KeitaroHoshi wrote:

well, maybe I didn't approach this topic from the right angle. I am not trying to spray and fool people about what I do. I never tell people I free solo a route when I use a rope.

I am really just trying to point out the fact that our terminology SUCKS! Its not clear enough, its ambiguous, its multi-faceted. free and solo means 1 person and no aid. Without a rope should be a different term. We have silly terms like onsight, flash, redpoint, which are all basically the same thing. With beta without beta, who cares? This is an actual REAL DIFFERENCE. We have terminology for stupid things (difference between flash and onsight), but no terminology for things that are quite different. Bottom line is I am free soloing with a rope, and unroped freesoloing is the same term for a completely different thing. We need better terminology. That's why I proposed "rope free solo" but the haters think I am trying to spray or something. Well, I have only ever told my wife and maybe 2 friends, so I dont think I am a sprayer. I only posted here in hopes of consensus giving our sport some better terminology.

Many people try to rgue that I am rope soloing, which I am doing. However, the term rope solo does not imply lead climbing, or free climbing. You can french free on toprope, and still "rope solo." The term rope solo would then need further clarification. Some people say aid solo versus rope solo (implying rope solo is free even though the terminology does not imply this). To those people, let me ask you, if someone says "I rope soloed el cap," do you honestly first think they lead climbed on self belay and sent each pitch? Hellz no, you think they aided it by themselves. In my book this is still a rope solo, and I have seen aid solo referred to as rope solo many times.