DMM Harness

ATH said:
So if you were just doing pruning, it sounds like you'd prefer the DMM (or Tree Motion) over Monkey Beaver (2.0?). I think that's how I read what both of you are saying, right?

It's about new harness time for me. Been in TM probably too many years, but it is still in good shape... Almost no removals. Cannot tell you the last time I've put on spikes.

Been thinking MB 2.0. Maybe Tree Austria Pro. Or maybe back to TM or one of the offshoots like the DMM (which brought me to this treead - but I'm not sure I really see the advantage of adjustable bridge)...or maybe the Husqvarna flavored TM?
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I do not prefer the TM. Just never got the rite fit and then the buckle issue was a biggie for me. I just like something more sturdy and rigid. Not that its better and I understand for moving around the canopy its probably not. I just prefer that feel. I'd be willing to try the Kinsi for a good stretch and see how I felt about it. I'm not so stuck in my ways I can't change but I havent found a compelling reason to do so.
 
ATH said:
but I'm not sure I really see the advantage of adjustable bridge)
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I've posted this a few times. For me, because of injuries, I like putting my gaffs on first. It's a bit hard for me to reach one of my feet. I lengthen my bridge all the way out. Grab it along with the suspenders, then drop the bridge over my front while shouldering the suspenders. Keeps me from stepping through a normal bridge with gaffs on. Putting the saddle on first makes it even a bit harder to reach that foot. I've been dressing up with gaffs on first since the days of lower Ds.

Added benefit, for removals, is the ability to shorten the bridge in close for spar work. Another is, when lengthened, is getting under your hitch while pulling the tail of your line while climbing up with MRS system.
 
ATH said:
So if you were just doing pruning, it sounds like you'd prefer the DMM (or Tree Motion) over Monkey Beaver (2.0?). I think that's how I read what both of you are saying, right?

It's about new harness time for me. Been in TM probably too many years, but it is still in good shape... Almost no removals. Cannot tell you the last time I've put on spikes.

Been thinking MB 2.0. Maybe Tree Austria Pro. Or maybe back to TM or one of the offshoots like the DMM (which brought me to this treead - but I'm not sure I really see the advantage of adjustable bridge)...or maybe the Husqvarna flavored TM?
Click to expand...

My opinion likely represents a minority in the marketplace, but I find the MB 2 to be too much saddle. Love the TA Pro. Webbing lower Ds are the best once you get used to them. They’re never flat against your body when climbing at odd angles.

My biggest complaint against the TA Pro is putting new hardware on the bridge. No different from other openable rings, just a bigger pain than knots on Ds.

For the weight and price, it’s tough to beat the TA Pro. Quite customizable.

That said, I’m eyeing the kinisi for my next. I miss the blank canvas for customization, and the new back pad shape is intriguing. Also, I see a few advantages in the adjustable bridge- self haul backs when climbing mrs, keeping the system in reach on steep angled limb walks, and keeping the system tighter on spars.
 
Well, the spine doc was quite concerned that I get numbness in my legs and was eager for me to try a different harness. HowNot2 is doing a 25% off DMM and said they could get me a Kinisi with the discount. They have gone out of their way a few times now to order me gear that they don't stock, and for reasons I forget, they didn't have to charge sales tax, so I am getting it landed for $637.47
I am not on any friend list or anything, so if that sounds like the deal you were waiting for, shoot them an email this week.
 
If it is back support you are after you really owe it too yourself to try a MB 2.0. I am a long time user and fan of the TreeMo but for me it does not offer the same level of customizable back support that the MB 2.0 does. August has been suffering through a back injury for the last couple years and I believe he had a modified back specific version of the 2.0 made for himself? Try giving the shop a call and you might be able to talk to August directly? Buy local. Buy USA.

You can lead em to water, but...
 
I thought about the MB for sure. From any other shop that normally stocks arb harnesses, I am sure that returning the DMM one would be no problem, but given the nature of this transaction, I doubt that a return will be possible. I would have liked to have been able to try both, but I am 100% sure that I would love them both, and without several days to fly both and really get a feel for them, I would just be choosing based on what I have heard here. I got to try my buddy's TM and even without adjusting it for my frame- narrower than his- it was still soooo much more comfy than my Sequoia, so I am confident that I will like the Kinisi. I will be getting a MB in the next year, as I expect work to keep flowing better and better. I have been lining up loads of work for myself, but I need to finish building my house first.
 
