Arborist Supplies: A Checklist for Every Role on the Crew

How to use this arborist supplies checklist

Arborist supplies cover everything from a climber's saddle to chipper knives and traffic cones. This checklist groups them by role on a typical tree crew: climber, rigging, saws, ground crew, safety and plant health care. Use it to equip a new crew, fill gaps in an existing one, or plan what to replace next season.

Gap Arborist Supply is an independent online buying guide, not a physical store. We show typical prices and send you to retailers to check current prices and buy. If you are searching for an arborist supply store near you, a local dealer is still the best place for saw service and fitting boots, but comparing gear online first helps you walk in knowing what you want.

Each section below links to the relevant category so you can compare products, and to our more detailed guides where we have them.

Climbers: tree climbing supplies

The climber's kit is life-support equipment, and it is where quality matters most. A saddle, climbing rope, friction hitch or mechanical device, lanyard, carabiners, helmet and throw line make up the core. We walk through each piece in detail, from first kit to professional setup, in our tree climbing gear checklist.

For a business, plan on spares: a second climbing line for each climber, extra hitch cords and carabiners, and replacement parts for saddles and spurs. Start with our climbing section, and see climbing rope and saddles and harnesses for the two biggest purchases. All life-support gear must meet ANSI Z133 requirements and be used as the manufacturer instructs.

Rigging equipment

Tree rigging equipment lets you take down wood in controlled pieces instead of dropping it. The basics are rigging rope, slings, a rigging block and a lowering device at the base. Crews doing heavier removals add more blocks, rings, a winch-equipped device and mechanical advantage for lifting and pulling.

Browse rigging rope, rigging slings, blocks and hardware and lowering devices. Our lowering device guide compares the Port-a-Wrap, Hobbs H2 and GRCS, and our rope puller guide covers pulling and tensioning for felling.

• Bull rope sized for your blocks and lowering device
• Anchor and block slings, such as whoopie and dead-eye slings
• Rigging blocks and rings
• A friction lowering device
• A rope puller or mechanical advantage kit for felling pulls

Saws and cutting tools

Most tree services run a range of saws: a top-handle for the climber, a mid-size saw for limbing and brush, a 70 cc saw for removals and a larger saw for the biggest wood. See our chainsaws section and the biggest Husqvarna chainsaw guide for how the sizes compare.

Saws need a steady supply of bars and chain, files, fuel, bar oil and replacement parts. For hand tools, every climber needs a pruning saw, and the crew needs pole saws and pruners for clearance and finish work. See cutting and pruning and our pole saw guide.

Ground crew and tree felling equipment

The ground crew moves the most wood and needs tools that survive it. Felling wedges and an axe or maul, a felling bar or cant hook, and log handling tools such as tongs and pickaroons make bucking and loading faster and easier on backs.

Look at felling wedges, logging tools and landscaper tools for rakes and cleanup gear. If you run your own chipper and grinder, keep spare chipper knives and stump grinder teeth on hand so a dull set does not end the day early.

PPE and jobsite safety

Every person on the crew needs a helmet, eye protection, hearing protection, gloves and boots, plus chainsaw pants or chaps for anyone who runs a saw. Our safety section covers each, and chainsaw chaps vs chainsaw pants explains the leg protection choice.

Beyond personal gear, each truck should carry a stocked first aid kit with bleeding control, traffic control signs and cones for roadside work, and a reliable way for the climber and ground to talk, such as helmet radios. Crews with bucket trucks need fall protection for aerial lifts and, often, ground protection mats.

Plant health care, cabling and planting

Many tree services also offer cabling, bracing and planting. Cabling work needs cable or synthetic systems, eye bolts or lags, and the tools to install them correctly. Planting jobs need staking and support materials and sometimes earth anchors.

See cabling and bracing and planting. Follow the current ANSI A300 standards and the manufacturer's instructions for any support system you install.

Buying arborist supplies for a crew

If you are equipping several crews, standardize where you can. Matching rope diameters, carabiner types, saw models and bar and chain sizes means fewer parts to stock and fewer mistakes on the truck. Keep an inspection log for life-support and rigging gear, and budget to retire it on schedule rather than when it fails.

If you buy in volume, ask retailers about commercial or wholesale pricing on consumables. Typical prices on this site are a guide to what a buyer would see, not a quote, so check the retailer for current pricing.

• Saw chain, bars, files and fuel
• Hitch cords, carabiners and slings that wear out
• Gloves, earplugs and eye protection
• First aid restocks
• Chipper knives and grinder teeth

Common questions

Where can I buy arborist supplies?

This site is an independent online buying guide. We list typical prices and link to retailers where you can check current prices and buy. Local dealers are useful for saw service and fitting.

Can I buy wholesale arborist supplies?

Many retailers offer commercial or volume pricing to tree care businesses, especially on consumables. Ask the retailer directly.

What arborist supplies does a new tree service need first?

Climbing gear for each climber, a basic rigging kit with rope, slings, a block and a lowering device, a range of chainsaws, PPE for everyone, and a first aid kit on every truck.

What is the difference between climbing gear and rigging equipment?

Climbing gear supports the climber and is life-support equipment. Rigging equipment controls the wood being cut and lowered. Do not mix the two.