# Done with skywalkers!



## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

So this happened today. Yes, I went down, no I wasn't hurt. No warning, no sound when the leg strap gave way. Just a look on my face that went from one of confusion to one of "OH ****E!" Btw, this happened right in front of the hand rail.

Pics are in the next post, the app I use wouldn't let me upload them.


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)




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## Sweendog87 (Apr 5, 2015)

Holly chit mate glad your ok maybe use scaffold on second level and stilts for ground


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

Thanks Sweendog.

I'll have to get a walk through vid of this place, there is a 2nd floor that we are rushing, because the trim is coming thursday or friday, and they have a temp floor installed. When all is said and done, the temp floor will go away, and open stair well from roof to basement.


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## D A Drywall (May 4, 2013)

Wow. Glad to hear you didn't get hurt Fr8. I was planning to get a pair of 24-40 Skywalker's in the next week or so. I tested them out at the supply house. They felt really good. I'm rethinking that now.


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## Sweendog87 (Apr 5, 2015)

Don't you hate when the owners don't give you enough time to Do a job properly and safely always got trade up your ass


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## embella plaster (Sep 21, 2013)

God bless fr8 your lucky mate i just dont know what to do i tried other stilts but they feel so stompy if that makes scence maybe its just getting use to them


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

Looks like you used them alot...I was thinking my 2.0s are 4 years old and should get new straps and shoes


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## embella plaster (Sep 21, 2013)

icerock drywall said:


> Looks like you used them alot...I was thinking my 2.0s are 4 years old and should get new straps and shoes


Good idea ice mine are about 4 years old prevention is the best medicine i tell u what u are an ideas man hears me thinking aaron go by some new stilts


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## Sweendog87 (Apr 5, 2015)

Ebay sell em cheap


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

icerock drywall said:


> Looks like you used them alot...I was thinking my 2.0s are 4 years old and should get new straps and shoes


That was the free set of 2.1s I got after the foot plate on my 2.0s split in 2 while I was on them. I've only had them since November (ish). They did get used often, every day, almost. Just didn't hold up. Shame too, I like them, I just can't trust them.


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

D A Drywall said:


> Wow. Glad to hear you didn't get hurt Fr8. I was planning to get a pair of 24-40 Skywalker's in the next week or so. I tested them out at the supply house. They felt really good. I'm rethinking that now.


I had been thinking of snagging a pair of them too.


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## sdrdrywall (Sep 4, 2010)

I told you those things are garbage .


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

fr8train said:


> That was the free set of 2.1s I got after the foot plate on my 2.0s split in 2 while I was on them. I've only had them since November (ish). They did get used often, every day, almost. Just didn't hold up. Shame too, I like them, I just can't trust them.


That sucks that this keeps happening to you...Happy your ok bro. I will talk to jim about this


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## P.A. ROCKER (Jul 15, 2011)

Sweendog87 said:


> Ebay sell em cheap


I'd scrap 'em so nobody gets hurt. :yes:

You know what they say fr8,,, the third time's the charm.
You're WAY overloading those stilts anyway. :jester:


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## P.A. ROCKER (Jul 15, 2011)

fr8train said:


> I had been thinking of snagging a pair of them too.


You didn't learn your lesson, did you.:no:


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

P.A. ROCKER said:


> You didn't learn your lesson, did you.:no:


Key word, I HAD been thinking about them. Not any more!


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

P.A. ROCKER said:


> I'd scrap 'em so nobody gets hurt. :yes:
> 
> You know what they say fr8,,, the third time's the charm.
> You're WAY overloading those stilts anyway. :jester:


I think I'm gonna use parts off of the other set to get these back in service until I get another pair of stilts, most likely some dura IVs.


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

fr8train said:


> I think I'm gonna use parts off of the other set to get these back in service until I get another pair of stilts, most likely some dura IVs.


I had a pair....and sold them. I dislike all straps after using my sky walkers. I am sorry I just cant change my stilts even if they that happens to me. 
if my Chevy got a flat I would not get a ford


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## aaron (Jun 19, 2013)

Exactly... This brings me to think of preventative maintenance that needs to be done, will check out things on my Skywalkers.

I was thinking of just that-the Chevy and Ford thing this afternoon, if my Chevy had a tire blow out because I hadn't done the preventative maintenance on things, and someone told me to buy a Ford with steel wheels because I wouldn't get a flat, I'll take the preventative maintenance of changing tires to get the better ride. It's worth the cost.

I'm glad you didn't get hurt, it's a good reminder for me to check my stilts out closer.


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## embella plaster (Sep 21, 2013)

Fr8 it looks like rust on the stilts do you leave them in a ute with no canopy open to the rain and elements just ?


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## Sweendog87 (Apr 5, 2015)

So I'm guessing sky walkers are the best stilts wondering why you think and if not what's your choice and why


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## mld (Jul 2, 2012)

You guys gotta be kidding here! Regular maintenance??? How bout being jacked up in the air on them and having the leg break off. Or the leg cuff breaking. Or the clamps snapping. Or the screws on the feet loosening up. 

You fall on stilts and break bones once you aren't gonna take chances again.

My duras and sur-mags don't let me down. Yes I loved walking on the sky walkers, but too risky for this crazy taper!


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## Nick Harmon (Feb 16, 2013)

Glad you're ok Mr. Keep those straps up to date!


