First of all you dont let a new beginner lineman climb a 90 foot pole thats for real experienced lineman im a retired lineman 32yrs service to dixie electric membership corporation baton rouge louisiana
@@tinkerwatts7343 why the hell not? Maybe not on his few times but after that they’re good to go. The equipment won’t fail so it doesn’t matter if you kick out at 90 feet or at 9. I’m a lineman as well. Not for as long but that doesn’t matter in this instance .
When I went through the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company’s Pole Climbing School back in 1968, we were taught to “Free Climb” up and down the pole using only our hands to hold the pole and our gaffs. We did not put the climbing belt around the pole until we climbed to the height where we were going to work. After working at the height we climbed to, we unstrapped the belt and “Free Climbed” down the pole. The new Bucksqueeze climbing belt used in this video is so much safer for pole climbers to use. Great invention and I’m sure it has saved lives and prevented major injuries from falling due to gaffs cutting out from the pole. Really enjoyed the video. Your climbing skills demonstrated were awesome. Good luck in your new career!
Were you in Washington state when you went to school and worked? My grandpa worked for the same company in Washington and the year you went to school lines up when my grandpa was working
I went through my apprenticeship 16 years ago without the buck squeeze or any of that. There is nothing better when you are finished with your work rhan to unhook that safety and climb down.
@@bobbyb608 Speaking specifically about towers yes but that's a ladder so not the same as wearing hooks. Distribution, tree workers definitely climb higher on the daily. 90 foot trees are common you must live in a desert.
I worked on telephone lines when I was in the Marines back in the 1970s. The great majority of the time we used pole steps or a bucket truck, but every now and then there was no getting away from having to gaff up a pole. I never did it often enough to feel fully comfortable with it and, yes, it is a far more intense experience in actuality than this video shows. Gaffing down was always a big leap of faith for me, too. I'm almost 65 now and fatter than I was at age eighteen. Getting atop a 25 foot ladder is a very big deal for me these days!
For me it was always the first step down that was the hardest but once I got past the first motion with the belt it’s pretty easy going down. Matter of fact, that anytime I stopped going up or down (especially the higher I was) starting again was the only hard part, except for getting physically tired haha.
+John Purple That's the point I was about to make. I have been in telecom for 25 years now and I never even saw an 85 footer not ever! Now I have a cushy inside Government Telecom Engineer position with my County so my spurs are nice and rusty. I have to admit tho, I sure do miss the great outdoors and fresh air :( BUT HEY! I'm an old man now so I don't miss the weather! ha :) Yayyy!
lol very true im a heavy guy and im in the LATTC climbing program ... and i think all the fat guys like myself get skinny since you en up realizing this shit is no joke hahaha ....ive lost 70 lbs prior to entering the program and looking to lose another 90 lbs before it ends .....i would be at 220 @ 6'2 granted im no a flabby 310 i always was a powerlifter ...but for this i have to cut the weight and say fuck the power lifting and eating like a hogg...respect for this 100%
Legend Cox I've learned that if you get 3 feet off the ground and actually TRY to make your shit fail and it holds up, it helps build trust in it. Being 3 feet off the ground is the same as being 300 feet off the ground, it's all the same in the end.
@@wesleyprather91 Right on. It's all mental. I always had a serious fear of heights, but really it was a fear of my equipment failing. Once you get that confidence and lose the mental fear, it's a game changer. Doesn't mean you should be reckless though.
Free climbing is permitted anymore by OSHA in an attempt to keep lineman safer. I've been a lineman in Puerto Rico for 15 years and just this January our company changed our belts for these pole choker belts. You did an excellent job up / down and in good time it's not a race it's a job.
We never had belts for climbing, only to lock in at height. 30+ years in New England and any cut out where the belt pulled you to the pole ended with huge splinters. Not sure if the pole chokers eliminate this but I miss it regardless
I went to climbing school, I've climbed 70's, 80's, H structures, water towers, etc. But over my 15 year career for every pole I've climbed I've dug a hundred holes. Linework around cities and suburbs is 90% underground. If you're afraid of heights, no problem. If you're afraid of holes or mud, you won't make it.
