Dropped my rope gaff for a steel one after 12 years up in Maine

Finally switched from aluminum rope gaffs to a steel set after managing a maple removal in Bar Harbor last October. That tree had some thick bark and my old gaffs just kept skipping, almost put me on the ground twice. I was stubborn about the weight difference but honestly the steel bites better and I don't notice the extra pound after a few minutes. Has anyone else made the switch and had their climbing change that much?

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marywells2mo ago

Did you find the steel gaffs made you more confident on the really gnarly bark? I switched a few years back and it was night and day on the old growth oaks around here. The weight never bothered me after the first week, and I'll take a solid bite over a light foot any day. It just changes how you trust your spikes on those sketchy moves.

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tyler_white422mo ago

Did you notice less fatigue in your ankles too once you stopped fighting the slippage?

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