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Best advice for getting started with climbing spurs?

M

Mattyq2402

Active Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2018
Messages
164
I've never used spikes b4 but by the weekend I'll be the owner of my first set. Any advice on getting going. Any do's or don'ts?
 
Practice alot. Tree squeeze for sure if you havnt really been trained on what to do if you gaff out on a tree. Burning a pole or a tree down 20ft is hard on the arms look into modding them for better leg and foot straps so they're easer to take off when at hunting height. Watch plenty of instructionals for climbing and how to keep your legs and feet at the correct angle to the tree.
 
Start on the tree low, there is no need to climb above 5ft or so when practicing.. goof around a bit figure out how far you can go before you gaff out.. make sure you gaff out a lot before climbing above 5ft or so..

Make sure you use trees that no one will see or ones that are being cut down cause you are going to mess them up pretty bad...
I never used a tree squeeze but I did try the "flingin x" after reading about it on here, it was ok but I tried it after I was already comfortable just using the lineman belt the standard way so it's not something I do regularly.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
Stand upright and don't hug the tree. Climb with your legs and not your arms. Take short steps and look where you set your gaffs. As mentioned, practice going up and down at a low height until you trust the spurs and gain confidence.
 
WHW said:
Stand upright and don't hug the tree. Climb with your legs and not your arms. Take short steps and look where you set your gaffs. As mentioned, practice going up and down at a low height until you trust the spurs and gain confidence.
Click to expand...
WHW has it right, think that you want to hold the tree between your palms. you want a little space between you and the tree too.. think like a triangle: the tree, your arms, and your torso/legs
 
Practice low until you get a good feel and then move up.An arse busting ain’t near as bad from 3 or 4 feet and it is the same tree at the bottom as it is at the top.
 
Another thing I did, I climbed up to say 10' with some sticks, and basically set a long tether, that was attached to a ropeman on my bridge, This helped build some confidence while ensuring safety.
 
Man, I watched a demo by flinging arrows and felt like u could figure it out pretty quick. A bit worried now. I cant use it on public ground in Az so practice is gonna be hard to come by. Will it eat up a power pole pretty bad?
 
Mattyq2402 said:
Man, I watched a demo by flinging arrows and felt like u could figure it out pretty quick. A bit worried now. I cant use it on public ground in Az so practice is gonna be hard to come by. Will it eat up a power pole pretty bad?
Click to expand...

If it makes you feel any better when I first got mine I climbed 5’, was scared to death, then climbed 10’ still clinging to the tree for dear life. Third time was the next day and I took them hunting and climbed 25’ Been easy ever since. Like someone mentioned above, keep yourself a relaxed arms length from the tree, take small steps. You don’t have to push the spike in the tree, just set your body weight into them. I like to hold the tree as I go and move my lineman’s after I take a couple steps. That is easier than holding onto the rope and flipping it up as you go. Hope that helps some.


Tethrd-Ginger Ninja/Fire Crotch Fiddler
 
Mattyq2402 said:
Man, I watched a demo by flinging arrows and felt like u could figure it out pretty quick. A bit worried now. I cant use it on public ground in Az so practice is gonna be hard to come by. Will it eat up a power pole pretty bad?
Click to expand...

If you climb the pole over and over it will mark it up good but I’d suggest trying to find a tree. A power pole and a bark covered tree are very different. You need to get the feel of the spike going in the bark. It’s hard to describe but you can tell just by the feel of the spike whether or not it’s in the tree solid enough.


Tethrd-Ginger Ninja/Fire Crotch Fiddler
 
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Any tree species to absolutely avoid in ohio? I have mainly maple, oak, poplar, hickory, shark, walnut
 
Saftey harness #1 ...backup secondary harness (tether) for going over limbs if unclipping harness #1 has to be undone.

For me, climbing is EASY. The tricky part 1) stepping off the platform and onto the tree and 2) stepping off the tree and onto the platform (in order of difficulty IMO).

Practice this low until you get comfortable.
 
I’ve used mine 2 times now. It is definitely a non natural feeling for me using them. I have been up 16’ or so. I am really trying to utilize these this season but I can tell I need at least 10 more practice sessions going through my full setup before I’m comfortable doing it in the dark.
 
Cbinderjr said:
Start on the tree low, there is no need to climb above 5ft or so when practicing.. goof around a bit figure out how far you can go before you gaff out.. make sure you gaff out a lot before climbing above 5ft or so..

Make sure you use trees that no one will see or ones that are being cut down cause you are going to mess them up pretty bad...
I never used a tree squeeze but I did try the "flingin x" after reading about it on here, it was ok but I tried it after I was already comfortable just using the lineman belt the standard way so it's not something I do regularly.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

WHW said:
Stand upright and don't hug the tree. Climb with your legs and not your arms. Take short steps and look where you set your gaffs. As mentioned, practice going up and down at a low height until you trust the spurs and gain confidence.
Click to expand...

The first time I tried them I almost threw them in the river. Hated them!

Then I tried again and I still hated them, but a little less. I almost threw them in a small creek.

On the third try they were kinda ok and there were no bodies of water in which I wanted to throw them.

By the 4th try I was ok.

DO NOT go above 3 or 4 feet at first. Go up and down, up and down until you get it all figured out.

Short small steps are key. Don't lean too far away from the tree.

Listen to WHW :)



Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
g2outdoors said:
The first time I tried them I almost threw them in the river. Hated them!

Then I tried again and I still hated them but a little less.

By the 4th try I was ok.

DO NOT go above 3 or 4 feet at first. Go up and down, up and down until you get out figured out.

Short small steps are key. Don't lean too far away from the tree.

Listen to WHW :)



Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I will add to just stand on the tree a foot or so up and experiment pulling yourself close to the tree, pivot from one side to the other, take one spike out and stand on one foot. TRY to gaff out. You will quickly see how well they hold and it will build your confidence!


Tethrd-Ginger Ninja/Fire Crotch Fiddler
 
I gotta give mine some more mileage this season now that o have the predator platform. I loved the bolts so much the past two seasons that I haven’t used my spurs once in the season. Can’t justify keeping after a third season without use.


................................................................................All climbing methods, platforms, saddle designs, and/or use of materials possibly mentioned in the post above are not peer reviewed for safety, and should only be used as an example of my own method. Do your own research and testing before becoming confident in any DIY solution to support your life.
-IkemanTx
 
IkemanTX said:
I gotta give mine some more mileage this season now that o have the predator platform. I loved the bolts so much the past two seasons that I haven’t used my spurs once in the season. Can’t justify keeping after a third season without use.


................................................................................All climbing methods, platforms, saddle designs, and/or use of materials possibly mentioned in the post above are not peer reviewed for safety, and should only be used as an example of my own method. Do your own research and testing before becoming confident in any DIY solution to support your life.
-IkemanTx
Click to expand...
I was exclusively spurs last year but this year I have bolts, SRT, and will probably also buy beast sticks once they go back on sale. I'm excited to try other options. I like climbing with spurs but I don't like the removal part up in the tree.
 
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