Mountain Project Logo

Camp lift ascender for top rope solo

Original Post — This topic is locked and closed to new replies
Mike Gagnon · · Plymouth, NH · Joined Oct 2019 · Points: 85

Anyone have experience with the lift ascender? Thinking of using it and then a micro traxion as redundancy. The toothless grip will be nicer on a rope but if anyone has a bad experience with it I’d love to know 

Chase M · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2019 · Points: 0

Works well for me

bearded sam · · Crested Butte, CO · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 145

I saw this exact set up at the ice park a couple weeks ago. Seemed nice

Andrew Stegs · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 0

I use the same setup you describe and like it.

Mikey Schaefer · · Reno, NV · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 233

It is widely used, but needs to be the top device. I don’t believe it is true that it is nicer on ropes though.  I think the opposite is actually the case. I wish I could site a source for that but can’t at the moment.

Lifts do wear out way faster than micros though. I only got a couple years out of my first one.

Kyran Keisling · · Page AZ · Joined Nov 2016 · Points: 6,232

My friend and I have recently adopted this rig and we haven't died yet.  I have been using just a Grigri with catastrophe knots up until know. He is using a girth hitched sling to the camp and a bungee cord around his chest to keep it above the micro.  I have an old search and rescue chest harness that I tried last time out and it worked like a champ.  The problem is that I can't stop thinking that I look like this feller here......  Anyone else use a chest harness?   

chris p · · Meriden, CT · Joined Oct 2018 · Points: 556

I've been using a lift as the top device and a petzl basic as the bottom one for tr solo for 2 years. Works great

Mike Gagnon · · Plymouth, NH · Joined Oct 2019 · Points: 85

Do y’all solo on static line or your dynamic ropes? Either better than the other?

SICgrips · · Charlottesville · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 156

If using a toothed device (i.e. a MT) and a lever type device (Lift), the toothed device is always the lower backup device. The lever device can be disabled if it is the second (backup) and runs into the first device. Not so the other way around. 

Also, if the system is used properly (no slack build up), the toothed device won't damage your rope - the teeth are only used to initiate the engagement of the cam. The actual holding/stopping is done by the cam pinching the rope against the pulley.

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,687
Walt Dog wrote:

+1 for what SICgrips said.

Everything I have learned recommends static ropes in a TRS system. As long as you weight the bottom of your rope, the rope will feed smooth, and any falls will terminate instantly so the need for dynamic ropes is eliminated. 

An exception would be if you use a single device (gasp!) with stopper knots. You don't want to do that with a static.

ubu · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2009 · Points: 10
Walt Dog wrote:

+1 for what SICgrips said.

Everything I have learned recommends static ropes in a TRS system. As long as you weight the bottom of your rope, the rope will feed smooth, and any falls will terminate instantly so the need for dynamic ropes is eliminated. 

Just don't climb above the master point if you're on a static line.  Personally I do this fairly often to top out, and thus always use a dynamic rope for TRS.

Cole Bellomo · · Durango, CO · Joined Mar 2020 · Points: 25

This is my go to set up. I use the lift as the primary device with a sling chest harness and a Tibloc as a back up. Works well for me!

Colonel Sandbag · · Boston, MA · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 76

People often recommend overhand knots tied in the rope below you as a failsafe backup. The annoying thing about that is that you need both hands to tie an overhand. A clove hitch, by contrast, can be tied with one hand meaning that if you could use them, you'd be able to make bigger (perhaps) full links on a pitch, if that's what you're trying to do. 

I've thought about trying to do one-handed cloves as I climb and then clipping them to a regular carabiner that I've carried on my harness. Once it's tied, you could just snug the knot up and unclip the krab from your harness, letting it dangle below you just like an overhand would. It seems like it provides the same fail safe while letting you climb a little more freely but I'm wondering if there's some new risk it creates that I'm not considering. I can't think of one. Anyone have thoughts about this? 

Long Ranger · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 669
Colonel Sandbag wrote:

People often recommend overhand knots tied in the tope below you as a failsafe backup. The annoying thing about that is that you need both hands to tie an overhand. A clove hitch, by contrast, can be tied with one hand meaning that if you could use them, you'd be able to make bigger (perhaps) full links on a pitch, if that's what you're trying to do. 

I've thought about trying to do one-handed cloves as I climb and then clipping them to a regular carabiner that I've carried on my harness. Once it's tied, you could just snug the knot up and unclip the krab from your harness, letting it dangle below you just like an overhand would. It seems like it provides the same fail safe while letting you climb a little more freely but I'm wondering if there's some new risk it creates that I'm not considering. I can't think of one. Anyone have thoughts about this? 

If there's a bolt, clip the bolt with a quickdraw, then just one-hand clove hitch the clip with rope that's under your system. Clipping stance should be alright, hopefully. Unclip the quickdraw from the bolt and soldier forth. The bolt just acts as an extra hand and may be easier than trying to do the same thing from your harness.

Luke M · · Boulder, CO · Joined Dec 2018 · Points: 25
Cole Bellomo wrote:

This is my go to set up. I use the lift as the primary device with a sling chest harness and a Tibloc as a back up. Works well for me!

Is there a reason for the extra locker on the lift? Do you just need that extra bit of extension? Thanks

Matthew Jaggers · · Red River Gorge · Joined Sep 2017 · Points: 695

The Lift looks so puny. The Camp Goblin should be the king of this type of setup. Youre definitely not going to wear it out in 2 years

Noel Z · · UK · Joined Oct 2020 · Points: 15
Gunkiemike wrote:

An exception would be if you use a single device (gasp!) with stopper knots. You don't want to do that with a static.

Strongly agree. If device failure can't be ruled out, then use a dynamic rope.
See here:

 https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Appendix-5--Analysis-of-solutions-observed-in-the-field---Use-of-a-single-ascender-with-knots-in-the-rope-?ActivityName=Rock-climbing

George M · · Seattle, WA · Joined Apr 2019 · Points: 105

if the camp lift is out of stock or hard to find, I've been using a GrandWall uAscend: grandwallequipment.ca/produ…

Michael Davidson · · North Bend, WA · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 146
Cole Bellomo wrote:

This is my go to set up. I use the lift as the primary device with a sling chest harness and a Tibloc as a back up. Works well for me!

Just a heads up that Petzl says not to use a tibloc in this sorta system.

This topic is locked and closed to new replies.

Log In to Reply
Welcome

Join the Community! It's FREE

Already have an account? Login to close this notice.