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Questions about spurs!

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Davycrocket684

Active Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2019
Messages
143
Me being slightly insane and wanting to try everything that has to do with climbing lately, I have a itch for trying spurs. My issue however in life that I'm trying to tame is my urge to go all in and buy the best without even trying it (like buying a super expensive pair of carbon fiber spurs).

With that being said, for people like myself that will climb up about 25 feet and stop, is there a big difference between a cheap pair and a expensive pair when you aren't standing on them all day long like a arborist would (what pair do you recommend)?

I do hunt on private land that I do not own, I have permission to use them but I still care about the land owners property, so do they do a ton of dmg to trees or even kill them if I hunt out one particular tree a lot? Also are there any particular trees I should avoid climbing?

Last but not I assume I need tree gaffs and not poles?

Thanks for your time!
 
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Get some Klein spurs. They're steel and heavier than the other offerings. Also much cheaper too. They do skin pines up pretty good, but not so bad that it would kill them, unless beetles get into them. If you're hunting oaks than you can get away with pole gaffs. If pines you need tree gaffs. Get proper training on them. At the very least buy a tree squeeze. You will gaff out. Go ahead and plan on it.
 
I did exactly what @MFD205 recommended. I bought the "cheap" Klein spurs to make sure the method was for me. I only use spurs today and have since "invested" in the carbon fiber KiwiClimbers. It's not just the weight when climbing, it is the pack in weight as well. I still have my Kleins as a backup.The learning curve for me was short and I did use a tree squeeze for the first year and a half. I just now started climbing with just a line mans belt as I know how to handle a gaff when it happens.
 
The important thing to try to remember when climbing with gaffs is to keep your feet more in front of you, instead of on the side of the tree. This will help prevent gaff-outs.


Semper Fi,
Mike
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Davycrocket684 said:
This is why I love this website. I had no idea gaff out was a thing. Yep, that looks scary as hell. Think I'm gonna pass on spurs seeing as amazon doesn't have any steel balls for sale.
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gaffing out is a thing, but it is not as bad as it sounds. Never once have I felt like I was in danger or was going to fall. My gaffs are usually when first setting the spur (stepping). I always make sure my other spur is set good before next move, Between that and the lines mans belt I have always felt secure.
 
Ok I’m interested in doing spurs myself after watching my buddy go up a tree in no time I understand the gaff out but what is a tree squeeze?
 
Razorbak66 said:
Ok I’m interested in doing spurs myself after watching my buddy go up a tree in no time I understand the gaff out but what is a tree squeeze?
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I’ll try my best to explain this. Your linemans belt attaches to each side of your saddle and goes around the back of the tree. Between you and the tree there is no rope. A tree squeeze attaches to the left and right side of the linemans belt and pulls it snug on the front sides, so that if you gaff out and slip, the linemans belt doesn’t slide down the tree- in a sense, it makes the linemans belt a complete loop around the tree.

Maybe someone has a pic of one, or a video.


Semper Fi,
Mike
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Razorbak66 said:
That makes sense I got to see a visual thank you for explaining
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Maybe this will help:

buckinghammfg.com

TreeSqueeze™ - 7+L08T18+J

The new TreeSqueeze™, created in conjunction with the experts at ArborMaster, is used for fall restraint and work positioning. This innovative work positioning lanyard allows for a secured ascent up the tree giving you all the safety and confidence you need when out in the field.
buckinghammfg.com buckinghammfg.com

It’s one variation.


Semper Fi,
Mike
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thank you for visual looks like I’m gonna have to really decide if I want to go to spurs now LOL
 
Razorbak66 said:
Thank you for visual looks like I’m gonna have to really decide if I want to go to spurs now LOL
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When I first started climbing with spurs, I thought i would need a tree squeeze after experiencing a few gaff-outs. Through time I learned the best length to keep my lineman, and I learned how to position my feet in front of me, instead of on the side of the tree. After that, didn't really have a need for a tree squeeze, since as soon as I'm at height, I'm connecting a tether anyway.

You can make your own tree squeeze with additional rope and accessory cord, so if you decide to go that route, that's something to consider.
 
Forgive my ignorance, but what is the advantage to using a tree squeeze instead of simply tethering in and moving it up as you go, as in one-sticking?
 
TNbowhunter said:
Forgive my ignorance, but what is the advantage to using a tree squeeze instead of simply tethering in and moving it up as you go, as in one-sticking?
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You have to have the linesmans belt to lean back into when using spurs. So if you were using your tether you would need to move both the linesmans belt and tether up the tree. A tree squeeze basically combines your tether and linesmans belt into one.
 
I use pole gaffs on every tree here in alabama, even thick bark pines. Make slow, deliberate moves and you'll do fine. Look where you want to gaff, put your gaff there, and just step up... If you try to climb the tree on the sides like screw in steps or something your quads are going to be on fire and you're losing your angle into the tree. Make short steps and picture yourself walking up the front of the tree. Also carrying a big, loud, tree squeeze negates most of the benefits of using spurs in the first place. Run your lineman belt around the tree like normal, then use a prusik with a biner to attach the lineman rope to itself, between you and the tree.
 
lhold450 said:
I use pole gaffs on every tree here in alabama, even thick bark pines. Make slow, deliberate moves and you'll do fine. Look where you want to gaff, put your gaff there, and just step up... If you try to climb the tree on the sides like screw in steps or something your quads are going to be on fire and you're losing your angle into the tree. Make short steps and picture yourself walking up the front of the tree. Also carrying a big, loud, tree squeeze negates most of the benefits of using spurs in the first place. Run your lineman belt around the tree like normal, then use a prusik with a biner to attach the lineman rope to itself, between you and the tree.
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Good info, but I disagree with your view of the tree squeeze, especially for a beginner.
 
GCTerpfan said:
You have to have the linesmans belt to lean back into when using spurs. So if you were using your tether you would need to move both the linesmans belt and tether up the tree. A tree squeeze basically combines your tether and linesmans belt into one.
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So could you use a LB, but criss-cross it in the front? LB coming off right side of tree connected to left LB loop.
 
tmattson said:
So could you use a LB, but criss-cross it in the front? LB coming off right side of tree connected to left LB loop.
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Yep, that used to be known as the Flingin x on here. I tried that the first couple times I used spurs. It would definitely catch you better than a normal hook up with your LB but, probably not as quick as a tree squeeze. I found the additional difficulty moving the LB up the tree made me struggle a little and feel more uneasy then just climbing with a regular LB and being able to move it up the tree freely. I would recommend trying it though, it might work better for you
 
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