throughout the climb. I ascend with it RADS if it's a short tree, rope walker with it if its tall, 3:1 with it, haul tools up with it - that's multipurpose. If I have a choice between pulling the rope with or without I choose with. I can pull 10 times harder if necessary.
I asked a guy with an ascender on his belt why he didn't use it to traverse. He said his hands were conditioned to do it. He was implying we was tough enough. I thought he was being a little silly.

Just my opinion, I climb very differently than most, and think speed climbing competitions don't help the industry. Have a great day all!