Key takeaways
- Climbing needs no equipment access but depends on rigging to lower pieces.
- A boom truck puts the worker in a bucket on a boom; Battle Born runs a 75-foot Altec GMC boom truck.
- A crane takes the weight of each piece and moves it to a drop zone.
- Access, overhead wires, structures, soil and tree size decide the method.
- The method is chosen by the arborist at the assessment.
Battle Born works all three ways. It has climbers, a 75-foot Altec GMC boom truck and a crane. No one method is best for every tree, and a good estimate explains why the crew chose the one it did.
The three methods
| Climbing and rigging | Boom (bucket) truck | Crane | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How the worker reaches the tree | Climbs the tree | Rides a bucket on a boom | Climbs; crane line attached at the cut point |
| How pieces come down | Rigged and lowered | Cut and lowered or handled from the bucket | Crane operator holds the piece and moves it to the drop zone |
| Needs | Little equipment access | A spot for the truck within reach | A stable set-up location, outriggers and room for the boom |
| Fits | Back yards, slopes, small access | Trees reachable from a driveway or street | Large trees near homes, wires or other obstacles |
When is climbing the right method?
Climbers can get into trees that no truck can reach. The trade-off, in Battle Born's own words, is that complex rigging and lowering is required to avoid obstacles, and the results are usually inferior to the crane-assisted removal process. Climbing remains the right method for trees in tight yards with no access, and for work high in a crown where a bucket cannot go.
The boom truck
Battle Born owns a 75-foot Altec GMC boom truck, and also lists aerial lift among its equipment. A boom puts a worker at the branch with a saw, off the tree. It suits trimming, dead wooding and removals of trees the truck can reach from a driveway or street. Outriggers and ground conditions matter here too, and a boom that cannot get close enough cannot work.
The crane
The crane is the heavy option. The company says crane removal reduces the time of the job and decreases the impact on the surroundings, and that it is a safe and efficient no-impact method at a lower cost than traditional methods. We state that as the company's description. The process is the five steps in how crane tree removal works.
What decides it
- Access: where a truck or crane can stand, and whether gates and fences allow it
- Overhead lines and structures near the tree
- Tree size and the weight of the pieces
- The ground: soft soil, slopes, sprinkler systems and septic areas
- The target: roof, pool, fence or open lawn
- Permits and timing for your area
The ISA says tree removal is something an arborist can help decide, and recommends hiring one when the tree is dead, dying or an unacceptable risk, or when it obstructs something pruning cannot fix. A certified arborist assesses every Battle Born job before work begins. Battle Born Tree Service has two ISA Certified Arborists on staff, including ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A.
What if the tree is near a power line?
If any part of the tree is near a power line, stay away and call NV Energy. The ISA describes lines on poles as communication, secondary, primary and transmission, with higher voltage on the higher lines and more space needed from trees. Work near lines is a separate conversation from a routine removal.
Ask the right questions
When you get an estimate, ask why the crew chose that method, what the crew will do about the ground and lawn, and what is left for you. Our tight backyard guide covers access, and our equipment page lists what we own. The estimate is free.
Sources
- International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Why Hire an Arborist (read October 17, 2026)
- International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Avoiding Tree and Utility Conflicts (read October 17, 2026)
- International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Pruning Your Trees (read October 17, 2026)