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

That leg cuff/strap assembly is 6 months old


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

mld said:


> You guys gotta be kidding here! Regular maintenance??? How bout being jacked up in the air on them and having the leg break off. Or the leg cuff breaking. Or the clamps snapping. Or the screws on the feet loosening up.
> 
> You fall on stilts and break bones once you aren't gonna take chances again.
> 
> My duras and sur-mags don't let me down. Yes I loved walking on the sky walkers, but too risky for this crazy taper!


I'm right there with you, I really like the feel of them, but I've had too many
close calls. Fool me once......


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## Shelwyn (Apr 10, 2015)

Why would you ever use anything other than dura stilts?


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

Shelwyn said:


> Why would you ever use anything other than dura stilts?


I've worn out some duras ! But not once have I ever had a dura stilt break on me! EVER!


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## Shelwyn (Apr 10, 2015)

moore said:


> I've worn out some duras ! But not once have I ever had a dura stilt break on me! EVER!


I have so many spare parts for all my equipment that I don't see them breaking on any of my workers. I can see a couple of my double customs breaking down eventually, but even then I still have the husks from when I made a recent pair to replace even those parts. Durastilts are a solid buy. Just ignore those pretty stilts and buy quality and paint them if you want something fancy.


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## D A Drywall (May 4, 2013)

aaron said:


> Exactly... This brings me to think of preventative maintenance that needs to be done, will check out things on my Skywalkers.
> 
> I was thinking of just that-the Chevy and Ford thing this afternoon, if my Chevy had a tire blow out because I hadn't done the preventative maintenance on things, and someone told me to buy a Ford with steel wheels because I wouldn't get a flat, I'll take the preventative maintenance of changing tires to get the better ride. It's worth the cost.
> 
> I'm glad you didn't get hurt, it's a good reminder for me to check my stilts out closer.


It's more like how would you feel if the tie rod on that chevy snapped and you lose control. If you found out that it wasn't uncommon then it would be pretty hard to trust that Chevy again. Especially if you got hurt.


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## finishcoat (Feb 18, 2013)

*Skywalkers*

Same thing happened to mine brand new out of box the exact same strap broke. I replaced it and it snapped again along with a foot strap. My older skywalkers not an issue the new models are having trouble with the straps on leg cuff, couple people I know are having same problem.


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

Shelwyn said:


> Why would you ever use anything other than dura stilts?


Short and sweet, comfort. Current job, downstairs is all 10' lids. Makes for a lot of time on high stilts. Till it's time to get down, my feet HURT! But, I'll deal with temp pain instead of long term pain via injury.


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## icerock drywall (Nov 13, 2010)

fr8train said:


> Short and sweet, comfort. Current job, downstairs is all 10' lids. Makes for a lot of time on high stilts. Till it's time to get down, my feet HURT! But, I'll deal with temp pain instead of long term pain via injury.


Sorry bro....


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

icerock drywall said:


> Sorry bro....


Nothing to be sorry for Ice. I wish they had been more reliable for me. But, I've had three catastrophic failures on them, two of them put me on the floor, came out unscathed. But it's only a matter of time. I'll quit while I'm ahead.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

fr8train said:


> Nothing to be sorry for Ice. I wish they had been more reliable for me. But, I've had three catastrophic failures on them, two of them put me on the floor, came out unscathed. But it's only a matter of time. I'll quit while I'm ahead.


If I'm guessing right ? You gave those stilts a hard run for their money? And they couldn't take the abuse? 

Dura stilts love abuse!! They Thrive on It!


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

Not really, I didn't think I abused them. I didn't baby them either. Just used them.


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## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

fr8train said:


> Not really, I didn't think I abused them. I didn't baby them either. Just used them.


Well that says it all! They don't stand up to our means ?


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## Bazooka-Joe (Dec 31, 2010)

for five cents feighter how much is your weight


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

Bazooka-Joe said:


> for five cents feighter how much is your weight


If I round up. 265.


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## aaron (Jun 19, 2013)

Not trying to get things going here and criticizing anyone for what they use, but the weight limit is probably the main difference between the skywalkers and the dura stilts for the durability.

The Skywalkers on the website says 225 lbs max limit. I'm around that weight with tools so that is maybe why I've had good success with my stilts with no problems. I'm not afraid of pushing the limits on my stuff, but have found in the past if I'm over the weight limit by much, the stuff doesn't last long. Just a difference in design. It would be nice if they could design the Skywalkers to handle more weight.


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

Took a look at my old pair and the new ones. They changed the strap that wraps around the cuff. Among a few other things.


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## aaron (Jun 19, 2013)

Interesting, I've got the older 2.0 ones, that's maybe one of the "improvements" that they did to the 2.1s


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## embella plaster (Sep 21, 2013)

So are the older ones better?


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

aaron said:


> Interesting, I've got the older 2.0 ones, that's maybe one of the "improvements" that they did to the 2.1s


I had replaced the leg cuffs on my old set after the 2.1s were out for a while. There were some differences, so I assumed I had put 2.1 cuffs on them. Must've changed them again


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## Bazooka-Joe (Dec 31, 2010)

fr8train said:


> If I round up. 265.


forget the skywalkers Fr8ter


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

There's a reason I got that nickname!


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## Oldtimer (May 6, 2015)

I am happy I read through these posts. I was actually looking at getting a pair and now not so sure it would be a good idea. I work alone quite often and don't want to take the risk. I'll keep my Dura-stilts


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

Plenty of guys have had excellent luck with theirs, I have not.


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