knotzen Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 Probably this is covered somewhere? If not, I found some good information of how to safely go climbin' when you don't have a partner, and you just have to get out, here: http://www.tradgirl.com/climbing_faq/advanced.htm#trsolo Are there any other ideas or safe practices folk use? Thoughts on the info. in the link? TIA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knotzen Posted October 16, 2005 Author Share Posted October 16, 2005 Never mind, just found a thread: http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/303658/page/0/fpart/1/vc/1 Carry on, then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonNelson Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 I looked through those posts and the link, but did not see any mention of the method that I have been using for the past two years for solo toproping. It's a little lonely for a weekday climber out here in Otsu, Japan, so, since coming here, I have always done top-rope solos. I use the soloist device, but not quite in the way that their manual states -- I tie in to the bottom connection, as they state in the manual, but I do not clip the top of the device to a chest harness. Instead, I just have a 'biner clipped into the top (as is required to keep the cam from coming out). No chest harness is needed with this method. There are 2 advantages to this method, provided that one is just toproping: 1) It doesn't matter if one falls upside down or right-side up; the device locks onto the rope and stops the fall regardless. 2) The rope tends to self-feed quite easily. Sometimes I have to reach down with one hand and tighten the rope, but not nearly as often as in the case when the top of the device is clipped to a chest harness. For a backup, I tie a figure-8 knot on the rope, a little below the device, and then clip into it. Right after doing so, the device doesn't self-feed, but after climbing a little bit the device self-feeds. Since I'm by myself, I'd like to use two ropes; one for the self-belay, and one for the back-up knots. But I haven't been willing to pay the extra money... Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billygoat Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 the Yates Rocker is by far the best top rope solo device I've used. Real secure, simple, and runs smooth. You won't even know it is there.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonNelson Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 You're right, the Yates Rocker looks like a good device. I bought the Soloist about 10 years ago because I wanted to do lead solos. It works fine for leading, but for the last few years, I've only done top-rope solos. The way that I described above is also smooth and easy for top-roping, but if I was to buy a device now, I might get the Yates instead. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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