Just a bit of advice from an old timer who started in the trade 50 years ago. Don’t kick the pole, step into the pole with your gaffs. Lock your leg when you’re standing still so you don’t “cut out”. When I broke in, we were prohibited from using our safety straps to “hitch hike” up the pole, no less using a Bucksqueeze or other fall arrest system. They weren’t even invented yet, they made us free climb while trying in school. We trained on 40’s but the last week the put us on 85’s, were we a bit scared, sure but always remember once you’re above 15’ it’s all the same. I would have liked to see you stay at the top of the pole to get acclimated to the height and take your selfie. You should climb looking up at where you’re going, not at your feet. Lastly, you shouldn’t be winded going up a 45’ pole, that you seemed to be tells me your were using your arms too much. Take your time, you’ll get there. When I was a young apprentice I would rush to get up the pole, rush to finish the job always in hurry. An old timer who took me under his wing asked why I was always in a hurry, I didn’t have a good answer, then he said something I never forgot, he said “ look down the road and see all those poles, remember when your done, there’s just another one to work”. Take your time, do it safely and you’ll make it home each nite. I’m 70 years old and can still climb, I don’t have to, but I still can. It’s a great trade, a rewarding trade, working storm trouble putting people back in lights is the best. You won’t get rich, but you’ll never go hungry. Good luck, post more videos so we can see your progress.
I am currently in PLT training and cannot master this concept of not “kicking “ the pole … had a slip on the pole and am now shit scared to climb but am plugging away …
@@sherryhunter1220 you can do it, it takes practice but when going up, step into the wood as if your climbing a ladder. When you step into the wood, your weight will set the gaff into the pole, no need to kick the pole it only causes stress on your knees and ankles. When you come down the pole, take the longest step down as you can, your lower leg will drop in and your upper leg will drop out. If they allow you to take your tools home, find a right of way with and practice only going up 15 feet, that’s all you need to get comfortable. We were all scared at one point, don’t let anyone tell you they’ve never been scared. You can do it, please keep me posted on your progress, I’ll offer any advice I can. Good luck! PS: I cutout from the top of a 40’ when I was an apprentice, didn’t know what happed till I was sitting on my butt on the ground. It was all free climbing in those days, no “hitchhiking” with the safety strap and no Bucksqueeze fall arrest. Remember, now you have a fall arrest and will only go so far, once you stop start climbing again!
@edge1289 did the fall require medical attention? I broke my tailbone for skating on my daughter's birthday party lol, so I can only imagine how it felt falling from 40 ft. I work for the phone company and we had a guy get get knocked off a strand after cutting a drop because he didn't safety off. I had to gaff in training and drive in a hook at the top when I got the job...it was probably 40 ft or so
@@jeffreyhansen1737 no, I was too young and dumb to go to the ER. The other 2nd year apprentice with me was afraid to tell the supervisor I fell, he thought we’d get in trouble…. For what I don’t know. I was pulling splinters from both arms for days, I should have gone to the ER……
Thank God you didn’t fall bro. You always have to check your buck squeeze adjustment at 9 and 3. If you notice. Your knee was never locked both were bent. Meaning you didn’t have a good grip in the pole and your black strap in front of you wasnt hugging th pole as you went down . You was was suppose to adjust again going down. If you would’ve fell at that height at 40 ft. You would’ve have fallen until the pole got tighter and your buck squeeze tightened up. God job going up tho. A lot of people can’t do what we did
At 3:00 in the video if you pay attention bro the only thing that was keeping you up was your gaffs and your weight on your belt. The black strap wasn’t hugging the pole. Meaning it wasn’t going to catch until the pole got bigger again. I’m just pointing it out for you to be safe and not fall in the field bro.
@waamby Are you are an apprentice lineman? If so vlog your way through your apprenticeship. What you guys do is impressive. I'm from Australia and the linesmen I have worked with (afew years ago now) I have little to no respect for, as their skill levels were low and that was all required of them. They don't climb poles without a ladder and even then if they can't reach it in a bucket or using sticks forget it, we had to make the line safe, from Isolating it to grounding it and all the paperwork, the linesmen would then come and repair the insulator, cable or attach / detach whatever equipment was required, we would then check it out and get them to fix their shoddy work. That was time we didn't have. You guys are at totally different level. I think you will attract a lot of subscribers if you do that.
