Self belay on lead?

[Gimpy]

Sometimes if I cant round up a partner for some last-minute climbing I use my Grigri and self-belay on TR. I have been wondering if there is a good method for self-belay on lead for those routes I cant just scramble up to the top first.

 

Anybody have some experiance or knowlege?

 

Gimpy

[wayne]

I have used the Soloist with good success. It has its weeknesses with traversing and rope drag and you have to constantly watch your sitch( you cant fall upside down). There is web info that a friend of mine downloaded on it. Of course it takes practice and work but it has saved many weekends and provided a great sense of accomplishment where none would be.

When I get the $ ,I would like to get the Silent Partner device. It is supposed to be better. web page

[lizard_brain]

Anyone have experience with both the Soloist and the Silent Partner? Which is easier to use? Safer? Easier on ropes?

 

And who's taken falls on either of these?

 

[ 07-21-2002, 09:49 PM: Message edited by: lizard brain ]

[salbrecher]

Use a prussik knot and coil the rope in your backpack so it comes out evenly as you climb. You can even fall upside down

[Gimpy]

Let me rephrase that, I want to know the particulars of how to rig and work a self-belay on lead. I have used both a prusik and the Grigri for TR so am comfortable with their use.

 

What I don't get is how the rope is managed. If I tie in to the harness, run it through the first draw, and return to the belay device, I create a loop. Climb to the second anchor and clip you still have a loop, just a larger one. If you fall, would you not fall clear down to the first anchor point? Is there a way to rig so you only fall twice you distance above the last clip?

 

This hasn't been keeping me up at night. Also I would only use this on routes several marks below my redpoint. I was just at Frenche's Dome the other day, alone again. I bouldered a little, and then went to screw around on Staircase. There was a day, before I had kids to think about, that I would have solo'd up to the top and rapped down. Now I at least want some rope to keep me from decking, so I chickened out at the first anchor of pitch two and rapped down.

 

Thanks for any advice,

Gimpy

[HeadSpace]

Uhhhhhh, Salbrecher, not such good advice. A prussik will likely heat up, melt and fail in the vent of a fall. It won't matter whether you hit the ground upside down or right side up, SPLAT!

[Matt]

quote:

---

Originally posted by salbrecher:

Use a prussik knot and coil the rope in your backpack so it comes out evenly as you climb. You can even fall upside down

---

This is explained in more detail in Royal Robins' "Advanced Rockcraft," 1973. it is called the Barnett System, after Steve Barnett.

 

How the system works:

 

The anchored rope runs through a pulley attached to the climber's chest loop, down through a "Penberthy style ascender knot." This knot is part of a loop of rope which passes through the swami belt or other harness to be tied with a ring bend or grapevine knot. As the climber moved upward, the knot is raised by the rope and compressed against the pulley, allowing the rope to slide through the knot. If a fall occurs, the pulley is no longer held down by the pull on the rope, and no compression occurs on the knot, allowing it to do its job of gripping the rope and stopping the fall. The only apparent disadvantage in theis system is, as Carson says, "the amount of slack in the ascender knot is critical. Too little slack results in excessive friction through the system. More serious is too much slack. The knot may not catch in a fall.

 

See B. Carson, "A New Solo Climbing System," Summit, April 1973.

 

Any old school guys ever try out the Barnett System?

 

[Peter_Puget]

Tried it once aid climbing - it sucks. First it doesn't really work that smoothly. It is right where I didn't need more stuff around my body. f it didn't catch right away I thought: would it just melt away if it started to catch. No one I know who solo climbs roped uses this system. I have some friends who are pretty happy with the silent partner.

 

PP

[Bleau1955]

Hello everyone. I’m the new one on this forum. I’m writing an article about solo climbing techniques. 
I’m looking for the article by B. Carson, "A New Solo Climbing System", Summit, April 1973. (post of Matt)
It is not easy to find "Summit" in Europe. Thank you very much.
Ps. I am also looking for any information about Steve Barnett (date of birth etc.)
Thank you for your help
good wek end Piotr

Edited November 5, 2022 by Bleau1955

[Bleau1955]

Good news: I received a copy of the article from Bruce Carson from Library of AAC! Great! If anyone wants to read it?
To later
Piotr

[Choada_Boy]

Can you post it here?