Today i practiced a little with the spurs

[yakcraz]

Do you think it would also benefit me if instead of stepping around the tree, hugging it, and trying to get one gaff in before stepping off with my other foot, would it be better if I just stepped up off the platform and once I'm on the tree make my way around to the side and start climbing down?

Yep, that's what I'd do. I'm speaking from an arborist standpoint. I did tree work for several years. I'm very comfortable with gaffs. Personally, I'd never "hug" the tree. Leaning away from the tree gives your gaffs a better angle to dig in. Hugging the tree makes a gaff out more likely. I'd step off the platform onto the tree just like stepping off the ground onto the tree, in an upward motion like I was climbing higher. Then I'd work my way around the tree, left or right either way. Then I'd start down. Once my lanyard got down to the platform, I'd remove the platform from the tree, drop it, clip it on your harness, or your lowering line & lower it, or whatever you do to get it off the tree, & then climb down.

 

[TheYote]

Yep, that's what I'd do. I'm speaking from an arborist standpoint. I did tree work for several years. I'm very comfortable with gaffs. Personally, I'd never "hug" the tree. Leaning away from the tree gives your gaffs a better angle to dig in. Hugging the tree makes a gaff out more likely. I'd step off the platform onto the tree just like stepping off the ground onto the tree, in an upward motion like I was climbing higher. Then I'd work my way around the tree, left or right either way. Then I'd start down. Once my lanyard got down to the platform, I'd remove the platform from the tree, drop it, clip it on your harness, or your lowering line & lower it, or whatever you do to get it off the tree, & then climb down.

I was told not to be hugging the tree for that exact reason so as far as the climb up/down I've learned to lean back more.

Right now the transition is my only struggle lol

 

[Kurt]

Hey Yote, working it out, that's good. Of course you can attack that move the way it's most comfortable for you. Try it from the ground. spike the tree right at ground level, both feet, the way you would if you were at height. Figure out where you want to set the platform, set it, then move on it the way you feel most comfortable. Try it a few different ways. I'm left handed, so for me it's more comfortable to move to my right. I'm going to dig in my left gaff in nice and hard so I know it's not going anywhere before I take my right foot off of the tree to step over. It's really just finding what works for you. Keep practicing.

 

[Charliea]

I set my platform, climb a little above and to the side, set tether and then step onto platform. I think I mentioned to you before I use the TreeSqueeze so I have very little fear of falling or sliding down the tree. I have not yet gotten comfortable with taking the spurs off. Once I practice rappelling I will take then off and then just rappel down.

https://buckinghammfg.com/products/treesqueeze-7l08t18j/

Got my son started climbing with spurs using a home-made version of the TreeSqueeze. This type cinching lanyard improved his confidence and reduced his fear of sliding down the tree. Simple to use: just wrap the squeeze around the tree, adjust length with the prussic, run your existing linesman belt through the rings and clip onto your saddle, adjust length of linesman belt to give you a good angle off the tree and use the squeeze to flip up the tree. You will want a sewn eye on one end of your linesman belt to run through the two rings on the squeeze and hook to a carabiner on your saddle. A single line version of the tree sqeeeze weighs less than 1 lb using 1/2” Sampson Stable Braid rated @ 10,500 lbs tinsle strength. Wespur makes a single line version for about 1/2 price of Buckingham’s TreeSqueeze....

 

[bowhuntr09]

Got my son started climbing with spurs using a home-made version of the TreeSqueeze. This type cinching lanyard improved his confidence and reduced his fear of sliding down the tree. Simple to use: just wrap the squeeze around the tree, adjust length with the prussic, run your existing linesman belt through the rings and clip onto your saddle, adjust length of linesman belt to give you a good angle off the tree and use the squeeze to flip up the tree. You will want a sewn eye on one end of your linesman belt to run through the two rings on the squeeze and hook to a carabiner on your saddle. A single line version of the tree sqeeeze weighs less than 1 lb using 1/2” Sampson Stable Braid rated @ 10,500 lbs tinsle strength. Wespur makes a single line version for about 1/2 price of Buckingham’s TreeSqueeze....
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That is certainly adequate. I don't think I would use spurs with just a linemans, I just wouldn't be comfortable.