New climbing gear! Four new products for fall 2024

It's new product time (again) at Notch Equipment!

At Notch Equipment, we’re constantly developing and testing new products. And because our customers’ needs and expectations for arborist and climbing gear are always evolving, we also partner with professional arborists and climbers to make sure our products make a noticeable difference and help improve safety and efficiency.

One of our favorite steps in the process happens at the very end, when we get to introduce new products to our customers. And that’s what we’re doing today, with the launch of four new pieces of climbing gear for arborists:

•    Notch Catalyst Harness
•    Notch Chester DLX Chest Harness
•    Notch Ergo Steel Climbers
•    Notch Hauler 70L Bag

To get an inside look at these products, we connected with Calvin Siegert, Product Manager at Notch Equipment, who knows all the details of what it took to bring these products to life. Here, Siegert shares his insights into these new products, including what makes each piece unique and how to know if each is right for you.

The Catalyst was built from the ground up, using lessons learned from the popular Notch Sentinel harness and insights from our product testers to develop something truly new and innovative. And we didn’t rush the process.

“Over the past three years, we’ve worked with a number of professional arborists to create a harness focused on comfort, personalization, style, and value,” Siegert says. The result—the Catalyst—features detailed adjustment on the rise and saddle, custom EVA molded foam padding, custom flared side Ds, and more. “We went all-in on this piece of climbing gear, from the choice of material and features to field testing time.”

Notes from a tester: “I love how lightweight the new Catalyst is. It’s easy to use the new buckles and there’s tons of space to attach my gear. The larger lower D attachment points are very easy to use and find while climbing in any position. I also love how the gear loops are stiff and stick out so they are easy to find and clip, even when you can’t see them.” — Krista Strating, Notch Ambassador

The Chester DLX is the next level trim from the existing Notch Chester SRS, and it adds a remarkable number of features that SRS climbers will love.

“SRS climbing is becoming more and more popular, and we’re seeing a lot of opportunity for innovation in this area,” Siegert says. That’s why the chest harness includes features like the ability to hold a hydration bladder, as well as storage, suspenders, and lots of adjustments for comfort. “The Chester DLX is for SRS climbers who enjoy the finer things.”

Fun fact from the field: “Testers love that the storage options make it easy to access phones and quick first-aid supplies. The integrated shock absorber is a helpful touch as well. ”

We’ll come right out and say it: These are the most ergonomic climbers on the market.

“The Ergos are the next generation of the Notch Gecko Steel climbers, but we changed and improved so many things that we renamed them,” Siegert says. “These aren’t the Gecko 2.0. These are affordable, high-performing climbers that are more comfortable, adjustable, and feature-rich than similar climbing gear from the competition.”

Notes from a tester: After field testing the Ergo climbers, I went back to my old spikes. I didn’t realize how much the ergonomics have improved in these new climbers. My old climbers made my feet hurt, but I didn’t have any pain or pressure points after wearing the Ergos all day.” —Derrick Martin, Notch Ambassador

Let’s face it, a lot of big gear bags simply aren’t very tough. We set out to change that with the Hauler.

“We didn’t want to create just another 70L bag,” Siegert says. “This big bag brings the feel of a comfortable backpack to the job site, with loads of room for all your climbing gear.” Bonus points? It stands on its own, has an integrated external Pop   Box sleeve, and is designed so you can always grab a handle no matter what orientation the bag is in—even when it’s stashed in the truck.

Fun fact from the field: “Testers loved the versatility inside the bag—there are lots of different ways to set it up to store your gear. That makes the Hauler good for handling and holding job-specific gear whether you are heading to a job, a competition, or maybe to the Arbor Fest Expo. ”

Just like all the products at Notch Equipment, each of the products here has been through our rigorous processes for development, prototyping, and testing. It’s what we do before anything with the Notch name reaches the hands of arborists. That’s what makes us proud of the gear we deliver—we know these are the best products to help arborists and climbers thrive.