Fast & Cheap Tree Climbing Gear!!!

[@MrHassancehef]

in some case my megajul slip (even with fat carabiners), and after a certain amount of meters ascent, it tend to jam, really hard to pull the slack of the rope (you should rappel few inches in order to unjam it..)

[@TREEfool]

MrHassancehef, pinned because it is very important that new climbers understand the safety concerns while using this device.

[@MrHassancehef]

@@TREEfool thanks! by the way, it's my favorite rock climbing locking belay device! over the grigri

[@sierra01outdoors36]

What rope diameter are u using ? I've got the same slipping issues but with my 9mm rope it's not jamming

[@jimste5898]

I've used the Mega Jul quite often. A word of advice: use a backup autoblock. It sometimes slips if you're not holding your tag line. And, the cool ascending device is pronounced, "tee block". French, for small.

[@upc2h22]

This is a really good video and review! It gets straight to the point and it doesn't waste time

[@KuchenKabel]

I started the whole tree climbing thing with a Mega Jul. It works but it's not safest! Doesn't catch all time and it really needs to be handled with care. But other than that, the Mega Jul works great for it's intended purpose.

[@BatmanProject777]

Maybe you could put a prusik under the Mega Jul, ( where your break hand would be....like I used for a rapp back up ).

[@markthemenace99]

This is the video that decided it for me to get the mega jul. I’m new to tree climbing - truth be told haven’t even started yet but as a new guy starting to gather all the “toys’ needed. At first, I was going to get the Petzl Grigri, then mad rock safeguard, then I saw the CT Rollnlock, then the Mammut Smart Alpine, then the Petzl Verso. Now @Treefool you’ve helped me “discover” the Edelrid Mega Jul 😁 thanks. I basically wanna get up a tree with a single rope and come down later with the same rope, with the least possible weight and equipment. This was perfect. I’ll be using a fusion hand ascender with a self-made foot loop and the mega jul as you show. Thanks, subscribed!

[@TREEfool]

Glad to here it. Be careful with the slippage and let me know how it goes.

[@RubenHernandez-bp4zu]

Gasté mucho dinero en juguetes. Mi mejor consejo: Invierte tu dinero en un par de cordinos de aramida 8mm 80cm.

[@extractionupdates1915]

Awesome content, thankyou for the awesome and easy system set up, you are by far one of the coolest and craziest guys I know

[@TREEfool]

Extraction Updates, thanks man! being called "crazy" is one of my favorite compliments.

[@sensorpixel]

That is a great video and a very lightweight system! And your weather is insanely nice ;) Greetings from grey, chilly Germany!

[@janrie7330]

Double greetings from Germany! :D

[@TREEfool]

Hello to both of you in Germany! Don't get too jealous, right now it is 35°F (1.6°C) and pouring rain. :)

[@janrie7330]

@@TREEfool Sooner or later all of us will have to deal with snow :)

[@HyperHyena88]

That looks super fun.

[@tarsiswilliams3186]

We need people just like you

[@TREEfool]

Haha, thanks man. Glad you are enjoying all the treecamping vids!

[@jonnyhtcdesire]

I'd love to see a really simple detailed video on exactly what you did and how to use this stuff. To climbers this is v basic but for a complete novice this is quite complicated to understand.

[@TREEfool]

Thanks for the tip! Its easy to forget that some things that appear to be common knowledge were actually quite difficult to understand when I first started.

[@jonnyhtcdesire]

@@TREEfool thanks for the reply. This is my favourite video of the day. And I watched a lot of climbing videos today. 😂

[@jonnyhtcdesire]

@@TREEfool I'm looking for the cheapest, easiest, fastest way up and down a rope for a fat tree with no low branches. Would you say these devices are the best option? Basically the tibloc and the mega jul with a foot strap all clipped in?