Excellent technique!!! As a former tower climber go to be a wire tech for AT&T the only thing I do differently is never put anything through the D ring, ever. I've been up at 245' and had to free climb. I had two lanyards excess through my D ring and had to clip back on. Since the two lanyards were taking up the space I panicked for about a half a second looking to get my clip on facing out.....Still you did a fantastic textbook perfect job even waiting to relax and lower your heart rate 10 out of 10
+Beachnative42 No his technique wasnt. His feet were far too close and needs to be in the quarters. And he needs to be looking up not at his feet especially doing power. You can hit your head on a line or anything when you look at our feet and not up. What was excellent though was powering through his skittishness to climb up there.
Footing could be a tad wider but nothing to get in a twist about. If he is new then looking up occasionally is always a good idea but for the most part a great climb for someone doing it for the first few or so climb. Hell I've seen 30 year line man not climb as safe as this guy
It's amazing. I couldn't do this now. In 1998 I did the same climb free style as part of my training. You belted in at the top. Cutting out was wild. Guy would walk off the pole yard.
During "Lineschool" we had a Pole Yard with 5 -40 ft. poles out back of the school . Had to spend 1 afternoon shaving them down with Drawknives. Hahahahaha. they had been ......CLIMBED to DEATH. Last job I did , 30 yrs. later was Changing BELLS The poles were mostly 90's, on a switch-yard D.E. OLD MAN up the STICK. lol Cheers L.U.#1928
I cane hear the old man that taught me to climb. " Come on GRUNT! What, are you eating lunch up there? No matter how fast I climbed or worked. He only learned my name after about six months.
good old bucksqueeze. att tech. we have to use them. I wasn't around for the free climbing days. the way we get trained, shifting the belt and our steps is a lot more cumbersome then just going straight up like you are. good job man.
Mad Respect to you my friend!! Trust me people, that's a lot harder than it looks! The brain tries to make you panic after 40 feet! That takes brass balls! HUGE brass balls!
If u lean back or lengthen your lanyard you can get more travel in each movement and take bigger steps. Also lesson your chances of getting out due to your gaffer pointing in towards the pole instead of more straight down. That should take off time and stress of you climb. Loosen the bucksqueeze some too.
That’s the problem I have right now. I’m currently in school and I rarely lengthen the lanyard. I exhaust so much energy from keeping close to the pole.
Back in the day i did plenty of 30 footers with no belts but never a 90. 30 was plenty high. Amazing how everything seems higher looking down than looking up.
The pucker factor was always increased before the use of the bucksqueeze belt and there were times i wish i had one working on some those ratty 69kv hframe cedar pole structures years ago with 1/2 wide splits everywhere in them
Great job in the video mate! Highest I’ve climbed with gaffs was around 50ft and that was a challenge. Spectrum (formerly Time Warner Cable) doesn’t use gaffs anymore. After the merger with charter communications we have to use an extension ladder or get a bucket truck to come out for all pole climbs. Pain in the ass really.
I never have climbed shit like that but I have done some things that don't look on video like they do and feel in real life. hear that breeze pick up. that's right about when the legs start to burn a bit the arms feel good but pump and u still gotta make it the rest of the way up and control yourself back down. way to stay collected my man good job. I can't imagine getting up there and then working on dangerous shit I don't even like to change a light switch when the breaker is off hahahaha
Thank the lord I'm not a lineman, but I went to school to be one!! In 1996 I went to tech school and for the next two years I was an apprentice. Pole climbing school for me was a splintered tooth pick that we had to climb without fall protection and without belting off. I can't remember what the final test height was, but we had to free climb to the top passing over one crossarm. Once you got to the top you belted in and did a 180 around the pole and came down. I even heard that they took a 9 month program and turned it into a 2 year program. Dakota County Tech MN
I don't like to admit weakness, but I don't know if I could do that. I hate heights. Just watching that made me feel that wierd feeling I get when I'm high up. Good job though. Were you nervous the first time you climbed that high?
Believe it or not I climbed a 90 ft. Pole on a dare as a groundman for the lineman during our lunch break, in 1971 while working at that time for KCPL. I survived but was shaking all over.
