What’s your solo bouldering setup?

Hey everyone,

While I know bouldering alone is not ideal with everything going on with COVID it’s become much more appealing.  I’ve done it a few times but played it pretty safe/conservative and mainly stuck to shorter/easier problems unless I got lucky and found a lowball or something with a low crux.  I’m wondering if anyone does this regularly and, if so, what precautions/measures you take so that you can try hard and stay safe.  Two pads seems to be the norm; has anyone managed to haul out more?

Bouldering alone is one of my favorite mediums of rock climbing for sure. I don't really have any extra precautions I take, other than dialing in baseline effort to send vs redline effort, and trying to bring those two levels of effort as close together as possible. That's why some of my hardest bouldering accomplishments felt more like floating than trying hard. I'm always bring two pads, either a briefcase and a sit pad, or a trifold and my old cordless. On occasion I've dragged a few more out with me on shorter approaches for lines I knew would take more padding.

I use a ratchet strap to strap up to 5 pads together to take out. It’s a great core workout.

Make sure your top out is clean by whatever means you prefer. Don’t break your legs because of 10 pine needles and a pinch of dirt.

Know your limits and know when, where and how you’re falling.

Bring a mirror to do your tick check. Without a partner, it can be difficult to see all up under your naughty bits for those little buggers.

Paul Trendler wrote:

Bouldering alone is one of my favorite mediums of rock climbing for sure. I don't really have any extra precautions I take, other than dialing in baseline effort to send vs redline effort, and trying to bring those two levels of effort as close together as possible. That's why some of my hardest bouldering accomplishments felt more like floating than trying hard. I'm always bring two pads, either a briefcase and a sit pad, or a trifold and my old cordless. On occasion I've dragged a few more out with me on shorter approaches for lines I knew would take more padding.

Stashing pads/using stashed pads is lame as hell. 

Period. 

Todd Berlier wrote:

This is my primary way I go out bouldering and something I am very passionate about. I do understand the risks and what I do to mitigate them:

1. I bring 2 to 3 pads pending what I am working on
2. I always brush the top out holds and check out the top-out from the top before I start working on the problem--that way I know pretty well what I am getting into and can check out the downclimb too. 
3. Once I am on it, if I find difficult moves more than 10 feet off the ground that I am not sure of, I'll save it for another time when I'll bring a short rope and rap the route and check out the moves (sorry Mr. Sherman). Edit: if I work moves on TR I am sure to say that if I even talk to anyone about a problem I've done. 
4. I have a spot satellite transmitter if I am too injured to get back to the car.
5. I have a long paint handle brush to clean holds to be as sure as I can that I won't dry-fire off of them
6. if its an FA (which is most of what I do) I will level the landing--I will also alter the landings of established problems with large dead tree branches that i mark with a chalk "X" and remove from the landing when I am done (I always brush my tick marks as well)
7. if its an FA then I will also rappel most problems over 15 feet to check for friable holds
8.  Have a backup plan. When I leave for the day I write down GPS coordinates of where I plan to be and a time when if my wife does not hear from me she should send for help. edit: I have never had to do this, although I have broken a couple ribs and sprained an ankle. 
9. If I forget to tell my wife exactly where I will be (rare) then I will leave a note on the dash that gives a time I plan to be back and where I am and when I need help (I never leave anything of value in the car)

Take care and this is something I have spent the last few years easing into.

edit to add: i think I did what I do a lot and gave too much info and did not answer your real question (: I usually carry a 1st gen BD Mondo and Asana Superhigball tied together, third pad is a bd dropzone i'll tie on top.

Haha no, this was exactly the kind of info I was looking for.  Thanks!

My climbing "career" started as almost exclusively solo bouldering with 1 pad. The keys were always that there are some things that are just bad ideas to climb solo, and to abandon the idea of flashing anything besides straight lines up fairly lowball stuff. I would work each section of a boulder to figure out which I was most likely to fall off of and move the pad for that. 2+ pads definitely takes the sting out of it though. 

Adam Slattery wrote:

Stashing pads/using stashed pads is lame as hell. 

Period. 

Hey Adam... I've stashed exactly ZERO pads in my 23 years of climbing experience. I'm not sure why you're quoting me here. I am congruent with your statement, but not your reading comprehension.

"What's your solo bouldering setup?"

Single Crashpad cause I'm poor

Todd Berlier wrote:

certainly no trad gear, nawmean? 

/s just seeing if we can get every thread up to a 10 page shit show! c'mon peeps insult me!