[@TREEfool]

@@jonnyhtcdesire cheapest? no (blakes hitch). Easiest? Not quite. (rads with grigri, imo) Fastest? Definitely no. (ropewalking with a roperunner)

[@jonnyhtcdesire]

@@TREEfool do you fancy doing a video to show in very very basic and simple steps how to set that up and exactly what equipment to use and how to link it all together? For someone who owns a rope, a karabiner and a harness, this stuff is rocket science. 😂. Thanks man.

[@zerox2129]

I am using a tibloc with a smart 2.0 and it is amazing!

[@carlosmartinezreborned6403]

Awesome video. Thank you for the product reviews!

[@TREEfool]

You're welcome!

[@fern9234]

1:02 you're not holding the brake side of the rope on thd megajule . I know on the grigri, petzl says that is not acceptable. Is it acceptable on the mj? How do you get passed this? I suppose releasing the tibloc with one hand or tying off?

[@pjanoo6973]

I saw a vid somewhere of where someone put a thin non climbing carabiner on the back of the mega jul to rappel easier than using your thumb to rappel

[@vbswensen]

TREEfool, If you added a prusik/friction knot for added safety, where would you add it? Before the mega jul or after?

[@dang5351]

Add it above, that way the body of the megajul advances the hitch and you don't have to hand tend it.

[@notto86]

maybe a question with an obvious answer: how do you attach the rope to the tree branch in the first place? It looks like TREEfool may have threw the rope over a branch, then tied the rope around the bass of the tree? How does TREEfool attach to branches that are ~100 ft high?

[@TREEfool]

That is just one of many ways to do it. You can also girth hitch the branch. Check out my instructional videos if you want to learn more.

[@2008yaj]

The kid playing at the end is the best part😅

[@migelmejia8176]

Can I get links to where you got the whole setup please I want to get into climbing

[@janrie7330]

Cool setup, seems like a pretty good replacement for a grigri. Maybe you could replace the tibloc with a prusik/distle knot. Certainly cheaper, maybe lighter.

[@hoggif]

I prefer hand ascended at the top, more weight but nicer to grab on. Using a foot loop instead of ladder makes up most of the weight unless you really need the ladder for some other use. I like something that does not drop me if I let go of the rope or at least a fall arrest device for backup to catch me if something happens. Better safe than sorry.

[@TREEfool]

Finding a prusik that works on a 9mm without biting too hard (thus making it difficult to ascend) is something that I have yet to accomplish. But if you are using an 11 or 12mm rope a prusik would be a great alternative to the tibloc.

[@TREEfool]

hoggif, I fully agree that the ladder was overkill. I didnt have any of my personal gear so I used his ladder for the foot loop. It is much heavier than the foot loop that I use on my personal setup but I did enjoy using it alot!

[@janrie7330]

@@TREEfool Have you tried a distel knot? If not, you should definetly try it! That knot slides very easy, I use it on my lanyard and it works like a charm.

[@eugenevasseur1040]

@@TREEfool Beal make some very inexpensive prussik cord that can be brought in any diameter and length, 7mm cord should work great on 9mm rope :)

[@mr.benitezhimself]

Damn bro, it looks like you're having one hell of a time! climb safe

[@chtclimbing]

great video man. does rope diameter affect the way you repel/ascend? if so which diameter would be best thicker or thinner. also would a climbers weight be a factor in any of this?

[@TREEfool]

Yes, climber weight and rope diameter both effect the function of your climbing system. The best way to figure out what works and what doesn't is to just try it by making friends with some arborists or investing in a few different ropes

[@timonix2]

I ahve used the mega jul with a hand ascender. My biggest problem with it is that I cannot with redirects. It only breaks when the breaking strand is down. When I use something like a gri gri I can have a redirect and pull myself up with a 3 to 1.

[@TREEfool]

Ahh, good info. I hadn't used it in redirects. thanks for sharing!

[@mr.bigcommonsense3089]

What is that carabiner clipped to your belay loop harness? Thanks, ~Max

[@TREEfool]

sorry, i don't recall. that was my friends. But it appears to be a double locking carabiner where you have to push and twist. Like the "Black Diamond Roclock Twistlock"

[@pjanoo6973]

I bought a locking edelrid carabiner for the mega jul sport and it doesn't fit as good as yours, weird that they don't design their carabiners to work with their equipment.

