Arborist Interview - Daryl (Pt. 1)

Brandon:
I’m Brandon with Sherrilltree, and welcome to our first installment of Arborist Interviews.

Today, we’re sitting down with Darryl Stanley, a local arborist who also does a lot of testing for us. Darryl has been in the arborist industry for several years, working for both small and large companies. Currently, he’s contract climbing for multiple companies in our area. We wanted to get his thoughts on safety, gear, and where the industry is heading.

So Darryl, how long have you been in the arborist industry?

Darryl:
This will be my 10th year.

Brandon:
Okay, so we continue to see a large number of accidents and injuries in the field. How important is safety for you on the job, and do you help crews better understand safety protocols when you’re working with them?

Darryl:
For me, safety is everything. Going home at the end of the day is a big deal—I’ve got a family. I was fortunate that the person I started with put safety first from the beginning, and that foundation has stuck with me. Every time I clip in, I’m asking myself, Am I secure?

I’ve talked with people who’ve been through serious injuries and worse. It really drives home how important safety is.

When I work with some of the newer companies starting up, they don’t always know much about best practices. It’s been great to help them with the basics—like standard PPE—and also to walk through real-world incidents. Recently, a climber had an issue while climbing and came to me for advice. We worked through what happened and talked about what to do differently next time. Being able to share that knowledge and hopefully prevent injuries is something I really value.

Brandon:
You also do a lot of gear testing for us—sometimes products that are close to market, and other times concepts that may or may not move forward. What do you enjoy most about testing gear?

Darryl:
Honestly, the guilty pleasure is that I get to be picky. Most arborists only get to critique gear once it’s already on the market, and by then there’s not much they can do to change it. I get to be picky on the front end and help shape the product into something that works the way it should—so arborists don’t have to complain about it later. That’s the fun part.

Brandon:
What are one or two of your favorite pieces of gear—tools you consider essential for staying productive and safe?

Darryl:
I’d say ART products in general are some of my favorites. Specifically, the Positioner 2 and the SnakeTail are probably my top two pieces of gear.

The Positioner is smooth, compact, and easy to use. When you think about repetitive motion—adjusting your lanyard hundreds of times a day—it really saves wear and tear on your elbow and shoulder. With hitches, you’re constantly fighting friction, and it takes effort. With the Positioner, I don’t even have to think about it. And not having to think about something all day long is a huge benefit.

The SnakeTail is incredibly versatile. I try to limit what I carry on my saddle, so I want gear that can serve multiple purposes. The SnakeTail does that—it’s a friction saver, a lanyard extension, and it even works as an SRT redirect anchor. That kind of multifunction gear is invaluable.

Brandon:
Earlier we were also talking about the difference between ascending on a moving rope system versus a stationary rope system. Do you find stationary rope much more efficient for ascent?

Darryl:
Oh, hands down. I don’t really ascend any other way anymore. I’ll often work on a moving rope system once I’m in the canopy, but for ascent, SRS is so much more efficient. It saves time, effort, and energy—it’s the clear choice for me.