THE EQUIPMENT-
Cambium Savers. Friction Savers. Ring-and-Strap False Crotches. Pulleys. Leather Rope Sleeves. Electrical Conduit Rope Sleeves. Fire-hose Rope Sleeves. I have all of them in (the bottom of) my equipment bag, but...
-I almost never use them!

THE EXCUSES-
"It takes too long." "I don't know how to properly set one up." "The equipment is just another expense." "I'd rather keep climbing simple." "It's more trouble than it's worth." "This tree has tough bark. It can take it." The list goes on, but...
-No more excuses!

THE RESOLUTION-
"Just for the year 2004, whether or not it is necessary, I will not climb any tree by a dynamic method without using a friction-saving device." This includes both entry and repositioning. I will make an exception only for group introductory climbs in groomed climbing areas. You can help me...
-If you see me wavering in my resolution this year, call me on it!

THE CHALLENGE-
If you are lax in the use of friction savers as I am, join me in my resolution. It doesn't matter what type of friction saver you use. You know it's the right thing to do. Let your actions speak for you, and...
-Sign here in black and white!


I know not every tree or situation requires it, but that's not the point. I'll make judgments in 2005, but just for the year 2004, every tree is fragile. I'm going to force myself to get the practice that I need to make friction savers second nature. I'm hoping that by the end of 2004, it will be a habit that I will use automatically without another New Year's Resolution.

Whether you join me or not, have a 2004 that's both safe and exciting!

-Peter "Knothead" Hedin

p.s. - After we've protected the trees, maybe next year we'll talk about helmets to protect ourselves.

I accept your challenge. I've been wondering how to best habitually climb, and one of my concerns is care for the trees. One motivation for climbing using SRT or doubled rope technique is these techniques can help to minimize damage to the tree. Since there may be situations where I would prefer to use a dynamic rope technique, I'm trying to decide which piece (or pieces) from your equipment list to always take along (refer to poll False crotch versus rope saver ). I'd be interested to know which piece you choose to use.

Brad

Knothead and others,
I have given serious thought to various cambium savers and have even begun to use them occasionally on trees that I climb on a regular basis, particularly those with thin bark.
But about those climbing helmets.... We all know I (hate, despise, loath, pick one) to wear a helmet when I climb. But common sense has gripped me in her firm claws and I have ventured forth to a nearby Walmart where I purchased two adult-sized and one youth-sized general purpose sports helmets. I have (gasp!) even worn one while making several brief climbs around the farm and have found it to be very comfortable. These particular helmets are flat-black in color and are almost identical to the green ones that Abe Winters uses for his students and "Second Sunday" climbers, and they cost $12.99 each. I'm, going to buy a few more after the store restocks. I found them in the sporting goods section at Walmart, near the paint-gun stuff and the skateboard apparatus.

Cambium savers have been getting used alot lately. Makes me move faster, thus I've more time in the tree.

But the helmet... I have an long skinny head and I look a little more than rediculous when I wear it, but I know it has already in the past six months saved me from some nasty bumps at least three times. I've been climbing the same tree with my kids almost every weekend for two months. Three weekends ago I was standing up to place a rope for the kids in a place where I felt very comfy. Standing up to reach for the branch I wacked my head in to a large branch above me. I hit it hard enough to nock my footing loose. Long story short, had I not that red petzl helmet on my can I would have been hanging unconsiuos with me son below not knowing what to do.
Make it your new years resolution to climb safe!

Climb Safe! Wear a cranial!

I'll admit it, I'm one. When I climb with my kids or a program climb I wear my helmet. This relates as much to being a role model as being safe. When I climb by myself or with friends, I rely on my "green safety hat", a baseball cap.

Realistically, the danger with my kids or novice climbers is them dropping something on me., or kicking me. Much less likely (but not impossible) when climbing with experienced climbers. I could always get a head bonk by myself as Icabod mentions, but I'm willing to take the trade off for comfort and the overall better experience.

As an aside, I always wear a helmet when I bicycle. This is because the single biggest danger in bicycling are inattentive drivers ruining my day. So far I have not seen any cars in the canopy. Hope I never do.

Bob

Never let a rope run over the cambium
--
Dan, do you leave those cambium sleeves on your lanyard ends the whole time, or do you reinstall them each time you access a branch?

1" tubular webbing over a 1/2" lanyard line will divert most friction off the tree. Try it, it's inexpensive, not that the friction from a lanyard would cause damage anyway.
Mark

To clarify, friction from a posisioning lanyard is not an issue.
Mark

Hi, first post for me here.

Just wanted to say, I switched to using mountaineering rope a year ago and due to the fact that it shouldn't really be used to climb trees due to the poor resistance to friction, i started using a cambium saver with a pulley.
I don't see why anyone would NOT want to use one now.
Makes the pull so smooth and easy to get round the tree, and the minute it takes to set up is well worth it

steve