Arborist Rigging Equipment

Buying guide

How a rigging system fits together

A basic system has an anchor point in the tree, a rigging block or pulley hung on a sling, a rigging rope running through it, and a friction device on the ground to control the load. The climber ties or slings the piece being cut, makes the cut, and the ground worker lets it run and stops it under control.

Every part has a rated strength, and the weakest component sets the limit. Rigging loads are dynamic: a piece that drops even a short distance before the rope catches it can generate forces several times its weight. Plan cuts to keep drops short.

A tree rigging setup should be planned from the ground before anyone climbs. Decide where pieces will land, where the block will hang, how the rope will run and where the ground worker will stand. Talk the plan through with the crew and agree on commands.

Slings and hardware

Arborist slings attach blocks and pulleys to the tree and choke the pieces being lowered. Eye-to-eye slings, whoopie slings that adjust in length, round slings for cranes and heavy dead-eye slings each have a place. Rigging rings and steel hardware add options for redirects and friction setups.

Choose slings rated at least as high as the blocks and rope they work with. Protect slings from the saw and sharp edges, and do not use any sling with an unknown rating. Rigging rings are useful for building friction redirects and anchors, but they need to be rated for the loads they will see.

Lowering devices and mechanical advantage

A lowering device such as a Port-a-Wrap or a bollard-style tool mounts on the trunk or a sling and puts controlled friction on the rigging line. Mechanical advantage systems help pull trees over, tension lines and lift loads. Speed line kits move brush across a yard to the drop zone on a tensioned line.

The rigging rope ties it all together. It should be sized to the loads you plan to lower and matched to the blocks and lowering devices in the system. Rigging rope and climbing rope must stay separate; a climbing line should never be used for rigging, and rigging rope is never used for climbing.

Standards and training

Rigging gear is not life support, but a failure can still hurt people. Use gear within its working load, inspect slings and rope before every job, retire damaged gear, and follow ANSI Z133 and the manufacturer's instructions. Rigging is learned best with a qualified trainer and hands-on practice.

If you are building a rigging kit from scratch, start small and add pieces as you learn. Many crews begin with a rigging rope, a block, a few slings and a lowering device, then add mechanical advantage and speed lines as their removals get bigger.