If you need to put the "/s" in there, you're doing it wrong

I love solo bouldering trips. I bring an Organic Big Pad and a sit pad. In addition, I'll also bring a Nalgene for water, light snacks, chalk, brush, tape, trimmer for flappers, sunglasses, AirPods, and guidebook. An important thing to remember is to scope a way down before you top out... the only time's I've thought I was in trouble was being stuck on top of a high boulder without a good way down!

Be careful of the types of moves you do solo, I was fortunately with a friend when I got stuck in a heel/toe cam.  He had to lift me up and blood spurted out where the sharp crack had cut into an artery.  Taped it up and walked out fortunately with no damage but you can still see the scar over a year later.  

 I had been working on that thing solo, the move wasn't that hard but it was a 45 minute walk into the woods and I might still be hanging there if I had been alone.  Lesson learned.

Paul Trendler wrote:

Hey Adam... I've stashed exactly ZERO pads in my 23 years of climbing experience. I'm not sure why you're quoting me here. I am congruent with your statement, but not your reading comprehension.

Shit I am sorry dude. I didn’t mean to be a dick to you. I meant to be a dick to the guy below you. 

I don’t internet good

Jordan Pitts wrote:

You’re saying you have never stashed a pad overnight to come back and use it the next day?

That’s exactly what I’m saying

2 pads or 3 pads. My setup will change depending on the climb I I’m getting on. Sometimes 1 pad and just wire the climb on a rope (run laps) and then pull the rope and don’t fall... that’s what I do if I’m getting on a new highball on my own. I’ll also scrub, brush and chalk the climb from top to bottom. If it’s a new line I like to test the holds with a prybar. It’d be silly to fall 20 feet just because a foot crumbled on you. 

I like to keep a bunch of bars in my backpack and bring extra water or maybe szelters and a beer. 

I’ll bring out a pole brush and couple different heads for it and usually a wire and brass brush, I’m often getting on new stuff. 

If I’m going to go just circuit laps on climbs I’ve done I go light and just bring one pad and a slider. 

Solo bouldering is something I really enjoy and a great way to clear the head. Enjoy! 

Adam Slattery wrote:

That’s exactly what I’m saying

I’ll play the ignoramus... what’s the issue with stashing pads?

Todd Berlier wrote:

Only 10 pages of contention, you say? I'll get around to reading that at some point.

I won't claim to be anything resembling a hardman, but here's my tips which I haven't seen mentioned:

1. Always figure out how you're getting down before you go up. It might be obvious, but I've gotten myself into minor trouble by not doing this.
2. Lowballs and traverses can be just as challenging as highballs, just in a different way. I reserve anything risky for when I have a partner.
3. Go to areas with a lot of problems and options. If you go to one boulder with friends and there's nothing you're psyched on, the worst that happens is you hang with friends. Going alone, if you get to the one boulder in an area and your few options turn out to be uninteresting to you, it's depressing.

Pretty much the same as everyone else’s. I got these straps off an eBay store called “buckle gear” that are designed to hold multiple pads together, they work pretty well. I also have a 3x4 carpet scrap I bring along to clean shoes/keep all my stuff on, it has turned out to be pretty handy. If I am developing, I followed a suggestion I got off MP where I bring along a telescoping ladder, it’s a little heavy but it eliminates having to worry about bringing gear to rap down to check stuff out.

Bouldering alone is great. I tend to hate staying at one boulder all day while the group struggles on the start move of a climb way above anyone's skill. I like to top things out so if it doesn't go in 5 burns I move on. I find I actually climb more and find myself pushing my limits since there is no safety catch. Also with the lack of a spotter you actually have to learn how to fall, a proper skill in its own right. As far as what I carry in my bouldering bag of goodies for solo outings; pocket knife, roll splint, basic first aid pack, moderate/ severe pain pills, and pepper spray. I fear my inevitable confrontation with a hungry Mountain Lion more than a bad fall.

R E R wrote:

I fear my inevitable confrontation with a hungry Mountain Lion more than a bad fall.

After a recent confrontation 30 feet from a momma black bear and her cubs on the approach to a completely unclimbed boulder zone - add to that a couple of bear bells and a vigilant dog.  The two pads on my back and telescoping brush pole definitely helped make me look much larger, and convince the bear to call her cubs down from the tree and allow me to pass without incident.  Bear spray should be a given (check the expiration date) and keep it within arm’s reach - it doesn’t help you if you need to fumble around the bottom of your pack for it.