footlocking

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Those Asolos are great boots, don't you think Moss?

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I like them, two years old and the soles are just about worn down. Then again I hike in them besides climb in them. I'm a rec climber so figure they'll be more like a year for a work climber depending on how they're used.
-moss
 
Two thoughts on the following. For you guys that wear Asolo hiking boots,do you bring other boots along with you when you need to do a take down? Also I learned to Footlock last year (thanks to the Gear guy and House) but haven't really been able to use it much. My question is in a percentage how often do you footlock and when are you most likely to do so. Jsin
 
I footlock 80-90% of the days I work. Big trees or small trees. Thick barked trees I'll body thrust if I can toss my climbing line through a crotch and I only have a small distance to ascend (10 feet or so). Thin barked trees I will footlock even short distances to avoid cambium damage.
 
This is what I use. A little expensive but by far the most comfortable boot I have ever worn. Great for footlocking and hookless work and also they work great with hooks!!!


aso_om20_med.jpg
 
I'd be about the same as TLHamel 90/95% of the trees I work on footlock up DRT with a cambium saver, also body thrust on short vert poles where the rope position is so close to the stem as to make footlocking impractical.
 
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I'd be about the same as TLHamel 90/95% of the trees I work on footlock up DRT with a cambium saver, also body thrust on short vert poles where the rope position is so close to the stem as to make footlocking impractical.

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Sean, I think that I just haven't had the right conditions for footlocking.Like you said vert poles just to close to stem. Also good to know about the Asolos and spurs,just if they came in steel toe. Anyone know? Jsin
 
Oops! My comments on the asolos weren't related to work climbing. I know Moss is a rec climber. I use mine for back packing and they are the most supportive and durable lightweight boot I've used to carry up to 18kg over long rough and undulating terrain.

I have climbed in them, but try not to, as tree work can make a mess of lace hooks and fabric boots. Also, my pantin ankle strap slips above the reclining ankle collar, so rests uncomfortably round my sock.

For work, I wear relatively light weight steel toe capped and chainsaw protected leather boots, with a collar high enough to take the ankle strap of the Pantin. They have a small but distinct heel, which allows spurs, footloop and pantin strap to sit without shifting. To me, this is one of the great things about SRT and the pantin; I don't have to frig around with different boots - I can wear a good, protective boot for all climbing and ground duties, along with a good quality, lightweight and stretch chainsaw protective trouser - this gives the freedom to easily swap and change duties on the hoof whilst being protected and efficient.

TLHamel mentioned a good point about access - cambium damage. I access via SRT nearly always, unless there are many small trees with close branches and easy ladder access. This means I don't damage trees from running ropes with body weight any distance, and I am always climbing with ergonomic efficiency (it might not be 'cool', but walking up a well set and manned ladder, and then climbing brnaches like a ladder, is as bio-mechnanically efficient as it gets and very quick).

With SRT, you don't have to mess around too much with the throwline trying to isolate a branch like for footlocking. If its a short ascent, I don't Frog it, I'll quickly dead end the line at the base of the tree and access by the RAD technique (instant descent possible through the grigri, and assistance from the ground).

On smaller, easily accessed trees, where a second rope might get in the way and rescue ascent would be straight forward, I'll ascend on the RAD with my VT hitch taking a free ride above the ascender. At the top, I lanyard in, have the groundie unclip the end at the base and take off the grigri (clip it on the rope). The groundie pulls down the grigri whilst the end of rope rises (possibly with chainsaw) up through the pulley on the VT attached to me. Then I'm ready to proceed conventional DdRT.

Other than that, I'll Frog on the ascent line, and carry the pre-set DdRT work line, ready to go. The great thing about the Frog is it works smoothly whether up against a trunk,free hanging or moving through the branches, taking aid from them where necessary.

OK - I'll stop and get some work done now!
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Oops! My comments on the asolos weren't related to work climbing. I know Moss is a rec climber. I use mine for back packing and they are the most supportive and durable lightweight boot I've used to carry up to 18kg over long rough and undulating terrain.

I have climbed in them, but try not to, as tree work can make a mess of lace hooks and fabric boots. Also, my pantin ankle strap slips above the reclining ankle collar, so rests uncomfortably round my sock.

