your top rope solo device

I use the Wren Soloist 2-3 times a week and I can't imagine anything being better than this device....hands free as long as you weight your rope correctly. Only drawback is when you can't do the climb you need to prusik up...

Ive used a shunt before but only in window washing situations where we have two ropes. The shunt works great on a backup line but definitely should not be used as a sole device. The device will definitely not grab you if the climber freaks and grabs the device in a fall. Works well on as a backup but still does not feed extremely smooth without a little assistance.

What about the soloist? I've been looking for something for top rope soloing as well. I have actually just used clove hitches with back up knots to lead belay myself before. Can be a pain but think it's some good practice for rescue type situations and is very simple, just need some lockers.

Mike McLean wrote: This should be qualified. Dave McLeod doesn't agree with you at all, and I sort of trust that guy. Cause he knows what he's doing. Massively.

I have not but I believe it. The shunt is always suppose to be kept as high on the rope as possible and never with slack. They can slip and I assume when they slip can shread the sheath

Cross posting THIS thread.

If these two threads were stickied, it might eliminate this reoccuring question/answer session.

I use two ropes. microtrax on one, microascender on the other as backup. both pieces of gear are quite small. weight the ropes and 100% hands free climbing. when i get to the top, tie off, unclip, rappel down. rinse and repeat. great way to run laps.

Trango Cinch with a DMM Belay master biner. Rope feeds no problem, maybe put a back up knot half way up. Easy for running laps, as you can lower once you get to top.

Why do u use shock cord instead of standard static accessory cord through the primary Minitraxion to keep slack out of the system? Would standard accessory cord work just as well? Why do u extend the secondary protraxion?

Will S wrote:Stopping to tie knots sort of defeats the purpose of a self-feeding device. I use a minitrax on top held upright (to keep slack out of the system so the device doesn't have to re-orient from hanging down) with a loop of shock cord girthed through the clip-in hole and worn over the shoulder bandolier style to hold it up, and a protrax as a backup on bottom clipped to a 4" sewn sling girthed to the belay loop so it hangs below my junk. Would prefer two minis (or better yet, micros) but I own a mini and pro and it works well enough. If running back to back laps, I rig two strands (i.e. knot in the middle of the rope at the anchor), climb on one, slap a grigri on the other at the top and rap. With a little practice it only takes about 15sec to be on the way back down. Occasionally I'll just use a grigri if working a sequence where I'll want to lower a lot, but I almost hit the ground doing that a couple seasons ago when I hucked a dyno and the grigri got hung in clothing and didn't lockup. Went about 15' convinced I was going to deck since I was only 20' to start with.

Anyone else use the QL method Scott Bennet mentioned? Anyone had a decent fall and have that QL and knot catch them?

Im asking because i really like the idea. Its kind of like a vertical highline leash. The only concern is, under the pressure of a decent fall, can the knot (I believe just an overhand loop in the photo) squeeze through the link?

ChaseLeoncini wrote:Anyone else use the QL method Scott Bennet mentioned? Anyone had a decent fall and have that QL and knot catch them? Im asking because i really like the idea. Its kind of like a vertical highline leash. The only concern is, under the pressure of a decent fall, can the knot (I believe just an overhand loop in the photo) squeeze through the link?

True, thanks.

ChaseLeoncini wrote:Anyone else use the QL method Scott Bennet mentioned? Anyone had a decent fall and have that QL and knot catch them?

@wivanoff
Okay, i'll have to look at quick link sizes and gettin a thick rope. Thanks.

wivanoff wrote: I have. 3/8" quicklink and 10.3mm rope. Haven't fallen on it because my ascender has always caught. Doubt a knot would squeeze through the quicklink.

I use two Crolls. One at chest level, and a back up hanging from my belay loop. The rope slides very nicely though them, and there cam locks hold very well, but are easy enough to release when needed.

Maybe worth reviving this old thread just to note that Petzl changed the Basic ascender not long ago and the newer one is not advised for top rope solo.

Just got a Camp Goblin for a rope access work. Looks like it would make a sweet tr device, trails effortlessly and locks reliably. Otherwise I have always used rescuescender/microscender

M Hanna wrote:Just got a Camp Goblin for a rope access work. Looks like it would make a sweet tr device, trails effortlessly and locks reliably. Otherwise I have always used rescuescender/microscender

alanm wrote:Maybe worth reviving this old thread just to note that Petzl changed the Basic ascender not long ago and the newer one is not advised for top rope solo.

Petzl Micro Traxion hands down! No issues what so ever if you understand physics and use a dynamic rope. I have logged hundreds of thousands of feet of climbing on the device and taken several hundreds of falls(more of a dynamic sit onto the rope) which produces way less then 5kn of force(where you can start to see rope damage) and zero issues. No need for two devices on one rope or two ropes and two devices means you either are a very big person or you just don't understand the physics involved. All the force is applied to one device anyways. And if you are concerned with the device not grabbing your rope then you put in on wrong or you are not paying attention to or maintaining your gear.

Matt