(I'll have to jot this down fast because I'm cooking dinner at the moment) Long story short. Right out of the Marine Corp back in the early 70's, the first job I got was building the 'new' cable TV system in the U.S., specifically the east coast. When hired, was asked if I knew how to "climb a pole?" I said, of course I do. I had never climbed a pole in my life...got the job, figured it out. Anyways, during my work building the aerial cable TV system in what we used to refer to as the 'sweet wine days' (because we made a shit ton of money) I easily climbed 1000's of 'sticks' between runnin' strand, lacing cable and splicing boxes. Towards the end of my climbing days I was working in El Paso, Tx where we were doing a highway crossing on Interstate 10. They had planted two 90' poles (minus what they had to put in the ground) perpendicular to and between the East/West direction of the highway and we had to install an 'X' pole support between the two poles that were going to carry the cable crossing over the highway. Me and another guy (cannot remember his name, but he was a hard workin' Mexican fella) FREE climbed those poles...meaning, only my old Bashlin gaffs, Belt (can't remember if it was a Buckingham or a Bashlin's) and strap. And both of us were up there for quite awhile sorting out the placement of everything...enough so that the scariest part of the whole thing was the climb DOWN, not the climb up. Why?...for me it was the fact that I had lost most of the feeling in my feet and could only feel pins and needles. I could barely feel the gaffs and their 'bite' each and every step I took down to the ground. To be honest, neither of us should have had done it. We'll chalk it up to 'Young and Invincible'. Thanks for sharing a darn good climb pard'! Glad you got back down to the ground Safe and sound. : - )
Coming down is always the best part😅. I'm an underground cable splicer and I'm forced to be a climber😢. We work on overhead stuff occasionally, so I have to be in my hooks from time to time. It's not a pretty sight (and I'm terrified of heights)
I’m still in climbing school, but I’ll never forget climbing a 70ft pole. It was our second week and I went first, I got 2:42 and thought that was good. Next kid up boasted a 1:23😂
Was his hand sopposed to be holding pole on descend? It appears as though his upper torso was to close to the pole? Am I seeing why he fell correctly? Please excuse my ignorance. Im genuinely interested.
Pfffffft! FOLKS GIVE ME A DAMN BREAK! Justin you did great and just ignore 95% of the criticism that you have read on this thread! "learn to free climb"?
When they taught us pole climbing at SNET in CT during the late 80s when I went they did not let you climb like this. You had to maintain 3point contact at all times until you were belted in.. Very strenuous and awkward. My older coworkers said if you ever have to climb a pole you will never do it like that again unless the boss is there.
I don't do this no more but back when I did we never climbed up using the belt and climbing down I was up a 90 footer real quick and came down real quick , if we used a belt our journeymen would never let you hear the end of it.....now days I cannot get 15 ft off the ground without my knees getting weak lol
Squeezes suck when your on a cluttered backyard pole full of dips and standoffs. Wears you out. Climbing bare poles they are nice. Dirty poles, I'd rather free climb. That will get you run off these days. This is the new way. Not much of a problem climbing up to the telephone or cable. Go over those, then over secondaries and up to the primary or neutral. Now you're working
Did a really good job only thing I have to say is why did you never look up when you were climbing up the pole. Looked down or straight ahead the entire time
Not kidding, they used to staple our paychecks to the top of 40ft footers every friday in training, also we had to play "catch" with a nerf football, who ever caused it to drop had to climb down and brngmt back up
Gotta loosen that up a little. The carbiner is too far to the backside of the pole. That belt will slide up and down better if its towards the front quater.
I've never used a bucksqueeze. Seems like they'll work you to death. But you also ain't gonna see me going up 90ft. Nope Nope Nope. I've been up 65ft and that was with the help of my 35ft boom. You guys got big stones.
Hi Justin, did you have to get any sort of approval for filming this? I know my company worries about lineman's safety and doesn't allow GoPros because they can be conductive. Did you somehow make yours non-conductive? Super cool video nonetheless!
Try hanging an insulator at midnight in 40mph wind lol in a t shirt with no long sleeves. I almost died that night. 17 years and counting. Good video buddy thanks for sharing.
