Just realized my foot slip on a cedar climb made me rethink safety checks

I was up in a big cedar tree last week when my boot slid off a limb. I swung hard and banged my knee on a branch, and my helmet tipped over my eyes. For a second, I was just dangling there, pretty shaken up. After I got my grip back, I finished the job but kept thinking about it. The next day, I went through all my climbing gear piece by piece and found a worn strap I had missed. Now I do a full gear check before every single climb, no shortcuts. It was a dumb mistake, but it pushed me to be more careful, which feels like a win.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_laura7d ago

Last week on a tree climbing forum, I read that 60% of gear failures come from straps people meant to replace. Your story reminded me of that, lol. My cousin does utility line work and he showed me his check routine after a harness tore mid-climb. He now colors his gear with marker to track wear spots. It's scary how a close call can push you to be more careful, but it's a good lesson.

drew557d ago

Wait, was that 60% from straps people forgot to replace, or just straps that wore out? The marker trick sounds smart though, helps you catch it before it gets bad.

drew557d ago

Marker trick's genius. Scares teach fast.