Rope soloing setups

im just curious what people's rope solo setups look like. There seem like there are many options/ combinations of main and back up devices/ knots and I'm wondering what people think are the best!?

Can't say I'd trust any of them on ice.

I use a top rope gri gri set up on ice. probably not the best though

For TR? Micro & mini traxion. Lead?....scary

Search top rope solo or micro traxion for results.
Josh Janes did a gear review of the micro trax. His thread has good info:
mountainproject.com/v/gear-…

There have been numerous threads on this subject. The MP search function will support that.

The Traxion works and many people use them for soloing, but remember they are toothed devices and have been known to damage ropes on falls.

Note though, there are devices that are made specific for solo climbing. I do not use one, but maybe one day.

I use the Petzl Microcender and Rescucender which are nontoothed devices. They are each on an independent line, and a Petzl quick link is used to attach the device to my harness instead of carabiners. I will also knot the secondary line every so often as a third precaution. This is my top rope setup.

On lead it is a different story and I have not had any need to solo lead, as of yet, and do not have my own setup for this. I have seen well illustrated posts on this system setup at MP before though. No link to the thread without searching myself.

Also, I started out on very easy stuff for sometime before moving to more vertical. Take your time to work out what best works for you before you go to the hardest climb you can find. Better yet, find someone who is experienced with solo systems so they can show you the pros and cons.

No matter what system you use, it will be a p.i.t.a. compared to having a partner.

Edit to add:
I did not notice we were talking about ice climbing. Forget the nontoothed devices in this scenario.

on lead or on a fixed line?

i use a fixed line often for practice / training for ice climbing. It really helps.

I follow petzl's detailed instructions (and I don't trust what others write in blogs, or out-dated magazine articles, or forums--oh, the irony of that statement).

petzl.com/en/Sport/Multi-pi…

go here, click on "self-belaying" and read all those documents

One more thing-- Over on super topo, Werner Braun once opined that top-rope soloing for ice climbing seemed sketch because of the icy ropes. He is true veteran of YOSAR and a guy who knows how to take risks. He is one on of the few individuals I trust.

So I check for ice on the ropes repeatedly, I rappel down the lines to keep them from gettting too icy, and I duplicate by using two devices, each on a separate line.

In essence, these devices don't grasp iced ropes very well. (You'll find various stories of climbers getting stormed on el cap and needing to use prussiks because the ascenders wouldn't work)

Go out, buy silent partner, read manual, lead...simple.

Shameless TR post see below: there's also some good stuff in the comment section.

supertopo.com/tr/Travis-and…

For TR I just use a fixed line with safety knots and a gri-gri...gri-gri doesn't feed well but it works you because you have to stop and pull up slack, so it essentially emulates placing gear (i.e. stop, hold on with one hand, do something with the other hand in this case pull up slack, start moving, repeat).

Edit: Did not see this was in the ice climbing category...disregard everything...YUR GONNA DIE...

Yr talking about ice

When its muddy or icy use a toothed ascender

Many of the non toothed ones may fail in those conditions

Also tie a backup knot or two

;)

Will Carney aka ElGato wrote:I do some single pitch top rope style soloing around here and I've found the Wren Soloist to be the go to piece. I like the Micro Traxion as well but the Soloist will never unsheath your rope in a fall. It's tricky getting used to it but can definitely be a saving grace when all your belay buddies are out of contact and you just wanna get on some rock.

Seriously? I used a Soloist for years and it worked ok for leading (a Silent Partner works much better IMO), but I never was happy with it on top rope. For TR, pair of microtrax for me all the way.

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Dont use an SP or camming device for ice.

I have done thousands of pitches of free lead roped soloing by pretty much every method and device over the past 40 years. As was said above, you don't want to lead on ice by any of the methods and it only takes a few small chunks of ice to screw up a TR solo rig. YMMV.

Micro and MiniTrax for ice. TR only. Leading? Theres a few tips out there, most involve the potential for long falls, and those lead rope soloing ice are few and far between. Most just get the damn thing over with (free solo). Big mountains with thousands of feet already under folk, they will usually rope solo for a brief moment or two. Lead rope solo is not common place, its one or the other usually.

Stephen, some people do this for lead soloing on ice:

however, no one really knows how safe this is as the rope might get trashed or worse. Two thin ropes will feed better than one fat one. Jim Titt's experiments on it didn't paint a good picture. The instructions are in the soloing chapter of multipitchclimbing.com if you are brave enough.

If you're top rope soloing use a mini-trax and back it up. If you're lead soloing get a silent partner and back it up. I've worked with most of the techniques and the SP is the way to go. A gri-gri is also applicable in a wide variety of situations. There's plenty of how-to info if you google it.

Turner wrote:If you're lead soloing get a silent partner and back it up.

Yeah, it's an option, though don't personally care for them. I would personally hesitate to say any one device is the way to go - they all have advantages and disadvantages and it's on each individual to figure out what works for them.

Get a partner , you'll be happier then using any tr solo setup on ice . Unless your goal is fiddle fucking around with some device in which case go enjoy .

ive tried a lot of devices for this purpose just to name a few ....
Tboc
Gri gri fst gen
Clogg
Mini trax
Croll
Rope man

Conclusion ? They all suck for ice climbing !

Turner wrote:If you're lead soloing get a silent partner and back it up.

Not on ice. The Silent Partner is not intended for use below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The good ole clove-hitch method works though, preferably while keeping the terrain easy and not falling.

I've used a camming device similar to a traxion but without teeth for years. Can't for the life of me remember the name of it. It has worked just fine, for what it is intended... Some piece of mind. Runs easily and is not really a big deal. No longer available. I think Kong makes, or did make, a version of it.

The deal is, roped soloing should be approached as pure soloing as the things that can go wrong are many. If your form isn't super solid, don't even go there. Any device you use for TR soloing will have its faults.

As others have mentioned... YMMV

Hey just solo , I think your talking about the USHBA titanium russian ascender ? Could be wrong though ?.... bout the size of a gri gri only fatter . Only moving part is the cam .

If it is glad yours works smooth on ice climbs , the one I have is sitting in the gear bin with the other misfit toys .

And Alex seriously a clove hitch ?! If you can fiddle around with a clove hitch on WI 5 man you don't need a self belay device .