What it is for
Ordinary rigging lowers a piece straight down from where it is cut. A speedline carries it out horizontally first, so it lands in a chosen spot well away from the tree. It is a specialist rigging system built from rated rope, pulleys and anchors, and it is the sort of thing that is planned before the first cut (see rigging).
This page names the system; it does not describe how to build one.
Why it matters in Northern Nevada
Many backyard trees stand behind houses with no vehicle access, over pools, decks or fenced gardens, or in tight lots in older Reno and Carson City neighborhoods. A speedline can bring pieces out over those targets. If the lot is open to a truck and the tree is large, a crane (see crane pick) may do the same job without a speedline. See removing a tree in a tight backyard.
Which method suits a job depends on the tree, the access and what is underneath.
What an arborist does about it
Choosing between ropes, a speedline, a boom truck or a crane is a planning decision made by the certified arborist after looking at the site. The choice follows ANSI Z133 rigging practice. Battle Born can bring a crane and a 75-foot boom truck to a site when the job calls for it. Call 775.232.8243 and we will look at your yard.
You are unlikely to see the word on a quote, but you may see the line in the yard. If a crew rigs one, it usually means the site was too tight for a crane and the pieces had to travel over something worth protecting.
Sources
- International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Why Hire an Arborist (read October 17, 2026)