Climbing prongs

Nish

Nish

Branched out member
Location
North Carolina
I recently lodged a throwball in a pine. Instead of trying to set another line, I reached for my flipline and gingerly walked up the tree on spikes, trying my best not to sink the gaffs in deep. I did a fair job. The deepest punctures didn't seem to penetrate the trees's sturdy bark plates. I only slipped once, with one foot, when I was choked in with my climb line. When branches appeared, I tossed my climb line over and advanced ddrt.

All this made me wonder if there were some slight alternative/modification to the standard gaffs. I imagine a "gaff" with two prongs splaying out, instead of one, increasing stability and traction at a lower penetration depth. I'd carry it around as a second pair of climbers for special situations. Thoughts?
 
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There are, in fact there are some really weird versions out there that look like loops. However bottom line to me would be to just cut it or set another line. Both are better options than spiking a tree that is not coming down.
 
Cool idea, Imagine a small slightly curved plate covered with downward facing mini-spikes attached to your gaff frame. Kind of like a giant velcro pad. The spikes would only be a few millimeters long, enough for a friction grip but not enough to penetrate the outer bark layer into the live cambium.
-AJ
 
With that thought in mind Moss I wonder how felt bottoms would work. I know my fly fishing boots grip pretty well on the stream rocks. Might just have to give that a test. Safety line from above of course, just incase.
 
I'm liking this idea. A pair of wesco jobmasters coated with small, hook-like claws (like the dewclaws on a german shepherd) made of titanium. The elusive 'magic boots' are at hand!
 
Ninja Tree/Wall/Ice Climbing Foot Spikes
these are probably still too aggressive but along the lines of inquiry.
I am thinking like a geckos foot pads
moss said:
Kind of like a giant velcro pad.
Click to expand...
the material strength would be the issue but caulking boots have a similar concept so the materials are on hand.

I carry four throw line kits and a harness carry small kit made from a rock climbing chalk pouch.
have you ever tried the bag retrieval utilising another throw line ?
 
I have given some thought to finding and training a crow to take my throw line up the tree. use a laser pointer to tell the bird where you want it and reward it with a treat. What do you think? Too grand?
 
Squirrels, man, squirrels. The stuff they can do is amazing! Climb anything, limb walk all day long, hop from tree to tree... the list is endless.
Now, knot tying might be difficult with those itty bitty feet.
 
Jeff said:
Squirrels, man, squirrels. The stuff they can do is amazing! Climb anything, limb walk all day long, hop from tree to tree... the list is endless.
Now, knot tying might be difficult with those itty bitty feet.
Click to expand...


Racoons man... those little bastard will break into the bed of my truck if I leave a bag of garbage in it overnight. Atleast they haven't clawed through the tunneu cover yet...
 
A skyhook would be my preferred method here, and if we could pair it with a set of hover-boots it would greatly increase efficiencies.......
 
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