Finding The Right Tree Climbing GearWhen climbing trees, the proper tree climbing gear is imminently important. This is different from rock climbing, of course, but the two are similar if only because being safe is critical and crucial. Falling from a high tree is roughly the same as hitting a brick wall at a high speed. You can get seriously injured. At the very least, unless you are extremely lucky, you can look forward to a broken arm or leg. You would never think about climbing the Matterhorn without the proper protection and the right gear, not with all of those rocks. You may never climb a tree that is quite as large as the Matterhorn but even still, safety is of the utmost importance. The most basic pieces of tree climbing equipment you will need no matter what is a helmet and a harness. You need to wear a helmet at all times, even if you are only a few feet off the ground. It does not matter why you are climbing a tree in the first place. To that end, it is popular with lumberjacks and timber cutters. Hunters frequently climb trees, either to sit in the tree itself or to reach a tree stand. Children, of course, love to climb trees; some people do it as a means to gather and/or harvest fruit. And, of course, for some people it is a hobby, like rock climbing. At any rate, all of those people do indeed need to employ at least a helmet and a harness. Of course, with the latter item comes rope, which is necessary to operate it. Even if you have a child who is wild about climbing trees, you should never let him or her do it on the spur of the moment.
If you are ever unsure of what kind of equipment you need to climb trees, check out a few instructional safety videos. Not only will they show you what gear you need to get, they will also teach you the appropriate safety techniques. Now, make sure you do not look at videos meant for climbing rocks. Like say, the two might seem similar, but you need lots of different things.
Some aspects of the equipment or similar, of course. Could can benefit from spikes in tree climbing, and you certainly need spikes in rock climbing. Carabiners are necessary in both types of climbing. In particular, you need to be extremely sure that your carabiners are solid and strong, and you should always have some spares handy. Making sure that you have high quality equipment should be at the center of your attention. Thus you can see exactly why tree climbing cannot be a spur of the moment decision – unless you have all your gear with you.
In addition to the items already mentioned, it is a good idea to have several others. First of all, you will need the proper line placement gear, along with a saddle, a saw, a panel, and a rack. These are some of the center safety items which can ensure a fun, safe climb. The line is as important as the rope, the saddle is as important as the hardness. The saw, panel, and rack are all central pieces of tree climbing gear, especially as it pertains to ascending and descending safely. |