Best Tree Climbing Spikes of 2026

Four and a half pounds for the pair is the number that matters here. That is a pound and a half under the Klein set and two pounds under Notch's own steel climbers, and it is the difference between a pair you put on at the truck and a pair you forget you are wearing halfway up.

The aluminium frame does more than cut grams. It sits lighter against the leg through a full day of up-and-down, and comfort holds over the long ascents rather than just the short ones — which is the difference between a set you wear and a set you tolerate. For anyone hauling gear in a pack to the tree, this is the pair that makes the least fuss.

The spur is shaped to be filed back to a point rather than replaced, which matters more than it sounds: a dull gaff skates, and a gaff that skates is the start of a bad afternoon. A lifetime warranty against defects backs it up, and the tree gaffs are the long profile you want on mature bark.

Grip is where a spur set earns its keep, and the Klein gaffs are the most convincing in this group. They bite on the first step instead of skating down the bark, and a few feet up we stopped thinking about the hold at all, which is the highest compliment climbing gear gets. The cost of that bite is a point that can bury deep enough to need a real tug to free, particularly in soft-barked trees. We take the trade.

Comfort is the compromise. The 8-by-8-inch leather pads cover plenty of shin, but there isn't much cushion behind them, and the upper strap is narrow enough that the set can creep as you climb. Thick socks and a stiff-soled boot with a defined heel settle most of it, and if your climbs routinely run long, the Notch steel set puts its money into a cuff that spreads the load instead.

What we appreciate most is how easy the set is to live with. The sleeve and leg iron join with two slotted hex-head bolts, lock washers and barrel nuts, so a loose fit is a wrench away rather than a return, and the steel split ring lets you change an ankle strap without touching anything else. Klein rates it to 350 lb, and the 4-7/16-inch stirrup is wider than a boot needs, which is exactly what stops a foot rolling when you stand off the side of a trunk.

At 6 pounds the pair is heavier than the aluminium Notch, and you feel that on the walk in rather than on the trunk. Sizing runs 17 to 21 inches, so match the length to the maker's height chart instead of guessing from your boot size. The rest is plain steel and honest hardware, and there is nothing on the set that a wrench and a replacement strap cannot put right.

The frame adjusts from 14.75 to 21 inches, the widest span of any set here that publishes one. That matters if you are shorter than the Klein's 17-inch floor, or if one set has to cover two people of different heights — you get real range without buying a second pair.

The build is better than this end of the market usually manages. Alloy steel rated to 350 lb, EVA padding with real give to it, nylon closures up top and TPU straps below, and forged gaffs that bite on a live trunk rather than skidding. In our climbs the set did what a spur set is supposed to do, and the height adjustment took a minute to sort rather than an afternoon.

Where it shows is in the details. The EVA pads are fine for a morning's work but do not have the shape of the leather and foam setups on the pricier sets. The habit worth building with any budget pair: look the spurs over for cracks before every climb.

In the hand it reads as mid-weight steel rather than budget tin, and at 5.8 pounds it is a pound and a half under the Notch steel pair. The green frame is easy to find in long grass, which counts for more than it sounds when you set them down to haul a rope.

The box includes the pair of spikes, a waist belt, two foot belts, two ankle belts and gloves — the most complete kit here, and for a first set it means one order instead of three.

The pedals are the part that stands out: thick, wide and finished with a non-slip surface, so a work boot has somewhere to sit rather than perching on a rail. The claws sit in two positions, and the foot and ankle straps adjust separately, which is the arrangement you want if a set is going to be shared.

As a first set it is honest, and it is also the one here with the thinnest track record behind it. The waist belt in the box is a positioning aid, not a fall-arrest harness, so work a proper harness and lanyard into the cost before the first real climb.

The gloves tell you who this is aimed at, and there is no shame in that — everyone learns on something, and a kit that arrives complete lowers the price of finding out whether you even like climbing on spikes.