Best Climbing Technique Certification...

[+WadleClan]

It seems I've been giving my husband a heart-attack every time I climb trees.  Something about me being too old at nearly 40 and not wanting me to die.  He's even stated he will climb instead of me, though I'm about 40 pounds lighter and easier on the trees.  We FINALLY came to an agreement.  He will only have a mild stroke when I climb, if I get certified.  This autumn, the local Alpine club is holding a couple courses.  One is Top Rope and the other is Lead climbing.  Which is better for tree climbing?  These are obviously geared toward Alpine mountain climbing (which I'll probably give him a stroke later with).  However, he's happy if I just do something and I want to do the more useful one.  Or is there another style I should be looking out for?  Thanks.

[+GerandKat]

Both techniques don't match for tree climbing. Professional tree climbers are using self securing device like the petzl id on a static rope which will never be overclimbed, so that there is never a reason for someone securing you via top rope or climbing above your anchor point. 

 

As it seems that you are living in Germany, try a Google search for Baumkletterkurs or SKT Kurs (Seil Kletter Kurs). There are various offers, even treeclimbing courses esp. for geocachers.

[+DyverDown]

It would be difficult to climb a tree using top rope (as the name implies, you are secured to a rope from above and belayed by another person or device), so of the two lead climbing (the first person up a route) would probably be better.... I would however, just talk to a climbing club local to you and get some experience climbing walls etc.... there really is no sport applicable strictly to tree climbing except for perhaps lumberjack.

 

DD

[+Touchstone]

I don't think either would be particularly useful, and the thought of some certification making you magically qualified to climb trees is really a recipe for disaster IMO. My guess would be that your husbands nervousness has more to do with how you look when you're climbing from his perspective on the ground, rather than the actual climbing itself. If it looks like your on the edge of disaster up there, it would make pretty much anyone nervous to watch. 

 

A couple of suggestions:

 

1. Both of you should enroll in an Advanced First Aid Class or a Wilderness First Aid Class (google Wilderness First Responder). Knowledge is power, and having the tools and skill set to handle emergencies can save your live and help alleviate your husbands fears. 

 

2. Train for what you want to do. There is some crossover between tree skills and alpine/rock climbing, but probably not as helpful as keeping your fitness level up. I would think that taking a crossfit or tacfit Class would give you more bang for your buck than some rope skill Class. Particularly if you have no intention of actually buying the equipment and using it. 

[+cerberus1]

You only have 2 4T and 1 4.5T, so looks (to me) like you're looking for something that's a lot more involved than what you're currently experiencing, if you're simply shinnying up trees by hand.

Most climbing gyms have basic rope use training.  I had mine in the service.

There are "certifications" for rope use, but most are for instructors, guides, or rescue fields, where's others are a concern.

If you're looking for vertical rope climbs (accessing a cache on a tree limb), an actual tree-climbing school's best and you can google that for one near you.

We prefer mechanical ascenders/descenders (petzl ascension/petzl stop).

 We've taught quite a few in rope use, and most are still playing today. 

Find someone who's willing to take you out for a day or two - no "certification" needed. 

[+colleda]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this so far but, where do tree surgeons learn their climbing skills? Is there a dedicated certificate course somewhere for them?

[+cerberus1]

7 minutes ago, colleda said:

I don't think anyone has mentioned this so far but, where do tree surgeons learn their climbing skills? Is there a dedicated certificate course somewhere for them?

 

IIRC, the forest service still has a training program.  I know they get a certificate, but certification (to instruct) would come from a more advance class.

Penn state I'm pretty-sure still has a climbing program for the basics in their horticulture program.  I'd assume most do.

Most I know learned from others, and many here no longer climb at all, but use a cherry picker bucket/boom.

[+WadleClan]

Thanks everyone. I was offline for a bit camping. Yes I don't have many T5s, but I am a little adventurous all around. I end up climbing our garden trees too, to pick fruit or remove dead branches. We don't have a big enough ladder.

I'm already trained in advanced first aid. I will look for specialized courses for trees. I figured rock climbing was not the best, but it would keep him quiet while I research tree climbing on my own. If the foresters have programs, that will be brilliant. We're in the Black Forest, so there is bound to be something. Thanks again.