A lot more intense than it looks, especially if you're a new climber
i felt like it looked more intense on this video. than i tried it out and it wasnt so bad
First of all you dont let a new beginner lineman climb a 90 foot pole thats for real experienced lineman im a retired lineman 32yrs service to dixie electric membership corporation baton rouge louisiana
2nd week of climbing I climbed a 65’ pole and did a crossover about shit my pants but after that 35’ poles seemed like nothing
Looked pretty damn intense to me. 😬
@@tinkerwatts7343 why the hell not? Maybe not on his few times but after that they’re good to go. The equipment won’t fail so it doesn’t matter if you kick out at 90 feet or at 9. I’m a lineman as well. Not for as long but that doesn’t matter in this instance .
When I went through the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company’s Pole Climbing School back in 1968, we were taught to “Free Climb” up and down the pole using only our hands to hold the pole and our gaffs. We did not put the climbing belt around the pole until we climbed to the height where we were going to work. After working at the height we climbed to, we unstrapped the belt and “Free Climbed” down the pole.
The new Bucksqueeze climbing belt used in this video is so much safer for pole climbers to use. Great invention and I’m sure it has saved lives and prevented major injuries from falling due to gaffs cutting out from the pole.
Really enjoyed the video. Your climbing skills demonstrated were awesome. Good luck in your new career!
I wouldn't be able to free climb transmission poles. These 90 and 100 foot plus poles are brutal on you.
Were you in Washington state when you went to school and worked? My grandpa worked for the same company in Washington and the year you went to school lines up when my grandpa was working
Fun fact: people were free climbing up until 2015 when osha made 100% safety up and down a thing.
Look at that. An old school journeyman who isn't a dick.
I went through my apprenticeship 16 years ago without the buck squeeze or any of that. There is nothing better when you are finished with your work rhan to unhook that safety and climb down.
now that i have a job with at&t climbing only 24-26 feet up. i have even more respect for these lineman
jaylaces try tree work them guys go higher than lineman. I went from power line clearance to now cable line work to get into the power side soon
jaylaces what do you do for atnt
DKTA- tree guys climb higher than linemen? RARELY. idk about you, but I’ve never seen a 500 foot tree. Or rarely see 90ft trees
25ft ? Damn that’s the shortest pole at northwest lineman college
@@bobbyb608 Speaking specifically about towers yes but that's a ladder so not the same as wearing hooks. Distribution, tree workers definitely climb higher on the daily. 90 foot trees are common you must live in a desert.
I worked on telephone lines when I was in the Marines back in the 1970s. The great majority of the time we used pole steps or a bucket truck, but every now and then there was no getting away from having to gaff up a pole. I never did it often enough to feel fully comfortable with it and, yes, it is a far more intense experience in actuality than this video shows. Gaffing down was always a big leap of faith for me, too.
I'm almost 65 now and fatter than I was at age eighteen. Getting atop a 25 foot ladder is a very big deal for me these days!
For me it was always the first step down that was the hardest but once I got past the first motion with the belt it’s pretty easy going down. Matter of fact, that anytime I stopped going up or down (especially the higher I was) starting again was the only hard part, except for getting physically tired haha.
The way he sounds climbing that pole is me walking up 3 steps 😂
This is why you don't see many fat linemen. In 17 years with Kentucky Utilities I climbed an 85 footer once. Good job.
+John Purple That's the point I was about to make. I have been in telecom for 25 years now and I never even saw an 85 footer not ever! Now I have a cushy inside Government Telecom Engineer position with my County so my spurs are nice and rusty. I have to admit tho, I sure do miss the great outdoors and fresh air :( BUT HEY! I'm an old man now so I don't miss the weather! ha :) Yayyy!
lol very true im a heavy guy and im in the LATTC climbing program ... and i think all the fat guys like myself get skinny since you en up realizing this shit is no joke hahaha ....ive lost 70 lbs prior to entering the program and looking to lose another 90 lbs before it ends .....i would be at 220 @ 6'2 granted im no a flabby 310 i always was a powerlifter ...but for this i have to cut the weight and say fuck the power lifting and eating like a hogg...respect for this 100%
I resent that I'm a chubby lineman for Metronet on Lexington ky .an I kno fat lineman that work for at&t
Verizon here. Lost quite a few pounds climbing. The less I way the easier it is. Love the new super squeeze climbing safety belts
😅😅😅⚡⚡
I've got to get over my fear of equipment failure.
