Simplicity: Storing a Work Positioning Lanyard with Minimal Tools
When it comes to work positioning lanyards, the way a climbing arborist stores his or her lanyard can speak volumes to clients and/or supervisors regarding healthy work habits. While the tree care market offers clever tools to help with lanyard storage, sometimes the most elegant solutions are the simplest ones. With a little awareness of how your gear behaves, you can stow your lanyard neatly and access it instantly; no fancy gadgets required.
The Balance of Access and Control
You and I both know our lanyards are one of those frequently used pieces of equipment on our climbing harnesses. It’s constantly being clipped, unclipped, adjusted, and repositioned throughout the climb. Because of that, managing slack is a constant dance between keeping it tidy and keeping it ready. Too loose, and we’ve become tangled in loops. Too tight, and you’re fighting for access when repositioning.
The goal is flow, a system that allows smooth transitions without gear clutter.
Daisy Chain
Before you dismiss this idea, let me explain. Daisy Chaining has been used for a long time and remains popular because it works so well. The method is straightforward and effective. For storage, there’s a slight change: instead of letting a long Daisy Chain hang down, you'll need two carabiners or one accessory tool holder with a mini carabiner. Here’s how you set it up:
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Initiate Daisy Chain loops at the terminal, non-working end of the lanyard.
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This approach prevents the necessity of manually undoing loops; starting the Daisy Chain at any midpoint would require the climbing arborist to halt operations and fully dismantle the entire chain.
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Attach one of the loops from the middle of the Daisy chain to an accessory on your harness or use a carabiner instead of a tool holder.
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This method helps minimize snags and removes potential tripping hazards in the crown. The loop acts as a placeholder for the long lanyard.
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After daisy chaining the lanyard, secure the final daisy (the one closest to the rope grab) with a half hitch.
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This step ensures that the loops remain stable and do not unravel during climbing. If additional length is required, simply remove the half hitch to release slack smoothly until it reaches the placeholder established in step two.
The Poor Mans Keeper
A friend from Ohio who’s an excellent climber, Little Dusty Bun, introduced me to this method. Similar to the Chain configuration, you’ll need the same tool holder, plus accessory loops or a DMM Stowaway. For this setup, we’ll be referring specifically to the DMM Stowaway, and here’s how it works:
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Align the DMM Stowaway beneath the tool holder.
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Ensure they are properly aligned.
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Thread a bight of excess lanyard bottom-to-top through the Stowaway.
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Clip the same bight to the tool holder above the Stowaway.
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Secure the lanyard end to the harness with an XSRE carabiner.
Like the K1 Keeper, this method creates equal loops and pays out slack efficiently. Excess slack and lanyard adjustments must be managed manually, which is its main drawback. Overall, it is an efficient way to store lanyards up to twenty feet.
Conclusion
There’s something satisfying about keeping your system simple, something I once struggled with. With all the specialized tool holders, it’s easy to forget that arborists have been climbing efficiently for decades using only their harness, ropes, and instinct.
Good gear management isn’t about how much hardware you have; it’s about how well you use it. A tidy harness reflects a tidy mindset: awareness, readiness, and respect for your equipment.
If you are a gear-intensive climber, next time you step into your harness, experiment with your setup. Try a minimalist approach, coil, clip, or tuck, and pay attention to how it affects your movement and efficiency. You might find that simplicity isn’t just lighter on your harness; it’s lighter on your mind.
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