Haha. Good job. It's scary at first but when you start going up the H structures or the 55ft transmission streamline poles and have a few transfers on the way, you get over it. Or just climb a 95ft lattice tower and that'll help get rid of your fear of heights real fast.
I do tree work and ain’t no way I’m climbing with one I have to have my safety line and my flip line I just couldn’t see myself relying on a single mechanism knowing how the world is and product control is a scary business 😅
Good luck I recommend focusing on your CDL that’s what matters the most when just getting into the field. It’s also what most companies want you to have
@@waambyI’m pretty much in I applied through N.E.A.T and just got the call to do bootcamp and once I pass my climbing test they send me to a contractor to work for
Just a bit of advice from an old timer who started in the trade 50 years ago. Don’t kick the pole, step into the pole with your gaffs. Lock your leg when you’re standing still so you don’t “cut out”. When I broke in, we were prohibited from using our safety straps to “hitch hike” up the pole, no less using a Bucksqueeze or other fall arrest system. They weren’t even invented yet, they made us free climb while trying in school. We trained on 40’s but the last week the put us on 85’s, were we a bit scared, sure but always remember once you’re above 15’ it’s all the same. I would have liked to see you stay at the top of the pole to get acclimated to the height and take your selfie. You should climb looking up at where you’re going, not at your feet. Lastly, you shouldn’t be winded going up a 45’ pole, that you seemed to be tells me your were using your arms too much. Take your time, you’ll get there. When I was a young apprentice I would rush to get up the pole, rush to finish the job always in hurry. An old timer who took me under his wing asked why I was always in a hurry, I didn’t have a good answer, then he said something I never forgot, he said “ look down the road and see all those poles, remember when your done, there’s just another one to work”. Take your time, do it safely and you’ll make it home each nite. I’m 70 years old and can still climb, I don’t have to, but I still can. It’s a great trade, a rewarding trade, working storm trouble putting people back in lights is the best. You won’t get rich, but you’ll never go hungry. Good luck, post more videos so we can see your progress.
thats wild that you were climbing 85 ft poles with no safety. Ive climbed 40 ft with just my secondary, no bucksqueeze
I am currently in PLT training and cannot master this concept of not “kicking “ the pole … had a slip on the pole and am now shit scared to climb but am plugging away …
@@sherryhunter1220 you can do it, it takes practice but when going up, step into the wood as if your climbing a ladder. When you step into the wood, your weight will set the gaff into the pole, no need to kick the pole it only causes stress on your knees and ankles. When you come down the pole, take the longest step down as you can, your lower leg will drop in and your upper leg will drop out. If they allow you to take your tools home, find a right of way with and practice only going up 15 feet, that’s all you need to get comfortable. We were all scared at one point, don’t let anyone tell you they’ve never been scared. You can do it, please keep me posted on your progress, I’ll offer any advice I can. Good luck!
PS: I cutout from the top of a 40’ when I was an apprentice, didn’t know what happed till I was sitting on my butt on the ground. It was all free climbing in those days, no “hitchhiking” with the safety strap and no Bucksqueeze fall arrest. Remember, now you have a fall arrest and will only go so far, once you stop start climbing again!
@edge1289 did the fall require medical attention? I broke my tailbone for skating on my daughter's birthday party lol, so I can only imagine how it felt falling from 40 ft. I work for the phone company and we had a guy get get knocked off a strand after cutting a drop because he didn't safety off. I had to gaff in training and drive in a hook at the top when I got the job...it was probably 40 ft or so
@@jeffreyhansen1737 no, I was too young and dumb to go to the ER. The other 2nd year apprentice with me was afraid to tell the supervisor I fell, he thought we’d get in trouble…. For what I don’t know. I was pulling splinters from both arms for days, I should have gone to the ER……
imagine driving and you see 50 guys chilling on top of tree poles
Yeah, what a way to meet new people 🙃🙃
Great work man!!!! 45 feet is a lot higher than most people think.
