Speed Line Kit with Snap Hooks

A speed line kit with snap hooks gives a crew the parts to rig a tensioned line from the tree to a drop zone and send cut brush down it, clear of roofs, fences, and gardens. Snap hooks clip each piece of brush onto the line quickly, so the climber keeps cutting while the ground crew clears.

How a speedline works

The line runs from an anchor high in the tree to a low anchor at the drop zone, usually a stout tree or a vehicle-safe ground anchor, and is tensioned so loads slide down instead of sagging into whatever you are protecting. The climber clips a snap hook onto the butt of each limb, hooks it over the line, and makes the cut. Gravity does the rest.

Line angle and tension are the whole game. Too flat and brush stalls halfway; too steep and pieces arrive fast. A tag line on bigger pieces and a clear landing area with a ground worker standing off to the side keep it controlled. Keep pieces small; a speedline is for brush and light wood, not heavy rigging.

Setup and safety

Anchor points carry far more load than the brush weight once the line is tensioned, so pick sound anchors and do not over-tension with mechanical advantage. Keep everyone out from under the line and the landing zone while it is running. Compare complete setups in our rigging kits.

Rigging forces are dynamic and can be several times the weight of the piece. Follow the manufacturer's ratings and ANSI Z133, inspect every component before the job, and keep rigging work to trained crews.