Wraptor resistance

If I may chime in, many people have noted that the wraptor may be better suited to climbing very tall trees, which it may be. I regularly climb 100-150' tall trees at work, and 250-300' in my free time.

I would NEVER use a wraptor. Not in a million years. If one was bought for me, I would not use it. If I was exhausted at the end of a long day and had to climb one more Doug Fir, I would still always get out my ascenders.

I choose to be a climber because I love trees and I love to climb. I love to hear the sounds trees make in the breeze, not a 2-cycle engine. I want to smell fir needles when I climb, not exhaust. I want to feel my muscles and tendons pulling myself up the tree, not rely on fossil fuels for power. I love that climbing makes me feel fit and healthy, body and soul.

I would STRONGLY DISAGREE with anyone who feels that the wraptor represents 'progress' or is the 'best tool'. There is no such thing as a best tool for climbing, there are simply many different approaches that work well for different people and different situations, and progress is equally subjective.

I don't much care if others choose to use this tool: your choice is your choice and it's not my intention to put down anyone for the gear choices they make. All I want to do is provide a perspective of one who would rather get to the top under his own power.
 
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I would STRONGLY DISAGREE with anyone who feels that the wraptor represents 'progress' or is the 'best tool'. There is no such thing as a best tool for climbing, there are simply many different approaches that work well for different people and different situations, and progress is equally subjective.


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"Best" is subjective. My best is different than your best.

The day that I didn't have my Pantin the best way to get into the tree was to footlock rather than take the time to go back to the shop to get my Pantin.

Jim got it right, hear him!
 
In this hypothetical race, could the Wraptor be modified? As it stands it's a one size fits (nearly) all machine that is EPA compliant. A modified Wraptor could stomp any human.

Then again, what would winning the race prove, and what would I gain from proving it?
 
The Wraptor is a tool in the box just like everything else. Some people hate polesaws, others swear by them. For some people the Wraptor isn't appropriate... but for others, like us old guys or people doing lots of vertical feet, it's a very valuable tool.

It would be impossible to quantify how quickly it pays for itself because a lot is gained from increased productivity since the climber isn't winded from the start. Some people don't get all that tired from footlocking... I mean, they're winded, but they recover fast... like by the time their hitch is tied. You just can't measure it objectively.

But I'll bet most Wraptor owners felt like it was worth the money from the very start and it doesn't even matter if it pays for itself... it makes work go better, that's enough.
 
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If I may chime in, many people have noted that the wraptor may be better suited to climbing very tall trees, which it may be. I regularly climb 100-150' tall trees at work, and 250-300' in my free time.

I would NEVER use a wraptor. Not in a million years. If one was bought for me, I would not use it. If I was exhausted at the end of a long day and had to climb one more Doug Fir, I would still always get out my ascenders.

I choose to be a climber because I love trees and I love to climb. I love to hear the sounds trees make in the breeze, not a 2-cycle engine. I want to smell fir needles when I climb, not exhaust. I want to feel my muscles and tendons pulling myself up the tree, not rely on fossil fuels for power. I love that climbing makes me feel fit and healthy, body and soul.

I would STRONGLY DISAGREE with anyone who feels that the wraptor represents 'progress' or is the 'best tool'. There is no such thing as a best tool for climbing, there are simply many different approaches that work well for different people and different situations, and progress is equally subjective.

I don't much care if others choose to use this tool: your choice is your choice and it's not my intention to put down anyone for the gear choices they make. All I want to do is provide a perspective of one who would rather get to the top under his own power.

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Do you use a cross cut saw or an ax instead of a chainsaw?
 
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Darn Scott, ya beat me to it!

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Me too..." I want to feel my muscles and tendons pulling myself up the tree," I used to feel this way in my teens and 20s and into the 30s. Now the last thing i want to feel is my muscles and tendons pulling myself up the tree, because they are screaming in pain if I pull too much (which ain't much).

Jim's right, Blinky's right--after i first arrived at the first TIP fresh and ready, the purchase was the right one for me.
 
There is a great benefit to using tools that make the work we do easier that no one has mentioned, and that is the decrease in MSD's. Many folks that are very good at footlocking experience debilitating injuries over the longterm in this industry. I have been a climbing arborist for 33 plus years. I've never been fast at it. I've never been much of a footlocker. I haven't ever had the need because I've always gotten a fair price for the work I do. I don't base my wage on speed. An advantage to also being the "Boss" I suppose. I am the one that dictates my price, not the client. And I choose not to "compete" with the other local tree businesses. I own a Wraptor.The setup time is not all that much longer than setting and isolating a climbing line for footlocking and tying a prussik. It allows me to climb more than I did prior to the purchase, without needing a day off from climbing to recuperate. this profession is not kind to the human body. What might seem like a great way to stay in shape in most cases is just the opposite. Most aspects of a climbers day are causing damage that may not become apparent for years. Then the cost to repair, if possible, far outweighs the cost of a tool like this. My 21 year old son, who can footlock pretty well, also uses it to ascend into the trees we do. His attitude has been one of " This tool will let me be more productive over the course of my carrier, allow me more years to be an efficient climber". As for enjoying the ascent for some, I would never argue that point. Or not wanting to listen to or breathe the exhaust from a two cycle engine either. I get that part for sure. But engine noise and exhaust is part of what I do. Hearing protection solves part of the problem.
I say "to each his own". Like anything, if works for you, great. If not, no worries.
 
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.... I was gonna ask how many years have your muscles and tendons been climbing for you ... Looking at 50 here .. and the Wraptor looks GOOD ....

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Fair enough. As I said, your gear choice is your choice, not mine. Perhaps it's the greeny in me coming out, but it's hard for me to think of switching from elegant human powered devices to an internal combustion engine being anything other than a step backwards.

I'm surprised at how many folks are comparing this tool to footlocking. All the good climbers I know use some SRT system. Perhaps that's part of the reason why the wraptor looks so good?

And no, I don't use an ax, I use a chainsaw for bigger cuts because it's easier to make proper pruning cuts with one.
 
Everyone has just so many trees to climb in their lives. If you wear yourself out when you 'can' climb will you be able to climb the last trees in your life when you 'want' to climb?

Let's look at Hollie when he gets to be an old fogey and see if he can keep up with us old fogeys who changed our ways and use less energy now to climb than we ever did when we were, uh...young fogeys?!?!

To clarify, since the Unicender is the only ascender/descender being made doesn't it make it the best? I've never claimed that it was THE BEST, at least I don't think so, but it does what it is designed to do the best of any rope tool. Like others have said so well, do as you please. Go back to axes and crosscuts if you choose, makes no difference to me.
 
he already said he uses a chainsaw to make proper pruning cuts don't take this to the gutter. the guy doesn't want to have that noisy pos messen up his climb. it might be the only quiet time he gets. i agree with him, but i also like the numbers no bivy just kicked out; the w like a bucket truck on a diet. i got some guys who could really use it, but i won't let them have it until they master some of the other climbing techniques.
 
so I think it will be a useful tool for me somewhere down the line. However, I don't want one because I worry that the people I am teaching to climb will become dependent on the thing as well. I know if I had one, I would use it, and so would everyone else. I don't like the idea of people up in the trees that don't really know how to get there on their own.
 
yeah God forbid the thing breaks down and has to be in the shop for a couple of weeks.Id like to video the first day without it and got alot of tall climbs.
 
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