Lightweight rope walking setup?

I've been working some harder (for me) routes (5.11s/5.12s) on TR solo. Doing this, I end up needing to ascend the rope often enough that I'm running into the limitations of my ascending system (which is currently a Prusik with a sling for my foot, and the Micro Traxion I use for TR solo). Doing some research, I found ropewalking, which looks a lot easier than any of the other ascention systems out there.

What setup do you use for ropewalking?

I currently use 9.8mm rope, but that rope is getting a bit fuzzy, so I'd like a system that will work with whatever rope I get to replace it. My current devices that can be used to ascend are a Micro Traxion, a CT Roll'n'lock, a GriGri, a Mad Rock Lifeguard, a ClickUp, Prusiks, a variety of ATC-like devices... obviously a lot of these are pretty unsuited for the job. I would prefer to use what I have, but I'd be willing to buy another device, as I can usually get them used for cheap.

You are gonna need alot of arborist/caver junk to do ropewalking and if you need to make the changeover from TR solo to ropewalking you will kill a bunch of time.

Basically you will need the boot ascender, don't remember what it's called, wouldn't really work on your climbing shoes.

Tradiban wrote: You are gonna need alot of arborist/caver junk to do ropewalking and if you need to make the changeover from TR solo to ropewalking you will kill a bunch of time.

The way I was envisioning this was to set up the ropewalking setup under my Micro Traxion, leaving the Micro Traxion on, so I don't really need to change over. Any reason this wouldn't work?

David K wrote: The way I was envisioning this was to set up the ropewalking setup under my Micro Traxion, leaving the Micro Traxion on, so I don't really need to change over. Any reason this wouldn't work?

What's the goal here? You need to ascend the initial part, then climb the rest of the way? How are you descending?

Tradiban wrote: 

What's the goal here? You need to ascend the initial part, then climb the rest of the way?

I do this in two situations:

1. In early passes on a route, I might discover a section is just too hard for my current abilities, and ascend past it.
2. In later passes, I sometimes want to ascend directly to the crux to work it.

How are you descending?

I've got two fixed lines. Basically, I'm set up to rappel through the bolts at the top, and then I fix the lines with a stone hitch. This allows me to remove the carabiner from the stone hitch and have a rappel set up immediately when I'm done. I have a Micro Traxion on my belay loop one line and a GriGri on a tether the other. When I want to descend just part of the route (to work a section over again) I put my weight onto the GriGri and unclip from the Micro Traxion.

The downside of having to manually feed rope through the GriGri is actually a plus in my mind--I do this at clipping stances, which prepares me better for leading the route. I've experimented with single-fixed-rope systems and don't find it to actually be any easier. But I'm open to changing any of this--I'm not at all sure I have the best system out there.

If you already have a grigri on one line just use the single ascender + grigri method, and be done with it. You'll be able to transition quickly between ascending and climbing, and you only need one extra piece of gear (the jumar). A ropewalking setup is serious overkill for this use case, if you ask me.

Microtrax on your belay loop. Tibloc below it for the foot. Done. It's not ropewalking but it's light, fast, and cheap.

A lot of expensive gear can be used to ropewalk for a single fixed rope, but the only necessary things are two rope grab type devices, ascenders, or hitches, and two foot loops.  And to make  the lower ascender self tend, some bungee cord.  For example, a long foot loop on one foot that’s attached to the upper ascender, or hitch.  The lower ascender has a shorter foot loop that puts at around the waist if it’s going to be advanced by hand.  It can be placed around the knee and the bungee cord can be attached between the two ascenders, this makes the lower ascender advance on it’s own.  The climber needs to be attached to the rope through one of the ascenders or something separate.  This is the most basic set up with many variations possible.
Arborists mostly use a foot ascender, a floating knee ascender with a bungee cord attached to a chest harness, or attachment carabiner to a third ascender, or multiscender.
For short ascents a single foot lock can be used in place of an ascender.  It squeezes the foot, so don’t know if it would be comfortable to do with climbing shoes.

just get a jumar?  I use a jumar and a microtrax from my TR solo setup and it works like a charm, it also give me the option to throw on a grigri and easily ascend past tough sections. You definitely seem to be making this more complicated than it needs to me

C Dup wrote: just get a jumar?  I use a jumar and a microtrax from my TR solo setup and it works like a charm, it also give me the option to throw on a grigri and easily ascend past tough sections. You definitely seem to be making this more complicated than it needs to me

THIS. Just use a single left- or right- handed ascender. Redirect your microtrax through a biner on the ascender. Throw a sling or pocket aider on the ascender and voila, you can transition between ascending the rope and climbing anytime without changing your primary device (the microtrax).

For your application, I don't believe you can find a simpler, more effective, or more convenient setup.

This is the same idea as the guy above's recommendations, but I don't have a MicroTraxion. 

The best setup I've found is a Hand Ascender with FootLoop on an Oval biner, above a GriGri, along with a DMM Revolver that's also on the same Oval as the Footloop. Run your brake strand through the Revolver creating a 3:1. I used a pulley for a while, and it's a pain to undo everytime you want to take it off or put it on. This setup, you just unclip your rope from the Revolver, as easily as a normal biner, and then remove the Ascender and clip the whole setup to your harness. GriGri stays on and you're ready to go.

The sit-stand method of ascending does require less gear, but it is more work than the ropewalker.  The OP could use the micro traxion and roll n lock with different length foot loops on one rope for ascending, and the grigri on the other rope for back up and descending.  The two ascenders could be disengaged and remain on the rope while descending.

Brocky wrote: The sit-stand method of ascending does require less gear, but it is more work than the ropewalker.  The OP could use the micro traxion and roll n lock with different length foot loops on one rope for ascending, and the grigri on the other rope for back up and descending.  The two ascenders could be disengaged and remain on the rope while descending.

I recently discovered it's not about standing up, it's all about just getting your hips up to the point of your ascender/pulley. My footloop foot ends up going as much out as it does down. If you shoot for that, there's almost no effort at all, and you can move pretty quick. 

Try keeping your body more parallel with the rope, chest close to the rope, to help keep your feet under your center of gravity, to more efficiently raise.

Brocky wrote: Try keeping your body more parallel with the rope, chest close to the rope, to help keep your feet under your center of gravity, to more efficiently raise.

That's funny. Im literally saying the exact opposite.