Yates Rocker - safer simulclimbing

[wbk]

Has any used a Yates Rocker to effectively isolate the seconder from the first while simulclimbing? I've heard that this device can really help and is useful in speeding up a simulclimbing situation. Any thoughts?

 

Here's a link to the device:

Yates Rocker

 

Does anyone know where I can get one of these?

 

 

Edited February 7, 2008 by wbk

[Sherri]

I believe the Yates Rocker patent was purchased by Singing Rock, and the device is now being sold as the Singing Rock "Locker". I got mine here: Patroller Supply

[darstog]

That's wild. It seems a little bulky, don't you think. I feel like I can see it getting hammered around unless it was affixed to a bolt or a cam on a very short sling.

I purchased a pair of Petzl Tiblocs and my friend a couple of Wild Country Ropemans (Ropemen?) for the purpose of simulclimbing. I know there's been a few debates on some other sites regarding this, but I'm wondering if anybody has used any of these devices (or others) with any degrees of success. (read: I've yet to use my tiblocs--damn this whole "making a living and raising a family" thing--but am hoping to do Slesee this summer).

[Hendershot]

At his last Feathered Friends slideshow, Colin gave an endorsement of the Wild Country Ropeman.

 

I have a Tibloc, but have yet to use it so I didn't think it necessary to upgrade to a Ropeman.

[rbw1966]

Take a fall while soloing with a tibloc and post what happens to your rope here.

[G-spotter]

The Rocker is way bigger than a Tibloc or Ropeman - it's the size of a GriGri, basically - and so I don't think it'd be very smart to use for alpine simuling.

[spotly]

I use my Rocker for solo top-roping but it's on the edge of too heavy and bulky to drag on an alpine route. I'm picking up 2 of the Ropeman this week for simul-climbing.

[woodchips]

Take a fall while soloing with a tibloc and post what happens to your rope here.

 

Would a ropeman be any better? It's still got teeth.

[bdynkin]

Take a fall while soloing with a tibloc and post what happens to your rope here.

Wait a second! A leader does not fall on a tiblock. The rope goes around a carabiner provided that it's clipped on a correct side of it.

[sweatinoutliquor]

Ummm... I haven't used the tibloc or ropeman for this application, and I have both... My expectation would be that falling on either would be bad, although I think the tibloc would be much worse. Especially on a rope <10.2mm. Even on the "non-toothed" version of the ropeman I would suspect that a fall would be pretty rough on the rope's core. Also, if you are going to use one of these setups, you will probably have to anchor it with a multidirectional anchor, right? (so it can handle the upward drag of the rope, but catch a downward fall from either the leader or follower)? Anyway, I won't ever do it, and I would recommend that you at least test it out before using it. Maybe try testing both setups out real close to the ground to see 1) if the rope feeds through easily without pulling the gear out and 2) what happens to the rope and hardware with some "top-rope" style falls. I'd be interested because this certianly isn't the first time this discussion has come up.

 

 

[spotly]

I've been playing with the Ropeman II (the one with teeth - for skinnier ropes) for a few weeks now and, like you point out, it would have to be set up with a multidirectional or it'll ride up with the rope and either pull the piece or make for a longer follower fall - pulling the leader off if the follower falls anyway.

 

Also, you can't rely on it to hold a lead fall so you'd want to place an additional piece of pro above it as well - keeping the leader from falling directly on the Ropeman.

 

I've only set it up on the rock a few times but so far, it seems like a relatively tedious and time-consuming process to use if your main goal is speed.

 

My experience is stictly academic and hopefully will stay that way