[@xarrow81]

Can you look at and give your opinion on Fewear 2019 Hand Ascender Rock Climbing Tree Arborist sells on amazon. I want to know if it compares to the wild country ropeman 1. One is 20 dollars and one is 50 dollars

[@gmanwentworth33]

Cool bro

[@patrickq.920]

Hey man , can i climb with the tibloc good at 8mm climbing ropes?

[@TREEfool]

Damn that is tiny. If you try it let me know how it goes. I wouldn't personally attempt it.

[@patrickq.920]

@@TREEfool yeahit it workes

[@deankay4434]

Maybe because I use $3 ears, but having a hard time with the names of these two devices. Even reading the comments below for spelling. These look great especially for ascending being simple & light weight. I would probably for my use, place a prison for a safety to follow as a tensor aid. The rope ladder used for ascending is better for my legs are better than two bad elbows. Thanks!

[@DanielE-ce3pj]

Were do you get the lil climbing belt for your kids?

[@TREEfool]

I havent bought one for my son yet but places like backcountry and rei sell them.

[@DanielE-ce3pj]

@@TREEfool thank you so much

[@markifi]

also check out Adam Matias Hoffmeyer's single rope tree climbing (modified swiss seat)

[@osiriswills6749]

How can I get into tree 🌳 climbing? Are there special classes or books 📚 that I can pick up giving information on the subject?

[@aerialcamping]

Hey this is Devon (The camera man) - We're all pioneering this sport so there's no books or classes that I know of (yet)! We usually have roots in rock climbing or arborist work, so those are good places to start. Check out Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills (www.amazon.com/Mountaineering-Freedom-Hills-Mountaineers/dp/1680510045/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=5VCJSQCTTZDPEB07K4YE) for a starter and watch channels like TREEfool for idea on how to adapt those techniques to trees.

[@mudmanrv]

I was steered toward this guide. "The Tree Climber's Companion" it's geared toward the arborist, but has a lot of good explanation on types of rope, gear, and technique. www.amazon.com/Tree-Climbers-Companion-Reference-Professional/dp/0615112900/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541502552&sr=8-1&keywords=tree+climbers+companion

[@TREEfool]

Osiris Wills, and I will add one more resource which is a video series that I made because I get asked this question quite frequently. You can check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3eyf4ppjKygb5Y

[@scottpeterson7117]

I learned from www.treeclimbingcolorado.com. You can look up "recreational tree climbing" in your area - there may be an instructor or group nearby. There's also a DVD course offered, along with various other resources, at treeclimbing.com/index.php/education/recreational. Best of luck!

[@osiriswills6749]

Thank you all very much. I am writing all of this information, books and web pages in my notebook. Best of luck to you all in your tree climbing ventures.

[@Sparky_307]

What do you recommend as far as a good foot assist?

[@Captaraknospider]

Tiblock shreds the rope but they work really great.

[@ml5296]

Do you recommend the Tiblock for regular use?

[@TREEfool]

No. Its a great tool for emergencies or superlight climbing trips with little focus on rope ascension but a hand ascender is way more awesome for regular use.

[@ml5296]

@@TREEfool Ok, Thanks for your reply!

[@yulericlustria7183]

Hey man. Where did you get your climbing gear?

[@TREEfool]

Mostly backcountry.com backcountrygear.com treestuff.com rei.com etc

[@chrisw5742]

I want to get a ropewalker setup. Petzl chicane , Zigzag plus , SAKA knee ascender and foot ascender. $$$$$$ though.

[@TREEfool]

$$$$ is the reason why I still use my same old rads system 😆

[@chrisw5742]

@@TREEfool Anytime you wanna bring your RADS to my off grid forested land in the mountains lemme know. Just dont feed the bears. :-P Oh and they can climb a lot faster than us . yikes

[@TREEfool]

@@chrisw5742 what state?

