Spikes! help

[Colin]

Those look a tad heavier and not as streamlined as the Geckos.


<font color="green">The TreeHouse</font>

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[cory]

I'm having alot of trouble keeping my spurs from shifting backwards and getting under my heel, which drives me nuts.


Suggestions?

Not gonna wear logger boots though.

 

[Colin]

Take a wrap around the shank instead of passing over it, along with tightening things up altogether.


<font color="green">The TreeHouse</font>

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[cory]

Doesnt seem to help.

It only happens on the left foot so I must move it funny.

Spurs with twisted or offset shanks, is that to help comfort up at the shin pad, or could it help with proper location under the foot?

 

[BostonBull]

That old gem again? You really notice a pound? Much lighter than anything else besides Geckos, and more comfy than Geckos IMO!

Try em before you rate them Butch. Thats a bad habit of yours, judging stuff before you have tried it.

 

[BostonBull]

[ QUOTE ]
Take a wrap around the shank instead of passing over it, along with tightening things up altogether.


<font color="green">The TreeHouse</font>

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[/ QUOTE ]

The Antecs have a special pass through sloton the bottom of the spur.

 

[Colin]

[ QUOTE ]
Try em before you rate them Butch. Thats a bad habit of yours, judging stuff before you have tried it.

[/ QUOTE ]

You act like you know me. Actually, the bulkiness of them bothers me more than the weight, which only bothers me somewhat.



<font color="green">The TreeHouse</font>

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[DSMc]

[ QUOTE ]
Not gonna wear logger boots though.

[/ QUOTE ]

This feeling is shared by many climbers that I see posting. But like Boston Bull has said, it is hard to judge unless you have tried it. There is a reason spur boots such as Whites, Wescos, were developed. It is part of the overall setup. The steel-reinforced arch, the heel plate, and extra leather in the wear points are all designed to enhance comfort and efficiency when using spurs in the tree.

You can "make do" with almost anything but most would be surprised just how comfortable spur work can be with the properly fitted equipment.

Dave

 

[familytree]

I've worn logger boots. I've owned two pairs of baileys climbing boots. I would pick my lowas any day of the week over the logger boots. They are the most comfortable boots I've ever worn while wearing spikes. I rarely feel any pain in my archs and they are much lighter.

I've worn the logger boots. I'm now wearing lowa hiking boots. I would have to side with my lowas. Just my two cents

 

[cory]

[ QUOTE ]
I've worn the logger boots. I'm now wearing lowa hiking boots.

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you get em to stay put under the arch and not migrate around toward the heel?

 

[familytree]

the heal on the lowas is not very prominents, but it is still there. I've always been taught to take a rap around the shank with the lower straps. That seems to do the trick.

 

[BostonBull]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Try em before you rate them Butch. Thats a bad habit of yours, judging stuff before you have tried it.

[/ QUOTE ]

You act like you know me. Actually, the bulkiness of them bothers me more than the weight, which only bothers me somewhat.



<font color="green">The TreeHouse</font>

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[/ QUOTE ]

Again no more bulky than regular spurs, and slightly more than those flexible, twisty carbon geckos.

Each their own!

 

[airbornetrimmer]

you can wear the gekkos all day standin on a pole blocking it down with an 044,with basically no discomfort and certainly no bruises or red places on your shins. they rock.if the offset original spurs freak you out, they offer long straight spurs now, too. do not try pole gaffs, unless you only climb beech trees

 

[pancake]

What is the preference of the forum, American or Euro style spikes, tree or pole gaffs?

 

[Stumper]

I'm no gaff expert-I've spent most of my career gaffless climbing. However, I have several sets of gaffs and usually reach for my Brooks pole gaffs first. That was a great gaff design-excellent holding power, easy set and very stable. I lke my Klein pole gaffs for comfort but they do not hold in bark nearly as good as the Brooks'wider, swept gaff. Buck pole gaffs are fine-but not as easy and secure as the Brooks. "Tree" gaffs have been a bit disappointing to me. When I get into small diameter wood they seem far less stable rocking around on the points and rotating one's heel into the trunk for stability can make them gaff out. I have no experience with Geckos but would like to try them. The only downside to tghe Brooks (aside from no longer being made) is that the more comfortable pad designs don't fit them.

 

[TrEeVeRdE]

I prefer the Geckos(Euro) they are light,comfortable and expensive,but worth it.

 

[speelyei]

wesco boots, klein spurs with offset tree gaffs, and the leather felt t-pads.

i'm an anachronism, methinks.

 

[pancake]

Is there a definitive answer in the spike style preference? It seems very much to each his own. Why do Euro's need their own spike style any way?

 

[skew]

I have been riding the same brooks hooks for 20 years- second set of gaffs third pair of pads. I am thinking maybe technology has caught up to the point of upgrading to a pair o them geckos. I don't use them enough to justify the purchase now but ask me again after a few hours in the old brooks.
Once I went to work for a fella up in Mount Shasta that gave me a pair of buckingham redwood specials to climb with- big old aluminum backed pads and wicked long gaffs- required equipment in those shaggy barked parts

 

[dylanclimbs]

i started out using some buckingham tree gaffs...but found that after a full day in them that my knees and hips suffered too much. we got some geckos with the american style (pole) gaffs, and i havent had any problems since. lightweight and comfortable, i find that they pay for themselves quite quickly.