Matias said:
I thought about the MB for sure. From any other shop that normally stocks arb harnesses, I am sure that returning the DMM one would be no problem, but given the nature of this transaction, I doubt that a return will be possible. I would have liked to have been able to try both, but I am 100% sure that I would love them both, and without several days to fly both and really get a feel for them, I would just be choosing based on what I have heard here. I got to try my buddy's TM and even without adjusting it for my frame- narrower than his- it was still soooo much more comfy than my Sequoia, so I am confident that I will like the Kinisi. I will be getting a MB in the next year, as I expect work to keep flowing better and better. I have been lining up loads of work for myself, but I need to finish building my house first.
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Sequoia is to me an older gen harness design now - the leg loops seemed thinner/ smaller/ flimsier than MB or Kinisi and the buckle failure/ recall issue, well shoulda never been in a harness (life support). My new rule now is any life support buckle with plastic makes it a no go in this day and age. Somebody is just trying to save some coin. One thing with Kinisi though - there are a myriad of diggery doos you can attach to the harness but the DMM (or other) shiny things add up in $$ real quick like. If you can get these on sale too at the same time as the harness it might really help. Either MB or Kinisi - enjoy the ride. For me, both were no more pinching, sore legs or back and have been a great change. To be fair also, there are other european harnesses that are pretty nice too, just not Scarezyl.
 
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rico said:
Here you go. Might be just what the doctor ordered?

Highback Beltpad | Monkey Beaver

monkeybeaver.com monkeybeaver.com
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Yea, I will have to have one asap. I ultimately wanna setup a MB for removals, and fly the dmm for pruning. I hope to be transitioning from mostly removal work to mostly preservation this year, so I opted to start with the dmm, but I will have a 2.0 in hot pink soon enough.
 
Matias said:
Yea, I will have to have one asap. I ultimately wanna setup a MB for removals, and fly the dmm for pruning. I hope to be transitioning from mostly removal work to mostly preservation this year, so I opted to start with the dmm, but I will have a 2.0 in hot pink soon enough.
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Why the MB for removals and DMM for pruning?

@rico if you were just pruning, never removals or on spikes would you still be in MB over TreeMotion or DMM's?
 
ATH said:
Why the MB for removals and DMM for pruning?

@rico if you were just pruning, never removals or on spikes would you still be in MB over TreeMotion or DMM's?
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It may be irrelevant, but I see August and his fanboys mostly doing removals, and I would like to have the two harnesses set up a little differently from eachother. All the big gear storage biners are cumbersome to swap around, and I mostly just want the mega vault for the big rigging slings on the removal harness. Little things like that. Spread the wear around.
 
ATH said:
Why the MB for removals and DMM for pruning?...
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Yes, why indeed. Though not the DMM Kinisi, most climbers would consider the S.light an excellent free moving pruning harness and it is. It is what I replaced with the Monkey Beaver new 1.0. Honestly, the MB does not encumber my movements on a trees outer tips for pruning in any way. Love the newly designed shoulder harness.
 
To be clear, I don't worry that the MB will be awkward in any way, but rather, I see it as optimized for how I would like to setup my removal harness, while the kinisi has features I see being useful for optimizing a pruning setup. If I could have one set up for each type of work, I would love that. And if after wearing them both for years, I really develop enough of a strong preference of my own to just replace one with the other, and have two setups on the same platform, then I will cross that bridge.

It was not a decision I made in haste, and it pains me to not be able to rock both for a while before buying something that I didn't want to be buying for another 6-12 months, but my back was really starting to give me loud signals that the upgrade was due.

It was partly also the fact that I got the advice from the doc last week, and this week they had a massive sale on one and not the other. If Stihl was doing a sale that would have me saving over $300 by buying a 201t when I would like to get a t540mk3, I would probably buy the Stihl. Both great saws; neither of them is a Ryobi, and if that's the class you are uprgrading from for your first purchase in the category over $500 MSRP, then like levi said, anything will feel way better. I even considered a TA 3.2, and wondered how the $899 Buck Agility has so many 5 star reviews, but nobody here has ever mentioned it. It doesn't look extra special...
 
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ATH said:
Why the MB for removals and DMM for pruning?

@rico if you were just pruning, never removals or on spikes would you still be in MB over TreeMotion or DMM's?
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As I said, the MB 2.0 offers another level of back that my old body needs it whether I am in the standing in the hooks all day or pruning a big oak. It all fucking hurts.

I should also mention the MB and the TM/DMM are all about the same weight and essentially offer the same adjustments for fine tuning your ride.. The one big difference for me is the back adjustment on the 2.0, and I am not sure I want to live without it at this point in my life. Hope this answers your question.

My current saddle ranking are #1-MB 2.0 #2-MCRS #3-TM s.Light

That said I would be quite content to ride out days in any one of these amazing saddles. YMMV of coarse.
 
rico said:
As I said, the MB 2.0 offers another level of back that my old body needs it whether I am in the standing in the hooks all day or pruning a big oak. It all fucking hurts.

I should also mention the MB and the TM/DMM are all about the same weight and essentially offer the same adjustments for fine tuning your ride.. The one big difference for me is the back adjustment on the 2.0, and I am not sure I want to live without it at this point in my life. Hope this answers your question.

My current saddle ranking are #1-MB 2.0 #2-MCRS #3-TM s.Light

That said I would be quite content to ride out days in any one of these amazing saddles. YMMV of coarse.
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I am a big fan of nice leatherwork and would love to get my hands on a MCRS. I am just getting started in all this, and will get to know how much I agree or disagree soon enough.

I was mostly just posting to let everyone know that if they were specifically looking for a big sale before pulling the trigger, that 25% off DMM is a thing right now.
 
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