[@chrisw5742]

@@TREEfool NY. My land is in Grafton.

[@TREEfool]

@@chrisw5742 awesome, now I have a reason to visit the East side of the u.s.

[@joshjohnson6573]

When I’m ascending my megajul doesn’t auto lock and I have to hold my rope on break the whole time or else I’ll slide down????? HELP??????

[@Howie656565]

Guess it's a matter of the choosen rope. The thicker the better and Mega Jul supports up to 10.5 mm. And tree climpers using static ropes btw. That's because falls are not expected (always avoid slack rope!) and dynamic ropes absorbing energy during accend.

[@ThisTall]

Would love to have this portaedge setup for motorcycle camping in Bear country. I wonder what the single portaledge and minimal climb gear would collapse into and weigh?

[@TREEfool]

Longest pole is 24", weight is 6.4 lbs... more photos here: treefool.com/shop/

[@porfirioderas-lopez2731]

What's name of those things again?

[@thejakeofalltrades2215]

How do you get the rope up there?

[@Herofriends01]

Wow this is great i want to learn the same 👍

[@amoledor]

How did you rig up the top of the tree?

[@TREEfool]

One of the best video series on the subject if I do say so myself: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3eyf4ppjKygb5Yfeature=shared

[@enmanuelraymundo7063]

Wow Nice

[@TREEfool]

Glad you liked it!

[@mksybr]

Whats the ladder you're using here?

[@TREEfool]

it was my friends and it has been a while but i think it was black diamond

[@MarkoDjukic]

With faster descending your hand does not get burned by a rope?

[@TREEfool]

I have never had a problem rappelling and burning my hand although it has heated up my Rappel device on multiple occasions.

[@benjaminbordson5524]

At least on the previous model tibloc you're supposed to clip the biner around the rope as well. Just fyi for safety

[@TREEfool]

Actually that makes sense. that would creat a better angle for it to pull down and bite.

[@fordguyfordguy]

Nice - what's the foot loop ladder you are using?

[@aerialcamping]

Hey this is Devon - that's Metolius's 8-step ladder (www.metoliusclimbing.com/8-step_ladder_aiders.html) with an aluminum tube at the top rung (my mod). You can usually get these on sale (~37$) a few times a year from a variety of online retailers.

[@scottpeterson7117]

@@aerialcamping I need to get one of those ladders! (btw, the the 2nd parenthesis is keeping the link from working properly :)

[@willastle9623]

For even cheaper you can make a footloop out of 7mm accessory cord, with a scaffold knot and karabiner to join it to your ascender, and a loop knot (or, if you feel really fancy, a double bight figure of eight for both feet) at the botom. Cheap, tough, and small enough to fit in a pocket. Obviously if you plan on aiding or going places you'll need an etrier like the one in the vid then a proper etrier is a *lot* easier to do that with than a homemade one, but for regular treeclimbing/SRT the accessory cord is better IMHO.

[@ditlevguld8912]

Does anyone know if the Mega Jul works with 16 mm rope? I know they say it's designed for 8-10 mm, awesome vid btw!

[@WizardofGOP]

Might want to stick with their guidelines. Maybe there's another model. Feel free to contact companies directly. Often you will find them to be helpful.

[@ditlevguld8912]

@@WizardofGOP Thanks for the advice! And yea think I will ask them, but probably just stick with a 10 mm

[@matthewodriscoll9588]

Allways use backups?!!!

[@griffenroude1314]

Hi me again sorry but I’m fourteen and I bought all that climbing stuff the Eldridge and tiblock and I’m having trouble with the rope like I just can’t figure out how to do it properly could you make a in-depth video that if possible

[@TREEfool]

you can't feed the rope through the eldridge? what size of rope do you have?

[@griffenroude1314]

@@TREEfool not necessarily I can get it through and it will work but then after a little the rope will slowly slip out

[@jadenterex9457]

What do you use to climb a simple tree

[@TREEfool]

My hands and feet.

[@bangrachan1604]

Cool!

[@novastiigeli]

Can i climb with dynamic rope?

