available was a men’s size 8. She wears a size 6. “I didn’t have the dexterity I needed to be safe,” she said. “My fingertips didn’t even reach the ends. I was fum- bling with everything, just trying to do the job.” Despite raising the issue, the training company said gloves were non-nego- tiable for insurance purposes. But ironically, the gloves themselves compromised her safety. ARBORTEC RISES TO THE OCCASION There are brands in the industry that are actively working to address the deficit of women’s gear in the tree care industry. Among them, Arbortec is pre- paring to launch its first full women’s PPE collection — a range of jackets, trousers, boots, and gloves designed specifically for women working in the arboriculture industry. “This has been a long and thoughtful journey, with countless hours of devel- opment, fitting, and field testing,” said Camilla Brothers, marketing assistant for Arbortec. “Created by women, for women, every piece has been refined and reworked to strike the right bal- ance between fit, comfort, and perfor- mance.” According to Brothers, the develop- ment of Arbortec’s new female-specific line involved direct input from women across a range of tree care roles — in- cluding climbers, ground crew, train- ers, consultants, and business owners. The company also partnered with wom- en’s arborist groups and professional networks throughout the design and field-testing process. “This was not about resizing men’s gear,” she explained. “It was about designing from the ground up — pur- pose-built for female-specific body shapes, movement patterns, and the unique demands of tree work. From fabric choices to pocket placement, re- al-world feedback shaped every detail.”
Proper fit isn't about looking good — it's a safety requirement. Women in tree care deserve equipment that moves with them, not against them.
“It chafed really badly — exactly where it shouldn’t,” she explained. “It seems like it got pulled from the market.” She currently uses the Petzl Sequoia SRT harness. While it is not designed for women, the harness is still more comfortable than others. “It’s not perfect, but it protects what needs protecting,” she admitted. “Still, there’s a massive deficit. We’ve got female climbers in competitions and sponsorships — why aren’t there decent harnesses made for them?” Perhaps most concerning is the issue of gloves. When training for her chain- saw certifications, Allison was required to wear safety gloves — standard pro- tocol. The problem? The smallest size
Cost is a recurring theme in the con- versation. With limited choices, women often must pay more for the few well-fit- ting options available. “To be safe, warm, and dry, I’ve got to spend hundreds on a coat that’s going to get ruined within weeks,” she said. “That’s a big reason I kept my office job — I need the salary just to afford PPE.” HARNESSES, HELMETS, AND GLOVES: A CRITICAL FIT When it comes to climbing harnesses, the situation is even bleaker. Allison looked into a women’s harness — the Gemini by Komet — but says feedback in her all-female arborist group was overwhelmingly negative.
26 | Spring 2025 ArborTIMES™
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