Legend Cox I've learned that if you get 3 feet off the ground and actually TRY to make your shit fail and it holds up, it helps build trust in it. Being 3 feet off the ground is the same as being 300 feet off the ground, it's all the same in the end.
@@wesleyprather91 Right on. It's all mental. I always had a serious fear of heights, but really it was a fear of my equipment failing. Once you get that confidence and lose the mental fear, it's a game changer. Doesn't mean you should be reckless though.
You have to undoubtedly trust your equipment
You have to get over that bro or find a new line of work as long as u have it on properly u will b good
Damn right
The hardest part for him was climbing up with those enormous testacles
hardest part was climbing with that bucksqeeze choking the pole out
@@bornandraised66 it's nice but a pain sometimes
@@brickmason5295 that's a negatory brother. I would rather give the brown some slack to where it's barely touching the pole so it's easier to climb
@@bornandraised66 I hear ya! I grew up spanking that thing..lol.. hitch hiking...made it interesting climbing over obstacles..
Same here bro
Free climbing is permitted anymore by OSHA in an attempt to keep lineman safer. I've been a lineman in Puerto Rico for 15 years and just this January our company changed our belts for these pole choker belts. You did an excellent job up / down and in good time it's not a race it's a job.
bucksqueeze
Fast up faster done
We never had belts for climbing, only to lock in at height. 30+ years in New England and any cut out where the belt pulled you to the pole ended with huge splinters. Not sure if the pole chokers eliminate this but I miss it regardless
"Free climbing is permitted by OSHA anymore"
I take he meant it 'isnt' permitted anymore?
@@flaccidego4291 Yes, thinking the same thing
I went to climbing school, I've climbed 70's, 80's, H structures, water towers, etc. But over
my 15 year career for every pole I've climbed I've dug a hundred holes. Linework around
cities and suburbs is 90% underground. If you're afraid of heights, no problem. If you're
afraid of holes or mud, you won't make it.
I have such a big appreciation for people who do this type of work, keep it safe out there
Excellent technique!!! As a former tower climber go to be a wire tech for AT&T the only thing I do differently is never put anything through the D ring, ever. I've been up at 245' and had to free climb. I had two lanyards excess through my D ring and had to clip back on. Since the two lanyards were taking up the space I panicked for about a half a second looking to get my clip on facing out.....Still you did a fantastic textbook perfect job even waiting to relax and lower your heart rate 10 out of 10
+Beachnative42 No his technique wasnt. His feet were far too close and needs to be in the quarters. And he needs to be looking up not at his feet especially doing power. You can hit your head on a line or anything when you look at our feet and not up. What was excellent though was powering through his skittishness to climb up there.
+Beachnative42 And yes the advice about the D ring is accurate even though I am guilty of climbing with a chainsaw tied to mine.
Footing could be a tad wider but nothing to get in a twist about. If he is new then looking up occasionally is always a good idea but for the most part a great climb for someone doing it for the first few or so climb. Hell I've seen 30 year line man not climb as safe as this guy
a wire tech??? sorry to hear that. hope you've got out of there. worst position in the company
Beachnative42 XXI
It's amazing. I couldn't do this now. In 1998 I did the same climb free style as part of my training. You belted in at the top. Cutting out was wild. Guy would walk off the pole yard.
This is such a great video, basically the only video on youtube with this camera angle.
Nice work Justin. Thanks for shooting this video. Most people just have no idea what 90' let alone 10' looks like.
men like you have some serious balls! Great climb! My dad did that in the military.
