WesSpur's popular YouTube Channel is your source for gear reviews, technique overviews, and new item info - all available to make it easier for you to see our selection of arborist supplies and make the best choice for your needs. You can view our complete selection of tree gear video guides and overviews on the WesSpur YouTube channel here, or check out some of the most popular tree gear videos below.
Here you will find WesSpur's extended guides to selecting tree gear; from fliplines and lanyards, to climbing ropes and harnesses and everything in between.
WesSpur and Nicguydave review and profile the newest tree gear.
WesSpur reviews, compares, and describes various climbing and rigging lines from Samson Ropes. See why Samson Rope is one of our top recomendations.
Fliplines are a type of safety lanyard used primarily for spur climbing and work positioning in the tree. The name comes from the traditional use during spur climbing, where the lanyard was "flipped" higher up the tree. There are a lot of options when it comes to Lanyards or Fliplines, and just as many questions as a result. Wire-core flipline or rope lanyard? Single ended or double ended (2-in-1)? Mechanical adjuster or a prusik tending setup? How long should my lanyard be? In this video, Dave goes over all of these topics and highlights the different strengths for each option, along with demonstrations.
Spur climbing is a very old practice, but the irons, gaffs, and pads are frequently updated for improved lightness and comfort. The modern arborist has a lot of great options for their spurs setup, and this video was created to help climbers make an informed decision. Dave goes over selecting appropriate gaffs and pads, sizing and fit, and other considerations when spur climbing a tree. This video pairs well with our Guide to Fliplines.
The Teufelberger TreeMotion and TreeMotion S.Light are very popular harnesses, and Dave discusses the unique strengths of both in this video. The TreeMotion is renowned as one of the most customizable harnesses in the industry, with the ability to calibrate every measurement and fit its wearer like a glove. A well tuned TreeMotion gives you incredible freedom of movement and comfort. The TreeMotion S.Light (Super Light) is modeled off of the original TreeMotion but with thinner material to help shave weight off the harness. It's lighter and more economical but still retains a lot of the great features that make the TreeMotion so special.
Friction Savers are crucial for preventing friction damage to both rope and tree bark. While they come in many different configurations, the primary construction is often quite similar; as a result, many universal techniques have been created for installing and retrieving friction savers from the ground. This video serves as a demonstration of several of those techniques, most of which are laid out in the excellent Tree Climbers Companion book by Jeff Jepson.
Auto-braking descenders are great tools to have for work positioning. These descenders allow the user to move into position and then easily and quickly stop where needed. The handles allow the rope to move, while descent is controlled with the free hand. Some, like the Spider, are tuned for personal descent, while others like the I'D makes an ideal choice for Yo-Yo or RAD (Rapid Ascent/Descent) systems. This video serves to compare and contrast some of the best auto-braking descenders on the market: the SMC Spider, the Petzl I'D (small and large), Petzl Rig, and the ISC D4.
Iron Street Rope Splicing is a professional splicing company that creates most of the spliced products available at WesSpur. What you may not be aware of, however, is that they also excel at making custom spliced products out of 3-strand, 12-strand, 16-strand, double braid, 24-strand, prusik cord, you name it. With two industrial sewing machines and a staff of trained hand-splicers, they can tackle everything from one-off ideas to large-scale custom projects. To make things even easier, their close partnership with us means that the ability to order custom gear is available directly through WesSpur!
The RopeTek Hitch Hiker is a unique hybrid device that uses a steel friction device in conjunction with a hitch cord. The newest iteration, the Hitch Hiker 2, is smaller and lighter and has seen changes to its geometry to improve function. It advances smoothly and engages instantly when weighted, with easy slack tending, and works equally well in double or single rope systems. The Hitch Hiker 2 can be used with different hitch cords to best suit the diameter of your climb line, making it a very adaptable device. In this video, Dave goes over his preferences as far as set-up and shows it in action. It's worth noting that the Hitch Hiker 2 has a steel body, so be sure to use steel carabiners for maximum wear life.
Equipment inspection is a crucial process when your gear is used for life support, personal protection, and other critical applications. It's important to maintain regular inspection of your gear; check all of your equipment at the end of each work day to look for the warning signs that Dave goes over in this video. This allows you to safely start the next work day as soon as you arrive on the job. It's equally important to preform more in-depth equipment inspection every month. This involves more upkeep and maintenance than daily inspection, and information on what to examine is laid our in this video. Be sure to check out the gear inspection section of the 2016 WesSpur catalog as well!
The Scafell Lites are awesome all-around tree work boots. They are comfortable, durable, waterproof, and breathable. They also carry a Class II saw protection certification (Class II is for max chain speed of 24 metres per second /54 mph /4724 feet per minute). This protection is rounded out with a steel toe cap and a thick, puncture resistant midsole. They are notably good as spur-climbing boots, as Dave demonstrates, as they offer a sleek profile with excellent chainsaw protection.
