Cllimbing spurs, which are the best for the money?

It's so strange iff you look at the prices here in europe and in the USA. My alu Gecko's where really sheap compared to the steel buckinghams. They where actually about 30 euro's less ;-)

When we want to get stuff from out the states it will cost heaps and heaps more, and vice versa.

But they will still be worth every penny alltough they are expesive over there.

Climb safe
wouter
 
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Working up a little 12" tree with long gaffs sounds teetery to me and difficult to position when chunking down a skinny leaning spar.

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12" is quite comfortable, its those pesky 60' tall 6" bush grown trees that suck.
 
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12" is quite comfortable, its those pesky 60' tall 6" bush grown trees that suck.

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The only time I've been genuinely gripped with fear in a tree and had to force myself to finish was going up one of those. I got used to'em on that job after topping about a dozen.
 
Yes! At first, the big, tall trees gave me pause. Then I learned that I HATE the little skinny ones.

I am just finishing a job with 30 Alders, mostly dead tops and on a hill next to a condo. Wetland to boot.
I climb up these skinny b*astards to where it is dead, then set a pulley and lower down the top. One shattered & broke a window. Anyway, good money and I went out and bought myself a new 120 ft. Tachyon rope! Bonus

So - My spurs damn near go through these little trees! Buckingham Titanium permanent (tree) gaffs with extra thick L pads. Hate velcro...
 
I think with spikes you got to realise that they are not comfortable to wear/use,at all!
They are a neccessary evil required for safety/efficient tree climbing removal.
Its not so much about the price of the spikes to deal with but moreso putting up with the discomfort of the spikes.
After a while(not talking about hours-more like years and with a good pair of shoes!)you'll get used to them and put up with the discomfort.
 
I wonder about that Chopper, my spikes are comfortable, the only time they hurt is after being on them all day, every day for 4 or 5 days (which isn't normal for me). The way one's leg is structured must have something to do with it. I know a lot pf climbers who feel the same way about spikes as you.
I wear an old set of Bucks, don't know the model or type but when I put the Super L pads on several years ago they didn't fit right so I reversed them, left iron on right foot, right on left... They felt a lot better, been wearing them like that ever since.
I'm kind of afraid to buy new spikes because they might end up being an expensive, painful investment.
 
I originally bought Buckingham spurs with the soft wrap T pads. The pain of the shank rubbing my leg raw kept my mind off the heights.
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Since then I switched the soft wrap pads for aluminum stiff wraps and now my legs are fine.The only thing that bothers me now is the arches in my feet but only after large dismantles.

I have tried the Gecko spikes and they are very comfortable. The only issue I have seen is the Velcro strap coming apart.
 
I've got a pair of the klein aluminum with super wrap steel inserts, really comfortable. I've used the gecko's too, and for the price difference I would still go with the Gecko's fwiw.

jp
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I climb on a pair of MSA Brooks i bought for $50 off ebay with vintage L pads on pole spikes best gaffs i have ever worn i've tried kleins buckinghams with the super wrap pads and velcro but nothing compares to the ol' brooks :D
 
After many years of climbing on Buckingham steel pole gaffs with the aluminum pads that Wesspur sells I finally replaced my spurs with Geckos. The first few weeks I had the tree spikes on them which was a bit of an adjustment for me, they felt like high heels for sure! Now I'm using them with pole spikes and I am loving them. I think these spurs are worth every penny.

Only on a few trees a year do I wish that I had tree gaffs instead of pole. I just like how close my feet are to the tree and how they feel easier on the knees.
 
ive been climbing on a pair of old steel twisted shank Bashlin's. They get the job done but its about time for a new pair. You guys have me thinking now (yesterday i would have gone with tree gaffs without a second thought) I'm probably going to get the aluminum Geckos and want to get some thought on the Euro gaffs. They are a bit longer than the pole gaffs but shorter than the tree gaffs. Are there any other differences that i dont know about?
 
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Check these out. I tried them on. Look nice dont have any working experience on them yet.

Privately manufactured by Buckingham so they are quality.

http://www.arborist.com/product.jhtm?id=1593&cid=10009

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I also gave these a try on in Baltimore at TCIA Expo. I met the inventor, hard working man and designed these specifically to alleviate the discomfort. These are right on the mark for allowing the movement necessary from the foot step bar right up to the Knee.
How I relieve alot of the pressure in the arch is I wear Viberg Riggers and they have alot of thick leather wear it counts.http://www.workboot.com/boot_anatomy
Squirrels make alot of sense to be able to pivot at that point.
Pole gaffs rule 90% of the time. the other 10% is for loose bark and cracks and fissures. High heeels is a good analogy.
 
I got the kleins with velcro pads without the steel in them on pole spikes and they work great. Nice and light plus I don't feel like I'm on high heels when I get up on the skinny stuff. Joshuastrees is right though those thicker barked trees can be a pain some times with kickout...still though when you get to the top of some of those monsters I'm still glad to have the shorter spikes.
 
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Pole gaffs rule 90% of the time. the other 10% is for loose bark and cracks and fissures. High heeels is a good analogy.

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I have always preferred short /pole gaffs too, 90/10%.

But never have i heard such a good analogy! Thanks for that one!
 
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I climb on a pair of MSA Brooks i bought for $50 off ebay with vintage L pads on pole spikes best gaffs i have ever worn i've tried kleins buckinghams with the super wrap pads and velcro but nothing compares to the ol' brooks :D

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Mine are eBay $25 steel pole spikes with the 'vintage' L pads. Wear them for thick and thin bark alike. I've hated wearing anything else. I think for super thick bark bases like old doug-fir, I'll SRT part way, then pole spike it.

I'm over 200# geared up.

I have tree spikes that I last wore a year ago for a big redwood, and have some Klein's with Caddie Pads at my Parks job. Painful.
 
I have cf geckos. And when they wear out I will casually buy them again. I have tried bashlin alums Buckingham titanium and alums and both sets of geckos. It is all personal preference but my vote is either geckos. Its just nice to try them out before you purchase.
 
i use kleins with stiff wrap pads. they are pretty comfy. the thing about kleins is you have to stand in them a bit different then the straight gaff designs. at first it feels like the gaffs will kick out when you stand straight to the stem to push a piece over. it takes a bit of getting used to. if you orientate your stance so the sides of your boots make contact with the stem it helps counter the feeling being in high heels.
 
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