[@TREEfool]

Yup. It is just less efficient.

[@novastiigeli]

@@TREEfool good! Because i have only dynamic rope.

[@mrantone916]

They people looking weird are just jealous, i got me a petzl zigzag cant wait too use it! 😎

[@TREEfool]

🤘sounds like it will be epic!

[@lucadematteis]

Great setup. Anybody can suggest an alternative to the Maga Jul for 13 mm ropes?

[@TREEfool]

I would be interested in this too since most rock climbing gear is made for a max of 11mm ropes. I'm guessing the only gear you will find that will fit a 13 mm rope will be arborist stuff.

[@lucadematteis]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, my research led to the same conclusion. For 13 mm rope I can only find professional gear: great stuff but very expensive. I will have to decide whether to stick with 13 mm and be prepared to pay more or move to thinner ropes ;)

[@dustinford7833]

Super easy cheap trick is to use a prusik cord, learn a VT hitch. Next take a rappel ring pass a bite through ring, capture with carabiner. Use cordage or something to attach that to the carabiner capturing the friction hitch. Boom you have an auto locking single line system that will self advance when you rent the slack

[@griffenroude1314]

We’re do you get you’re carabiners

[@TREEfool]

Steal them from climbing partners, haha! I buy them from all over: backcountry edge, tree stuff, rei, etc.

[@grantschroeder80]

Man, the Edelrid Megajul is my favorite peace of kit. Pro tip, when rappelling, throw a small nose crab in that little hole opposite the thumb loop. acts as a release lever, much like the petzl grigri lever, way smooth. The edelrid pure works especially well in this application but the Camp nano 23 and Petzl spirit will work as well.

[@tylersamuelson3317]

What’s the name of the anscender he’s using

[@johngo6283]

Petzl Tibloc.

[@trevethan82319841]

I checked some pricing for the portal ledg online and I can't believe how expensive they are

[@novastiigeli]

which carabiner is the best with mega joul?

[@TREEfool]

Since I dont own one yet and was just using my friend's I am probably not the best person to ask. Id try calling eldelrid directly.

[@novastiigeli]

@@TREEfool okay

[@qiu777]

What is that leder ?

[@TREEfool]

I think it is made by black diamond

[@SueleymanDerEhrenmann]

Well those are the official "Happy tree friends" Legends know this ...... 🤣

[@novastiigeli]

Can i use sport version mega jul with 10.2mm rope?

[@TREEfool]

You'll have to check the specs of the megajoule because I don't have one in my gear closet. Sorry.

[@novastiigeli]

@@TREEfool okay.

[@josephbilleci1593]

I don’t think cheap is a word I want to use to describe my life support.

[@WizardofGOP]

Affordable then. Worked for him.

[@gotnokush]

When my life depends on it. I don’t think I want cheap.

[@sebastianloessl7982]

Cheap doesn't mean bad tho

[@WizardofGOP]

There are quite a few overpriced companies out there (ah-ah-ah-PETZL-choo, oh, excuse me, don't know where that came from). Quite frankly, when a company is greedy, they tend not to care about you either. Some piece of aluminum with a little machining and assembly doesn't cost $200+. If they really cared, they would make a good quality product affordable to as many people as possible to help keep them safe when doing something dangerous.

[@davidwarren719]

Yea, because R&D, insurance, production, etc is free...FOH

[@WizardofGOP]

@@davidwarren719 Much of their stuff is made in China nowadays. Of course, that doesn't reduce their prices. I think Fernand's son Paul grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth and on the greedier side of life.

[@lloydlisk6947]

An even cheaper way o to climb a tree learn how to tie a knot Blake

[@TREEfool]

You are 100% correct.

[@577buttfan]

Cant use a blake on a single line tho.Prusik better.

[@CaptainRScott]

🥳

[@randomcanadian1677]

I agree you can do the same with a French prusik

[@davidwarren719]

You absolutely can use a Blake’s on a single line. Been done for decades. Good luck breaking a prusik with your weight on it...

