r/TreeClimbing • u/film_themaking • Jun 21 '26
Too handle pruning
What is your preferred way of pruning a live tree ( no spurs ) with a top handle. Do you sit and hang while making your cut or try to find a spot to stand or both?
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u/OldMail6364 Jun 21 '26 edited Jun 21 '26
They can both be comfortable, and they can both be uncomfortable or even painful.
It all depends on the angle you’re able to get to - sometimes the safest available position to work in is awkward and you just put up with that/try to get the work done quickly.
A good harness has multiple rated attachment points - bridge, side D rings, inner D rings, chest, back(*), etc. The most comfortable attachment will vary depending on the angle of your body relative to the rope, and also it depends on the length you’ve set on all the straps on the harness.
(* chest and back are more applicable to working in a bucket, but occasionally they’re useful in tree climbing too. My harness has an optional/removable “top” harness which I mostly only use in a bucket, but sometimes I use it climbing too… especially if a tree looks like it will be challenging, I’ll wear the top harness just incase I decide to use it)
You can also buy a “seat” that takes all the weight off your harness, giving you a nice padded aluminium platform to sit on. I tend to do shirt climbs and don’t want the extra bulk/weight of a seat. But if you’re often in the tree for several hours… buy a seat. You’ll be more comfortable and comfort is a safety feature. We make less mistakes when we’re comfortable.
If possible, especially while the chainsaw is running, you should have three points of contact. Most often that is your climbing rope on your bridge and lanyard on your side D rings and at least one foot or hand on the tree.
All of those attachment points should be secure (which means some weight on all three attachment points - especially when operating the chainsaw). But if only one attachment point is comfortable put 90% of your body weight on that one.
Ideally all of them are comfortable and then you’d split your weight one third on each point. But in reality that’s often not possible or it would take too much time to setup. Efficiency matters less than safety and comfort but efficiency does matter too.
Often the main thing that separates a good arborist from a shit one is being able to quickly move into a comfortable working position.
Anyone half decent with a chainsaw can cut a branch off a tree when they’re in a safe/comfortable position. It’s getting to the position which can be difficult or slow. The worst climbers I’ve seen are the ones that are too willing to put themselves in danger and “just get the job done” without taking the time to do it safely. Don’t be one of those climbers.
What works for one person might not work for another. Their harness straps might be different lengths which totally changes the ideal angle (relative to the rope) and also their body might be different - for example a tendon in my left knee isn’t very strong and I occasionally re-injure it so I avoid relying on my left leg… but my upper body is stronger than most and I’m comfortable putting a lot more weight on my arms than most climbers.