In the demanding field of arboriculture, safety, efficiency, and precision are non-negotiable. Arborists face unique challenges every day—working at height, navigating from canopy to canopy, and dealing with unpredictable elements. While traditional climbing remains an indispensable skill in tree care, more and more professionals are turning to advanced tools like the Leguan spider lift to enhance their operations. Rather than replacing climbing, these versatile machines complement and amplify what skilled arborists do best.
The Spider Lift Advantage: Leguan Leading the Way
The Leguan spider lift is designed in collaboration with professional arborists. Its compact design, superior mobility, and ability to maneuver in tight or rugged environments safely make it ideal for tree work. Whether operating on soft lawns, sloped terrain, or in confined urban environments, the Leguan can reach even the most difficult worksites without a hassle.
Key features that stand out:
- All-terrain mobility: Leguan can handle mud, roots, slopes, and even obstacles such as street curbs thanks to its high-profile track system.
- High reach and precision: With working heights up to 26,5 meters (87 feet) and lateral outreach capabilities, arborists can access difficult branches safely and efficiently.
- Markets fastest setup: Saving time increases revenue. With Leguan, there are no manual pre-tasks before operation, just hop on the platform, drive off the trailer and start working.
- Automation and safety: The automatic leveling system, home function and built-in safety features designed to work with the machine ensures Leguan’s efficiency on every jobsite.
Safer Tree Work from the Ground Up
Safety is perhaps the most significant benefit. Climbing remains physically demanding and inherently risky. With a spider lift, many tasks—such as pruning, crown reductions, or even storm damage mitigation—can be performed in a more planned and safe manner, reducing fatigue and exposure to fall hazards.
Unexpected breaks of weak branches can happen on any worksite, whether during a challenging storm cleanup or the final tree on a site you’ve worked on for three days without issues. Using a spider lift in co-operation with climbing reduces the unexpected hazards when you can secure the main lines, hoist climbers up the tree and overall examine the tree with a lift before the actual climbing operation.
Revenue Increasing Efficiency
Using a Leguan in co-operation with climbers often translates into increased productivity, while climbers work on the inner parts the Leguan operator can simultaneously work the outer sections effortlessly. This means arborists can take up more work due to shortened time on each job site thanks to the increased efficiency and lower physical strain on the crew.
Larger jobs such as long passageways with tens or even hundreds of trees, usually are not the most glorified work for arborists, but it still needs to be done. This kind of project, with climbing only, would take several days or even weeks. With assistance from a Leguan, these projects are way more fun and significantly faster to complete.
Climbing Still Matters: A Partnership, Not a Replacement
It’s important to stress: the spider lift is not replacing the tree climber. There are still countless scenarios where climbing is the best—or only—option. Dense canopies, tall trees, or structural tree inspections deep within the crown usually require hands-on maneuvering that only a skilled climber can provide.
However, the most effective arborists are those who blend methods. By using a Leguan spider lift in tandem with climbing, arborists can handle more work without the increased fatigue, therefore lowering the risk of accidents and maintaining the longevity of the whole tree care crew. Climbers can focus on the fine-detail work when the heavy lifting is done with a Leguan and overall, the work can be planned and scheduled with more precision.
In modern arboriculture, the most successful professionals are those who leverage every tool available without compromising skill or safety. The Leguan spider lift is proving itself as an essential ally—not a substitute—for climbing arborists. With its ability to improve access, reduce risk, and boost productivity, it allows tree care professionals to perform at their best.
As the industry continues to evolve, one thing is clear: the future of tree work isn’t about choosing between machines and human skill—it’s about making them work together.