20 plus years ago when we all got to the top of our poles the guy next to me looked over at me and says "WTF are we doing up here?"
Haha 😆
We started on 40ft poles, so I get what your feeling. Be confident on those climbs and always look up, makes that climb way faster and easier.
That’s my boy!! Great job. ❤
Bro gotta invest in leg day
Thank God you didn’t fall bro. You always have to check your buck squeeze adjustment at 9 and 3. If you notice. Your knee was never locked both were bent. Meaning you didn’t have a good grip in the pole and your black strap in front of you wasnt hugging th pole as you went down . You was was suppose to adjust again going down. If you would’ve fell at that height at 40 ft. You would’ve have fallen until the pole got tighter and your buck squeeze tightened up. God job going up tho. A lot of people can’t do what we did
At 3:00 in the video if you pay attention bro the only thing that was keeping you up was your gaffs and your weight on your belt. The black strap wasn’t hugging the pole. Meaning it wasn’t going to catch until the pole got bigger again. I’m just pointing it out for you to be safe and not fall in the field bro.
As somebody who’s also scared of heights, I completely can relate to the heavy breathing when I’m climbing something above 6 feet off the ground 😵💫
We just hit 40s last week we started on 20s so I fell you😂best thing I’ve found to do is to go keep climbing till you get to the top
@waamby Are you are an apprentice lineman? If so vlog your way through your apprenticeship. What you guys do is impressive. I'm from Australia and the linesmen I have worked with (afew years ago now) I have little to no respect for, as their skill levels were low and that was all required of them. They don't climb poles without a ladder and even then if they can't reach it in a bucket or using sticks forget it, we had to make the line safe, from Isolating it to grounding it and all the paperwork, the linesmen would then come and repair the insulator, cable or attach / detach whatever equipment was required, we would then check it out and get them to fix their shoddy work. That was time we didn't have. You guys are at totally different level. I think you will attract a lot of subscribers if you do that.
Haha. Good job. It's scary at first but when you start going up the H structures or the 55ft transmission streamline poles and have a few transfers on the way, you get over it. Or just climb a 95ft lattice tower and that'll help get rid of your fear of heights real fast.
I was terrified at first you’ll get there bud, just gotta learn to trust your gear, a fall from 10 feet is the same as it is at 100
Nice job!
Look how fast he stroked it up there. Now thats a REAL pole smoker.
WOOOOOOOO CMON BABE YOU CAN DO IT
Dang I remember climbing my first 180 foot Douglas fir tree.
mee too bro lol good shit just hit 40s on thursday
This is easy compared to the 70 ft limb walk we were doing for a tree removal and being tied in 120ft🤣
need to tighten that bucksqueeze if you kicked out you woulda rode that pole all the way down, if not atleast a few feet before it caught
Just wait till you have to do stamina 3 in segment 4😢
So that's what it feels like to be yellow
Broo adjust your brown, you had a fat gap at the top
I do tree work and ain’t no way I’m climbing with one I have to have my safety line and my flip line I just couldn’t see myself relying on a single mechanism knowing how the world is and product control is a scary business 😅
Takes less out of ya if you just keep going and don't stop.
I start bootcamp in 2 weeks and the test is a 45 foot pole, honestly kind of nervous about it
Good luck I recommend focusing on your CDL that’s what matters the most when just getting into the field. It’s also what most companies want you to have
@@waamby thanks and yeah I already got my class A no restrictions and tanker endorsement
@@Imzova dang honestly your probably set to apply just with that
@@waambyI’m pretty much in I applied through N.E.A.T and just got the call to do bootcamp and once I pass my climbing test they send me to a contractor to work for
@imzova you in the 104 bootcamp in NH?
Man got a $500 cinching strap and worried about falling SMGDH
Can you use your own gear if you don't trust theirs?
No clue man
Lmao 🤣 45ft. You are in the wrong trade if that scares you
You kids have it easy a straight pole. Imagine big leans or unhooking your belt.
This looks fun
It isn’t