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The lace hooks are low profile enough that I've had zero problem with them interacting with rope. Would be nice to have leather panels on the side though for better wear protection from the rope. The fabric edges have become frazzled from rope wear, every once in awhile I put a match to the edge of the worn fabric seams to prevent unraveling, works well.

Which brings up another subject. When is an enterprising and semi-famous pro climber going to talk to a shoe manufacturer to design a tree climbing shoe line? Skateboarder pros do it, every other pro athletic discipline that wears shoes does it. So why not the ultimate tree climbing shoe designs made for pro arborists, pro competitive climbers and not so pro rec climbers? Tree climbers are athletes (like ya'll need convincing) I'm not famous enough to do it myself :-)
-moss
 
Isolating limbs is a big downside of footlocking.

Thanks to traumatic knee injury which I credit to footlocking combined with an insatiable basketball addiction, I have been climbing for the past two weeks almost exclusively with a modified anchorbridge- like the system that rich H has been so kindly sharing. Meaning DRT on a BIG ole pulley with the fricition hitch about three feet up the rope for those who have not seen it work. Anyway, the system has grown on me and seems to be one of those things that I am amazed I ever climbed without knowing that trick.

Footlocking is as easy as climbing a ladder if your got it down right. But its kind of like climbing a ladder with your feet all twisted in a really deformed position. Climb up and down a bunch of ladders like that all day and then go play some basketball and ouch!

I miss footlocking, Its been over a month now , I have not attempted a lock except on dDRT. hopefully I will be able to do it for fun again someday soon.
 
one of the things that i like most about footlocking (other than energy efficiency) is that it doesnt take a lot of gear that cost money and ends up tangled up in the back of the toolbox. also it comes in handy on "high friction" barked trees (hackberry,wild cherry,locust,etc.) when you dont feel like installing a friction saver from the ground. it also makes me feel mentally at ease knowing that i am not doing as much damage to the cambium as it would with no friction saver and body thrusting. also if you place your line in a tight crotch its not a big deal because you dont have to worry about FRICTION-one of the greatest factors in tree work!
 
Thanks Moss for these pictures.

I did another rec climb today and wanted to try footlocking. I was able to get in the tree quicker then with a foot loop. (still no mechanicals here) At first I did not have the position down but after a few opps that is not right it worked for me. I just wish i had seen your pictures before i tried it. my only other exposures to the technique was at a competion (i watched) and while hanging from a very short rope with only a roof above my head.

i like my hikers, Merrils with a bubble soles as the grip quite well, i was going to get a pair of below the ankle but will stick with these until i am more comfortable. I ofter step high on the arch. need a lot of practice.

Thanks for sharing

jz

footlocking to new heights.
 
You're welcome. You probably know this but I wanted to mention that the method shown in the photos is for footlocking a single rope with one foot. Competition and work climbers footlock a doubled rope with both feet. You can also use both feet to footlock a single rope (the down rope) for DdRT climbing. It's my favorite way to ascend DdRT when I'm away from the trunk. I switch to the single foot technique when I'm near the trunk and want to put one foot on it for balance or to hold myself off the trunk.
-moss


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Thanks Moss for these pictures.

I did another rec climb today and wanted to try footlocking. I was able to get in the tree quicker then with a foot loop. (still no mechanicals here) At first I did not have the position down but after a few opps that is not right it worked for me. I just wish i had seen your pictures before i tried it. my only other exposures to the technique was at a competion (i watched) and while hanging from a very short rope with only a roof above my head.

i like my hikers, Merrils with a bubble soles as the grip quite well, i was going to get a pair of below the ankle but will stick with these until i am more comfortable. I ofter step high on the arch. need a lot of practice.

Thanks for sharing

jz

footlocking to new heights.

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Which brings up another subject. When is an enterprising and semi-famous pro climber going to talk to a shoe manufacturer to design a tree climbing shoe line? Skateboarder pros do it, every other pro athletic discipline that wears shoes does it. So why not the ultimate tree climbing shoe designs made for pro arborists, pro competitive climbers and not so pro rec climbers? Tree climbers are athletes (like ya'll need convincing) I'm not famous enough to do it myself :-)
-moss

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theres a pair in the pipeline moss
 
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