Almost dropped my phone from sweaty hands
I have drop a bunch of flashlights
During "Lineschool" we had a Pole Yard with 5 -40 ft. poles out back of the school . Had to spend 1 afternoon shaving them down with Drawknives. Hahahahaha. they had been ......CLIMBED to DEATH. Last job I did , 30 yrs. later was Changing BELLS The poles were mostly 90's, on a switch-yard D.E. OLD MAN up the STICK. lol Cheers L.U.#1928
Dag boss, I’m still nervous at my 32feet
Been climbing for 3 days
dam id probably be good going up but theyd probably have to get a lift to get my ass down lol
+Nick 636n8r (stuntn24-7) Going down was much easier.
Yah going downs not the issue it’s dealing with the height. If you can get up your good
Getting to the ground is nothing. Just cut out. Lol
like a Cat in a tree.
goind down is worse for me (Tree climber), dont know why, but its near impossible for me to come down on spikes, I just set a rappel line usually
I cane hear the old man that taught me to climb. " Come on GRUNT! What, are you eating lunch up there?
No matter how fast I climbed or worked. He only learned my name after about six months.
good old bucksqueeze. att tech. we have to use them. I wasn't around for the free climbing days. the way we get trained, shifting the belt and our steps is a lot more cumbersome then just going straight up like you are. good job man.
gaphing huh, only maintenance techs required here (twc)
I have pole climbed and that’s the best advise......trust your equipment. I always doubted that those gaffs could hold me up but they do. 👍
Taking my pole climb test today, woo!
Mad Respect to you my friend!! Trust me people, that's a lot harder than it looks! The brain tries to make you panic after 40 feet! That takes brass balls! HUGE brass balls!
If u lean back or lengthen your lanyard you can get more travel in each movement and take bigger steps. Also lesson your chances of getting out due to your gaffer pointing in towards the pole instead of more straight down. That should take off time and stress of you climb. Loosen the bucksqueeze some too.
That’s the problem I have right now. I’m currently in school and I rarely lengthen the lanyard. I exhaust so much energy from keeping close to the pole.
Same. I tend to make too many small movements. That said, sliding down the pole hurts enough that I tend to be overly cautious
Yea loose up the lanyard you’ll be able glide up alittle faster
I can't lie, watching this with headphones on, my sphincter puckered a bit.
Back in the day i did plenty of 30 footers with no belts but never a 90. 30 was plenty high. Amazing how everything seems higher looking down than looking up.
Done no belt a couple of times, I will keep it from now on
The pucker factor was always increased before the use of the bucksqueeze belt and there were times i wish i had one working on some those ratty 69kv hframe cedar pole structures years ago with 1/2 wide splits everywhere in them
Great job in the video mate! Highest I’ve climbed with gaffs was around 50ft and that was a challenge. Spectrum (formerly Time Warner Cable) doesn’t use gaffs anymore. After the merger with charter communications we have to use an extension ladder or get a bucket truck to come out for all pole climbs. Pain in the ass really.
Adjusting that bucksqueeze when you don’t know if your gaphs are in at 60 ft is always scary😅
love that safety ..never seen one like that....had the old school ones
I never have climbed shit like that but I have done some things that don't look on video like they do and feel in real life. hear that breeze pick up. that's right about when the legs start to burn a bit the arms feel good but pump and u still gotta make it the rest of the way up and control yourself back down. way to stay collected my man good job. I can't imagine getting up there and then working on dangerous shit I don't even like to change a light switch when the breaker is off hahahaha
definitely going to do this!
Starting our second week of climbing school next week , this is awesome motivation!
Thank the lord I'm not a lineman, but I went to school to be one!! In 1996 I went to tech school and for the next two years I was an apprentice. Pole climbing school for me was a splintered tooth pick that we had to climb without fall protection and without belting off. I can't remember what the final test height was, but we had to free climb to the top passing over one crossarm. Once you got to the top you belted in and did a 180 around the pole and came down.
I even heard that they took a 9 month program and turned it into a 2 year program. Dakota County Tech MN
I pray before I even sink a gaff
Nice work the poles look pretty easy compare to palm trees I've done. But both have respect for.
I don't like to admit weakness, but I don't know if I could do that. I hate heights. Just watching that made me feel that wierd feeling I get when I'm high up. Good job though. Were you nervous the first time you climbed that high?
