Rope soloing question

I am looking to find out what size "backup" rope people bring for rope soloing? I only carry a 35 meter rope as my main line when I rope solo as no routes near me require more than that. I was looking into 8mm to 6mm cordage to save weight For the "backup" line. Anyone have any ideas.

I'd us a dynamic rope approved for climbing...
I'm not sure what your set up is but if your primary fails, I'd assume you're in a fall and a static rope or one not rated for a fall might not be good.

Depending on what you're climbing, you can use a single 60m with a figure 8 with a double strained bight at a master point... It's basically two ropes at that point.

I would not risk using anything other than what you'd climb on for a back up but that's just me and I'm sure there's other opinions c

questions

1. top rope or lead solo?

2. what device are you using on the backup rope?

Using a soloist. Top rope soloing. I did at first use a 60m rope but though it was pointless if my anchor fails then both strands are goin over as well. I went to a 35 m rope (just bought a 70 and cut it in half). As for the main line back up I practiced tying over hand knots on a bight while hanging one handed ( I can do this lefty or righty ) then I put a carabiner in the bight so that it can't come undone if I fall on it with the device. If the device doesn't catch there is no way the knot will pass through it stopping me a my last knot. I was just thinking about the backup line and was tryin to get some ideas.

javd wrote: use a dynamic rope approved for climbing...

As javd said, both lines need to be dynamic, even if top roping because you still can get some slack in the system.

My system involves:
1. anchoring two dynamic lines independently. This is usually one rope with two eights on a byte.
2. petzl microcender on first line to belay loop.
3. 2nd microcender on second line to leg loop.

This system doesn't have a "single point" of failure. If any part of the system fails then it has a redundant backup.

Capt. Impatient wrote:Using a soloist. Top rope soloing. I did at first use a 60m rope but though it was pointless if my anchor fails then both strands are goin over as well. I went to a 35 m rope (just bought a 70 and cut it in half). As for the main line back up I practiced tying over hand knots on a bight while hanging one handed ( I can do this lefty or righty ) then I put a carabiner in the bight so that it can't come undone if I fall on it with the device. If the device doesn't catch there is no way the knot will pass through it stopping me a my last knot. I was just thinking about the backup line and was tryin to get some ideas.

can you elaborate on what you mean by a backup line? Also, clarify why your toprope anchor failing is a concern?

I have a similar system as Mr. Wonderful when i rope solo, except I use microtraxions. A single bomber anchor is all you should need, no need for an entire second anchor as a backup.

Why do you need a back-up rope?--especially if you're just top-roping?

One rope, tie a quick back-up knot every now and then as you climb.

I've climbed a lot with a Soloist, mostly on lead, and never used a back-up rope.

why NOT have one for toprope? I mean, you're probably only using half the rope, so why not have a 2nd device tied to the other side (backing up the other device). Also, It is convenient in transferring to decent if you're doing laps or what-not.

I usually use a full 60m rope with a figure 8 on a bight in the middle clipped into the masterpoint. I use 2 microtraxions, one attached to the belay loop and one on a chest harness, one to each rope. I coil the excess rope and it provides enough weight to make the rope feed freely. I get very little slack.

I'm also comfortable using a single 30m rope with both microtraxions attached to the one rope. In regular top rope you are relying on a single rope.

Ok let me start over here. now that I am at a computer and this will be easier.

I use a soloist to top rope solo. I carry a 35 meter rope for my main line. No routes I am doing are over this length. I did carry a 60 meter rope but decided to cut a little weight by going with the 35m. To back up my main line I do like Ed Wright said. after the rope feeds through the soloist, I tie over hand knots on a bight one handed and then just for safety and so they don't come untied, I put a carabiner in the bight. (This also helps give the rope a little weight which helps it feed itself a little easier.) I'm not concern about my anchors being bad. Like H.. asked. It's just you never know what might happen. I always have three or more anchors and they are all equalized.

Now on to how I was thinking of doing this. My main line like always, then a smaller line with butterfly knots in the rope about every 10 feet. but then I thought where am I going to anchor this line to? I don't want to build two anchor points and I don't want to connect it into the main line system so I guess that is out. Also, I was thinking about 8mm or 6mm cordage. It has some stretch but not enough for a fall like I would put on it.

Now what I will most likely do... go back to carrying the 60m and setting up a figure 8 in the middle then one for the main line and one as the back up line. In the back up line I will most likely do the butterfly knot set up and just have runner and locker biner to clip into it and then just advance it as I go.

any other ideas are welcome if you have them. thanks for the help and letting me bounce ideas off you all.

Right!! omcmahon about only one rope in a regular top rope system. What if my belayer screws up or something. that's why I find it silly and never really understood why its an issue to even be thinking this, but safety first.

Capt. Impatient wrote: Now what I will most likely do... go back to carrying the 60m and setting up a figure 8 in the middle then one for the main line and one as the back up line. In the back up line I will most likely do the butterfly knot set up and just have runner and locker biner to clip into it and then just advance it as I go. any other I ideas are welcome if you have them. thanks for the help and letting me bounce ideas off you all.

Now you're talkin'. This is probably the most common way people TR solo. And for good reason - you have two strands hanging down. One to climb on and one for backup.

There have been numerous previous threads about toprope soloing. A quick search will produce those. Literally hundreds of comments.

One advantage of the two rope system is that your backup knots can all be on the backup line, and you don't have to remove them when you rap.

Capt. Impatient wrote:that's why I find it silly and never really understood why its an issue to even be thinking this, but safety first.

It isn't an issue you need to be thinking about. If you are fine with top-roping from an anchor with a person belaying you, you should be fine with top-rope soloing with one rope on that same anchor. I would bet a large sum of money that human belayers fail more often then rope-soloing devices, modern bolted (or equalized gear) anchors, or ropes that are not core shot.