Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:33:52 +0000
arborist, RecTreeClimber, lowandslow

Needing to fell a tree in my garden last year and having had much lower level scares atop step ladders, reaching with chainsaw in one hand. I figured I'd do some research at the university of YouTube.

With 30+ hours of #arborist videos under my belt I successfully took down a 35m pine using negative rigging, some cheap Chinese static rope, a slightly too small climbing harness and a battery powered chainsaw from Aldi.

I should have stopped there.

But the algorithm!

YouTube knew my new obsession and fed me more.

I learned about moving or doubled rope technique (MRS/DRT/DdRT) and single or static rope technique (SRS/SRT) along with knots and hitches then gear.

I have too many hobbies so have spend wisely. Top brands are usually expensive, after all they have to recover the cost of advertising that makes you think they're the best so I bought Xinda and Cliwiz gear from China and now have more or less everything I need to enjoy some great recreational tree climbing, starting low and slow at first of course.

At 66 and still fairly fit, why shouldn't I?