Okay, so now What?

All right, i have some knot tying experience from practicing slow/low methods taught in the Tree Climber's Companion. But what do I do once I start getting some height? What are the best/safest ways to descend the rope?
I am a little overwhelmed by the extensive amounts of climbing equip. I've seen in all the new catalogs I've recently gotten. Any suggestions?

Welcome to tree climbing, joesoup--I hope you have a great time!

Sawmill1 gives good advice: meet with him or someone else with experience before going high.

One of the more valuable things (there have been many) my mentor, Jay, had me do was to ascend six or eight feet, and then descend so I could get the feel of the Blake's hitch.

Make sure you really know how your friction hitch responds before going high. As I'm sure you know, at 70 feet is no place to find out for the first time how the hitch feels!

Best luck to you--

Well does a friction hitch do well alone, I like the Blakes hitch on my fly line, or do I need to add a friction device like an 8. I haven't even gotten above 6 foot yet, as with no instruction, I am having a hard time figuring out my fav technicque. Also, with improved body thrust(Prusik Foot Loop) is the tensile rating as critical as life lines. I have found a small dia. webbing that I like a lot but is only rated at 1800lbs. on the webbing. Not sure if that is tensile or working load strength.
Any suggestions or corrections for foot loop?

Since the footloop isn't actually supporting your body, strength isn't a factor. Shoe laces, throwline or spaghetti would work

There are many stories about rock climbing/mountaineering epics where the climbers were down to using shoelaces for anchors and rapells. That's dicey.

If you're using webbing loops for ascenders you might find that the Klemheist hitch works the best. Maybe that's what you're using for all I know

The strenght ratings have been adopted from commercial arborculture in the US mostly. Those regs state that any rope, and webbing comes under the spec, must have a breaking strength of 5,400 pounds. In rec climbing, as in most other climbing disciplines the 22kN rating has been used.

I'm curious what type of webbing loop you're using. That seems like a low strength loop. I can't remember ever seeing a 1,600# loop

The webbing is not looped, it is MuleTape by Byneptco (401) 722- 5500. It is webbing we use at work as a pulling rope through manhole and such for Fiber and Coax cables. The rating inscribed on the tape says1800lb. It works great for nonessentials. Want me to mail you a few feet?

You can tie a water knot or beer knot to make a webbing loop. Google them, you'll find illustrations. One caution, from what I read about Mule Tape it sounds like a slippery material. I'd use the beer knot and then stitch the ends of the follow throughs for added security.

This page has info on Mule Tape:

http://www.neptco.com/website/neptco.nsf/0/55664ef307d0ef86852568f6007feaf6?OpenDocument