What kind of spurs do you guys use?

Tree slayer said:
I personally use Klien spurs with opsal cast pads and tree spurs. But I’m interested to hear what kind of spur and pad combos you guys use
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Hey, Tree slayer! Great thread you started here, thanks for doing it. Just in case nobody has said it yet, welcome to the TreeBuzz forum! I think you are going to like it here! I look forward to reading more of your posts in the future. Be sure to use the search utility of this forum to find a ton of old threads that go back years.

Thanks for signing up to be a member, and then jumping in with both feet after you did so. Stay well.

Tim
 
rico said:
Just as important as standing in spurs with straight legs, proper pad height is also key to hours of pain free comfort when Perving while aloft.
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Hey, I wasn't accusing you, I was just assuming that @JeffGu was an honest and sincere man... :rolleyes::LOL:

So how low is too low, with the pads/shin cups? @oceans has some antec spikes that he says are pretty low. Seems like you two have it figured out...
 
Mitch Hoy said:
Just a PSA, if you sharpen your gaffs on a belt sander or belt grinder (I do), make sure to take small, quick passes and cool in water between each. That point is so small, you can overheat it super quickly (especially on a dull belt) and lose the temper. All it takes is heating it over 350-400f, depending on the steel, to take hardness away from the tip. If your gaffs are titanium, grind away!
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I barely sharpen mine. I use a stone. Different strokes.


If it hasn't been said, pole spurs and tree spurs have there place. I routinely climb into 4" wood. All 4" wood had thin bark. A lot less wobble, when in wobbly wood.
 
colb said:
So how low is too low, with the pads/shin cups? @oceans has some antec spikes that he says are pretty low. Seems like you two have it figured out...
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Hard to answer colb, as we are all built differently and it also depends on the pads one is using. I generally like to get the top of the pad near the top edge of the meat of the calve muscle. This usually works out to around 2.5"-3' (give or take) below the bottom of the inside knob of the knee joint. YMMV of coarse.
 
southsoundtree said:
I barely sharpen mine. I use a stone. Different strokes.


If it hasn't been said, pole spurs and tree spurs have there place. I routinely climb into 4" wood. All 4" wood had thin bark. A lot less wobble, when in wobbly wood.
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I didn't really sharpen them, it was more of a reshaping. The original ClimbRight spurs were VERY abrupt at the tip and difficult to get a good bite, after I shaped them to be more like a Buckingham spike they work great. I tried filing them but they are very hard and was not getting anywhere, belt sander and a can of water took 10 minutes.

FWIW
 
My Bashlins came very sharp and have lost none of it in the 3 or 4 weeks I've had them. My only complaint about them is they get a little stuck in soft wood or deep bark. I've been thinking about dulling them up a little bit, but I don't want to loose the awesome performance in hardwood.
 
RBJtree said:
My Bashlins came very sharp and have lost none of it in the 3 or 4 weeks I've had them. My only complaint about them is they get a little stuck in soft wood or deep bark. I've been thinking about dulling them up a little bit, but I don't want to loose the awesome performance in hardwood.
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Intentionally dulling your gaffs? Blasphemy. A sharp pair of gaffs will teach you how to climb with a soft touch, which mean more comfort, less fatigue, less wear and tear on your body, much quicker movement, and less gaff outs.

Plus its been scientifically proven that woman much prefer a man with sharp gaffs. Something to do with pheromones I think?
 
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rico said:
Intentionally dulling your gaffs? Blasphemy. A sharp pair of gaffs will teach you how to climb with a soft touch, which mean more comfort, less fatigue, less wear and tear on your body, much quicker movement, and less gaff outs.
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I think I had one gaff out since I got the Bashlins and it was a really odd angle reaching around a weird, large piece of honey locust. I used to have it happen fairly often with the Geckos and I had to kick them in. Just my body weight and a soft step sinks the Bashlins. On pine or spruce no matter how soft I step, if I stay still to make a cut my body weight burys them. Maybe I just need more time to adjust, just have to figure out what to adjust.
 
RBJtree said:
stay still to make a cut my body weight burys them
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My kleins did the same thing, after standing still for a moment I felt like I was going to dislocate a knee or hip trying to remove the spur. Over time they've gotten better, or I have. Not actually sure which.
 
RBJtree said:
I think I had one gaff out since I got the Bashlins and it was a really odd angle reaching around a weird, large piece of honey locust. I used to have it happen fairly often with the Geckos and I had to kick them in. Just my body weight and a soft step sinks the Bashlins. On pine or spruce no matter how soft I step, if I stay still to make a cut my body weight burys them. Maybe I just need more time to adjust, just have to figure out what to adjust.
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Many guys wont want to hear this, but I can't remember climbing in a pair of spurs that gaffed out more than the Gecko's. Forced me to step like fucking Frankenstein until I got used to them, and I ate some serious Fir bark in the process. I fucking hate eating bark.

I am a pretty light climber at 155-160 lbs and don't have a problem with my broken in old Bashlins burying to far. Give em' time and they will treat you right!!
 
I am in the same Kliens for 20+years. Don't like big cushy pads. You guys are totally right about pad height, its critical. I do keep a sharp point though. Especially on no bark dead. The angle I file the point is critical also.
 
owScott said:
I am in the same Kliens for 20+years. Don't like big cushy pads. You guys are totally right about pad height, its critical. I do keep a sharp point though. Especially on no bark dead. The angle I file the point is critical also.
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Big cushy pads are overrated IME, what's important is a rigid pad. Caddies, or any of the pads with steel inserts or factory Gecko pads. Just so long as there's something rigid that's contoured to your leg and has some padding on it. Even the Weaver or Buckingham shin cup pads, which are relatively cheap are waay better long term than other pads that just consist of pounds of foam and leather.
 
rico said:
Many guys wont want to hear this, but I can't remember climbing in a pair of spurs that gaffed out more than the Gecko's. Forced me to step like fucking Frankenstein until I got used to them, and I ate some serious Fir bark in the process. I fucking hate eating bark.

I am a pretty light climber at 155-160 lbs and don't have a problem with my broken in old Bashlins burying to far. Give em' time and they will treat you right!!
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That’s crazy to hear. The first time I tried geckos was on a hackberry, which is hard as a rock. I forgot I had spikes on at all. I just walked up the spar (aerial rescue training), then brought the victim down. Never slipped once. I’ve had trouble with them burying too far in walnut and white pine. I’m 185-190 without gear.
 
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