climbing gear

[chevytaHOE5674]

If i had all day to spend on one job in the tree and it paid all my bills then i would climb the slowest way possible ...

But over here in the real world technology has been invented to make life easier  .

[flushcut]

I vote for training but if you must learn on your own the rule is low and slow.  IMO all the catalogs and supply houses have good gear but its up to you to pick what's going to work for you.  I can say this piece of gear is the cats meow but you think it's a piece it's all personal taste.

[HolmenTree]

Willard, still footlocking?  

Yep still footlocking. Over the last 10 yrs I have tried various ascenders but ended up giving them away to other climbers who figured they needed them.
I will admit, in year one I used 2 Petzl hand ascenders so I could concentrate better on my feet. When I caught on good with the foot wrapping I ditched the Petzls. Just 2 less things to mess around with and carry on the saddle.
When your redirecting and moving around pruning a big hardwood footlocking comes in real handy and instantaneous, time and safety is gained not lost when monkeying around with ascenders.
10 yrs ago in my 1st course, instructer-owner Dwayne Neustator of ArborMaster Canada [ now North American Training /Arboriculture Canada] showed the class how to footlock climb  40' into an elm on static rope in 15 seconds. Immediately while up there he pruned out some deadwood for us. I was amazed. Good motivation.
Willard.  

[Kevin]

I haven't footlocked in a few years, I found it was too much of a work out.
Short ascents aren't a problem for me but I can use the foot ascender for that.
For long ascents I use my GRCS, a seat and a gas drill.
Puts me up there real quick, not out of breath and ready to work.

[HolmenTree]

I'm just starting up my tree biz next week. After a long winter off season working in the shop plus a couple of weeks in a Mexican resort, my "gut" is going to get in the way during those upcoming climbs.
It won't take long to get back in shape though. I don't footlock on static anymore, just footlock dynamic on a split tail.
 With dynamic you're only hoisting 1/2 your bodyweight which is alot easier on the cardio, may take twice as long to ascend over static, but you don't waste time switching over to the split tail from static when you get to the top.
Willard.