Back in the summer of 91' I went a pole climbing on a track near Utica Ohio, ton's of glass, no wires and WAAAY back out in the middle of nowhere but wild countryside. This was the first, and last time I climbed a pole to date. The 2 long deep cuts in the meat of my left hand and the skin ripped from my chest are the only souveniers I brought home that fateful day when my climbers broke free. The cuts are about 1.5" long each, were 1/2" deep and bled extremely heavily. They are just above the pen markings and around the side of my palm. I was fortunate that I knew how to tie a tourniquet to stem bloodflow till I got back to my car. The vertical cut in my palm is from carple tunnel surgery. I can assure you, I will NOT be climbing a pole again without the right gear, and....NEVER hug the pole on the ride down!