Are you being timed? im thinkinh of attending Northwest Lineman college in Denton, TX
How to give someone anxiety
I'm headed to school in March. Hopefully they work me up to 90 feet holy shit that's high.
I admire you. I could not do this..the height alone freaks me out
Believe it or not I climbed a 90 ft. Pole on a dare as a groundman for the lineman during our lunch break, in 1971 while working at that time for KCPL. I survived but was shaking all over.
(I'll have to jot this down fast because I'm cooking dinner at the moment) Long story short. Right out of the Marine Corp back in the early 70's, the first job I got was building the 'new' cable TV system in the U.S., specifically the east coast. When hired, was asked if I knew how to "climb a pole?" I said, of course I do. I had never climbed a pole in my life...got the job, figured it out. Anyways, during my work building the aerial cable TV system in what we used to refer to as the 'sweet wine days' (because we made a shit ton of money) I easily climbed 1000's of 'sticks' between runnin' strand, lacing cable and splicing boxes. Towards the end of my climbing days I was working in El Paso, Tx where we were doing a highway crossing on Interstate 10. They had planted two 90' poles (minus what they had to put in the ground) perpendicular to and between the East/West direction of the highway and we had to install an 'X' pole support between the two poles that were going to carry the cable crossing over the highway. Me and another guy (cannot remember his name, but he was a hard workin' Mexican fella) FREE climbed those poles...meaning, only my old Bashlin gaffs, Belt (can't remember if it was a Buckingham or a Bashlin's) and strap. And both of us were up there for quite awhile sorting out the placement of everything...enough so that the scariest part of the whole thing was the climb DOWN, not the climb up. Why?...for me it was the fact that I had lost most of the feeling in my feet and could only feel pins and needles. I could barely feel the gaffs and their 'bite' each and every step I took down to the ground. To be honest, neither of us should have had done it. We'll chalk it up to 'Young and Invincible'. Thanks for sharing a darn good climb pard'! Glad you got back down to the ground Safe and sound. : - )
Wow 90ft, that’s amazing
Coming down is always the best part😅. I'm an underground cable splicer and I'm forced to be a climber😢. We work on overhead stuff occasionally, so I have to be in my hooks from time to time. It's not a pretty sight (and I'm terrified of heights)
Great job. I'm sure it took a lot of effort to complete.
Hell of a climb,I suppose it's a multi utility pole being so tall?
This video helped me get over climbing 25 footers lil
Those skinny guy in the tribe run up and grab a coconut without a belt. Nice work, watching from my couch
I’m still in climbing school, but I’ll never forget climbing a 70ft pole. It was our second week and I went first, I got 2:42 and thought that was good. Next kid up boasted a 1:23😂
I used to climb... but not 90ft! very impressive!
Yup I'd be scared even with the buck squeeze
Was his hand sopposed to be holding pole on descend? It appears as though his upper torso was to close to the pole? Am I seeing why he fell correctly? Please excuse my ignorance. Im genuinely interested.
40k views? you're famous!
Pfffffft! FOLKS GIVE ME A DAMN BREAK! Justin you did great and just ignore 95% of the criticism that you have read on this thread! "learn to free climb"?
Now that looks like fun 😃
These boys have good stamina 🤗⚡⚡
When they taught us pole climbing at SNET in CT during the late 80s when I went they did not let you climb like this. You had to maintain 3point contact at all times until you were belted in.. Very strenuous and awkward. My older coworkers said if you ever have to climb a pole you will never do it like that again unless the boss is there.
WEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! been there.. love it very much..
You gotta have a good set of bols to do that my man!
Went from a job at sea to a network engineer on phone lines. Climbed loads. Fuckin love it
Easy when you use a buck squeeze! Try the ol lineman phone tech method!
I don't care what anyone says, this takes balls
ncurc 97 nope, it’s like walking down steps
Lineman are ballsie sob
I only climbed this high once, but it was free climbing and a huge wind gust hit me near the top, twisted me around ont to 1 gaff...
climbing like that will cause you to gaff out more. plus keep your heels 4 to 6 inches apart
Good workout
I am envious of your super squeeze in Spain it is not used

I've been in the cable business going on 3 years and I've gaffed more poles than I can recall but I still loathe putting the hooks on.
