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Carrying Spurs

Nutterbuster

Nutterbuster

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2017
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10,066
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Where the skys are so blue!
So I bit the bullet and bought me some aluminum climb rights. So far I'm diggin'em, but I've got some questions.

How to you carry the dang things? They don't nest, they don't have a handle, and they don't fit in my pack. They make me walk a mite funny if I try to wear them in like my Kestrel...

Any helpful hints from the pros?
 
I made a a pair of whoopie slings using some cheap poly rope that I loop around each end of the pair and tighten down. They each have a tied loop on them that I connect the hooks from my back band to. I just sling that over one shoulder. I'll post a pic later to better explain.
 
I just run the strap over my shoulder bandolier style with the spurs nestled at the small of my back. They're out of the way and stable like that. I'm not a big back band user but this allows me to multipurpose it if I want to use it.

20180711_181747_resized.jpg 20180711_181828_resized.jpg
 
I have them nested in my hauler.

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aea7e6044a902c3b3910d91e80cf1e7c.jpg

I strap them to the outside of my pack.


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Nutterbuster said:
So I bit the bullet and bought me some aluminum climb rights. So far I'm diggin'em, but I've got some questions.

How to you carry the dang things? They don't nest, they don't have a handle, and they don't fit in my pack. They make me walk a mite funny if I try to wear them in like my Kestrel...

Any helpful hints from the pros?
Click to expand...

Please do yourself a favor and never walk with spurs on. In my opinion, it can be the most dangerous part of using spurs. One time I broke my rule to never have them on when walking and paid the price for my decision. Short version of the story is... I had picked out a tree to climb and after strapping them on changed my mind. Didn't take them off and on my way to another tree I tripped and drove the right gaff through my boot and into my ankle causing a fracture. Missed a week of prime time hunting and it took a couple of months to get back to normal. If something bad can happen when taking short cuts it usually will, sooner or later.
 
@WHW, I was just being silly. I don't really walk in them, but I absolutely appreciate you looking out for me and anybody else who might read this thread.

I've been doing a lot of lurking on arborist forums, and that was something that came up. Some of the injuries I've read about we're pretty serious. I'm glad yours wasn't worse. The possibility of stabbing myself back in the swamp is definitely something that concerns me. Self extraction is about the only option in a lot of the areas I frequent, and the idea of severing a tendon or artery is sobering.
 
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WHW said:
Please do yourself a favor and never walk with spurs on. In my opinion, it can be the most dangerous part of using spurs. One time I broke my rule to never have them on when walking and paid the price for my decision. Short version of the story is... I had picked out a tree to climb and after strapping them on changed my mind. Didn't take them off and on my way to another tree I tripped and drove the right gaff through my boot and into my ankle causing a fracture. Missed a week of prime time hunting and it took a couple of months to get back to normal. If something bad can happen when taking short cuts it usually will, sooner or later.
Click to expand...
Same risk goes for stepping onto your platform, be very careful. The platform is by nature very narrow and we are used to setting our feet right next to each other without worry. Only problem is with spurs on you can set the spur through the adjacent boot if you're not paying attention.
 
I see Climb Right spurs are being used.
Any other brands or specific features I should look for before making a purchase?
Thanks for the feedback!
Brian
 
Brian Adams said:
I see Climb Right spurs are being used.
Any other brands or specific features I should look for before making a purchase?
Thanks for the feedback!
Brian
Click to expand...
Climb right aluminum spurs are a common choice because they're lighter than steel without running you $600 like carbon fiber. I finally decided 2lbs wasn't worth $300+.

I think the big thing is deciding if you'd like tree or pole gaffs. I went tree, because I've got a lot of pines and other shaggy-bark trees. Lots of folks talk about pad comfort, but it takes me less than 2 minutes to get up and down a tree, and I'm still green.

Stay away from Evoke and Sport Climbers is what I was told when I was trying to save a buck. Glad I went the climb right route. I think they're a stellar value.
 
Nutterbuster said:
Climb right aluminum spurs are a common choice because they're lighter than steel without running you $600 like carbon fiber. I finally decided 2lbs wasn't worth $300+.

I think the big thing is deciding if you'd like tree or pole gaffs. I went tree, because I've got a lot of pines and other shaggy-bark trees. Lots of folks talk about pad comfort, but it takes me less than 2 minutes to get up and down a tree, and I'm still green.

Stay away from Evoke and Sport Climbers is what I was told when I was trying to save a buck. Glad I went the climb right route. I think they're a stellar value.
Click to expand...

Nutterbuster thanks for the feedback. It's very helpful.
Pole gaffs are plain too short. I'm going with the tree gaff.
 
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