Davej wrote:
Well, I think that for some of my trees I'm going to want to buy a 2nd rope and use two TIPs going up.

That works. You can also use the other end of your rope for the second tie-in, this is the customary method for "double crotching".
-moss

Here's a photo of the inside of a plum tree to show what happens inside weak unions where branch angles are "V" shaped or even narrower.

This is cross-cut down the middle, and also sideways to make a _base_ stand, where the cap is sitting.

You can see the included bark pinched between well over a foot down. No connection or bonding there. And you can see how a side limb that should have been cut off at pencil size, became a few inched diameter and also interfered with development of the central stem.

There are some good words here. What really stands out is that you will have to learn from experience. There is so much to absorb when you start what with the gear, tree species and condition, proximity of power lines etc.... Always choose a TIP carefully and even after you bounce test keep aware of it on the ascent. It can shift when you are on the move. If it does shift then you chose poorly. This will happen if you are too far from the trunk, on a branch that is too small or on a soft wood species, or if the branch angles even slightly downwards. Two TIPS is sometimes needed as when I recently climbed a big Fir where my only option were branches that sloped downward away from the trunk. A good rule of thumb is 4 inches on hardwoods and 6 inches on soft woods. And make sure the branch is alive. If you don't know if it is a soft or hard wood species then stick with 6 inches. Even then you could choose a branch with a defect not visible from the ground after careful inpection with binoculars. As was stated before start with large branches close to the trunk. When you get into the tree take plenty of time to inspect the whole tree. Actually, you need to be inspecting all the way up checking for deadwood, animals, bees and branches that are not connected but hung up in the braches - called widowmakers. A wise person recently said "It's not how high you go but how well you land"