[@Momnzane]

Let's turn the paige.

[@TheLoobis]

What's your accent bro?

[@TREEfool]

Minnesotan? Haha. Maybe a bit of canadian since I lived close to the border for so long.

[@shonmcbird5979]

Should never take your hand off the brake end of the rope. Irresponsible of an instructor and a climber to do so. 1:00 minute mark

[@TREEfool]

Ummm... this is tree climbing. How do you think arborists use chainsaws up in the canopy?

[@tueighty]

​@@TREEfool As far as I can tell, most arborists wouldn't use the tools or techniques you are using when they are climbing a tree to top it down chunk by chunk using a saw. They have completely different gear and techniques for that type of work. Spreading misinformation is dangerous. I think you are mostly safe, but I agree with Shon, taking your hand off the brake isn't terribly smart. You had no backup in place - a simple prussik you can slide up the brake side while ascending could also be your life saver in that rare but dangerous instance your brake fails for whatever reason. In the end, it's your life on that line, I wouldn't dare force you to change what you are comfortable with, but you should be careful with comments like this one for the people who aren't as experienced as you or I.

[@TREEfool]

@@tueighty , thank you and I agree with you. My initial response sounded very snarky and I apologize! (must have been a long night, haha). Working arborists do indeed use very different gear and most people would agree that it is much safer than the techniques I used in this video. In fact I think I even mentioned in the video that the rope would slip a little bit whenever I would weight the device. I definitely recommend that people use a backup if they're going to remove their hands like i did.

[@mirceapopjoe6125]

this is not tree climbing invideo...this is about the rope climbing!...I'm a beginner on this and you confuse me!

[@kayakingphotos]

They are only looking at you weird because you have the strap on your helmet twisted....

[@TREEfool]

kayakingphotos, haha :)

[@WizardofGOP]

I was looking for clear instructions step-by-step. Not "it's all set up here we go".

[@TREEfool]

Thanks for the feedback. I remember this for next time.

[@WizardofGOP]

@@TREEfool Content creators believe that videos have to be perfect. Nah, that's not true, keep it real. Show the initial struggles that we all would probably experience and we can learn with you. It's refreshing to see. Good, empathic, normal people might even chime in with comments that could help you as well. Yes, there will be narcissists that show up to, just leave them to me. I still learned a few things from your video, so thank-you.

[@TREEfool]

@@WizardofGOP Hey thanks so much for the honest input. I love getting tips like this.

[@Momnzane]

Nah

[@arayan83079]

There are far better ways to climb trees. If you want to do it, spend more time on KZbin or just buy Tree Climbers Companion. Don’t stop at this technique shown.

[@wasserwasser5555]

my teacher sais never ever let your hand off that rope that comes out the megajul and always hold the rope under the megajul, always.

[@TREEfool]

Your teacher is a smart human.

[@jaydenwiener5879]

Have you ever had someone get mad at you for climbing the trees? This is why I am not able to climb a lot

[@TREEfool]

Jayden wiener, only once in a public park by some construction workers but even then they were pretty cool about it.

[@jolkraeremeark6949]

What? It is public property, if you're climbing a tree without harming it, is there a problem?

[@TREEfool]

@@jolkraeremeark6949 ya, people see something that they don't understand and they automatically freak out and think you're doing something bad. This can lead to escalation and although you may not be doing anything illegal it will still create a lot of trouble in your day.

[@Komaru.89]

@@TREEfool How are you able to know which parks allow this, and which don't?

[@TREEfool]

@@Komaru.89 I don't ask for permission, i ask for forgiveness. Haha. But honestly, I live in a smallish city in South Dakota. Noone cares. Bigger cities might be different.

[@aliray1165]

That looks like a horrible system. If you’re looking for cheap gear...you’re in the wrong industry Cos cheap doesn’t last.

[@s0058131]

Dude that whole set up is extremely sketchy! Re evaluated what You're doing. Buy proper tree climbing gear. Just some advice from a professional arborist 👍

[@TREEfool]

Thanks for the input!