All the fiber techs in my group do t gaff at all I'm only one an they dont even get on ladders they just call me
I don't do this no more but back when I did we never climbed up using the belt and climbing down I was up a 90 footer real quick and came down real quick , if we used a belt our journeymen would never let you hear the end of it.....now days I cannot get 15 ft off the ground without my knees getting weak lol
Why do poles go that high? It seems that is well above clearance for vehicles etc
"Top of the world, Ma!"
Squeezes suck when your on a cluttered backyard pole full of dips and standoffs. Wears you out. Climbing bare poles they are nice. Dirty poles, I'd rather free climb. That will get you run off these days. This is the new way. Not much of a problem climbing up to the telephone or cable. Go over those, then over secondaries and up to the primary or neutral. Now you're working
One step and go don't 2 step it homie lol nah just be comfortable doing what you do good job!!
Slow an steady safety is number 1 key to this job
Good job.
is it windy up there?
I mean, do we really need electricity?...I say come on down son and lets figure out a better way to do this!
Underground is sketchy
They have another way, after you get out of school you hardly ever climb poles anymore
@@t0xicity09 What? What do you mean?
@@hannahgarcia8645 bucket trucks are the thing now, you only climb a lot if you are a low level apprentice
Much respect, I only go up about 25ft I can see why you single step
90 looks crazy
Can you please share the ppe which you are using to climb the pole
How did it feel climbing 90feet . I climb 45 and it’s pretty sketchy lol
I know, I can't imagine being a transmission lineman and having to do that
Did a really good job only thing I have to say is why did you never look up when you were climbing up the pole. Looked down or straight ahead the entire time
It dont matter to me were I look
Well, it’s obvious the guy is not afraid of heights that win no man gonna knock him down straight up
Where is your hand line? If you got hurt how the hell do you get down?
Not kidding, they used to staple our paychecks to the top of 40ft footers every friday in training, also we had to play "catch" with a nerf football, who ever caused it to drop had to climb down and brngmt back up
Much respect fella
I’m a tree climber. So this shit is easy to me I climb 100ft daily😂 but I’m looking into becoming a lineman for the pay. I bet I’ll A’s the pole test.
90’ in Buckinghams. Time to go shopping.
My instructor would be yelling at me to look up the whole time 😂
It looks hard on the body, knees specifically. How many years does a typical lineman do this for?
They don’t do this everyday. Climbing is usually only used when you can’t get the bucket somewhere
Gotta loosen that up a little. The carbiner is too far to the backside of the pole. That belt will slide up and down better if its towards the front quater.
I've never used a bucksqueeze. Seems like they'll work you to death. But you also ain't gonna see me going up 90ft. Nope Nope Nope. I've been up 65ft and that was with the help of my 35ft boom. You guys got big stones.
The buck looks complicated, but like anything, once you get used to it you can climb pretty fast with not much hassle. And much better than falling.
I love gaffing dont matter to me the height if u can climb 3 ft an do every thing u need you can do it from 70 ft
I would say this was a pretty solid climb. I haven’t climbed a 90’. All of ours are 40’
Standard size right?
I thought you were climbing to fix some power lines or something. Was that all for sport or is this training of some kind?
training
Lineman A school - in the description. If you want to be a Lineman you gotta be able to read.
Not true
I ain't never meet a pole I couldn't read
Hi Justin, did you have to get any sort of approval for filming this? I know my company worries about lineman's safety and doesn't allow GoPros because they can be conductive. Did you somehow make yours non-conductive? Super cool video nonetheless!
I believe this was in a pole yard used for testing climbers for proficiency and safety. So no lines were ever connected to these poles.
Yeah there's no wires on that arm at the top.
that's real extreme
Details of PPEs used and shoes clam please share.
Better than six flags !
😂 thought you were going to gaff that strap to the pole for sure
Try hanging an insulator at midnight in 40mph wind lol in a t shirt with no long sleeves. I almost died that night. 17 years and counting. Good video buddy thanks for sharing.
Been there done that an your wife thinks ur at bar an she is blowing ur phone up lmao