Tree Climbing Fliplines and Lanyards

There are many lanyard options available in arborist work. Some have been in use for many, many years, but there are also some recent innovations in tree climbing gear.

Wire Core Fliplines / Lanyards

Wire core fliplines are a tree climbing lanyard most are familiar with. You may also hear them called lanyards, work positioning belts, or steel-core flipline. Wire-core fliplines have a central body made of braided steel wire, covered with 16-strand or 12-strand textile rope jacket. This wire gives the lanyard rigidity, and helps the tree climber 'flip' the lanyard up the tree - thus, 'flpline'. Some fliplines like Yale's Maxi-Flip form the eye holding your rope clip by splicing the wire back on itself. Others, such as Climb Right, use a machine-press swage to secure the cable and form the eye. In all types of wire-core fliplines, the steel cable provides strength and rigidity, and the rope covering makes it easier to handle.

Rope Lanyards

Rope Lanyards allow a tree climber to position in the tree in much the same way as a flipline, with some key differences. Without a wire core, it is not as easy to 'flip'. While not as rigid, they are lighter and easier to stow when not in use. A rope lanyard is easily adjusted with a prusik and micro pulley, or appropriate flipline adjuster. There are also situations, such as when climbing near powered lines, when a wire-core flipline can't be used, and a rope positioning lanyard is the only choice.

A very long rope lanyard (25 feet or more) can be used as a short Moving Rope System in the tree. There are lanyard systems like the Chinook or HipSTAR which open up advanced work-positioning options thanks to a long length and additional prusiks or pulleys.

Flipline / Lanyard Diameter

Common sizes for lanyards are 1/2" (12-13mm), 5/8" (16mm) and 3/4" (18-19mm). A lot of folks prefer the 5/8" and 3/4" sizes because a larger diameter is easy to grip. This makes it less fatiguing over the course of a long day on your spikes. There are some sport lanyards that are as small as 11mm (7/16"), that are lighter weight and trimmer, but they're going to be more fatiguing on your hands. This won't be as noticeable on smaller-diameter stems.

When you do get into large trunks it's all forearms, so having something that's easier to grip is critical. That's why you'll see folks who are commonly climbing big trees using 5/8" and even 3/4" fliplines. (There are even still old-timers running 1" Manila!) Those larger diameters are easy on your hands and roll effectively.

Rope Grabs and Adjusters

Rope grabs have been used for adjusting fliplines for many years, since before there were dedicated mechanical flipline adjusters. Classics like the Gibbs rope grab still see use thanks to their strength and durability. Now we've got smaller, more compact units built specifically as flipline adjusters. Some of the newer adjusters put a 90 degree twist in the cam to change the angle the carabiner connects to it. Which position feels better (90 or straight) is a matter of personal preference.

The cam in a flipline adjuster is tensioned with a spring that pushes it into contact with the rope. Some adjusters have external springs, which are easy to inspect and replace, while others have an internal spring. All mechanical flipline adjusters work essentially the same way - when you push forward on the cam lever, you can move the adjuster on the flipline. When the cam is loaded, it grabs and holds position. The tree climber's weight when leaning back is what activates the cam to grab on the rope.

The springs on flipline adjusters need to be inspected and replaced when damaged or no longer functioning. WesSpur stocks repair kits for the adjusters we sell.

Safety guidelines differ by region and employer, but generally speaking your flipline adjuster should be a be "semi-permanent connection", that is, secured with a bolt and nut, screws, or other hardware, and not a 'quick-release' mechanism.

It's important to make sure you're adjuster is built for the flipline diameter you choose. Compatible rope diameters are clearly marked by the manufacture on the body of the rope grab or adjuster.

Conclusion

We hope this helps you make a decision about your next flipline or lanyard. If you have any questions about choosing a flipline, adjuster, or any other tree climbing gear, please get in touch and we will help you get the info you need to make an informed choice.