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skatebrider
Jul 27, 2010, 6:03 PM
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Hey, I was wondering if anyone has some advice for rope soloing with a Petzl Basic Ascender. I watched someone at a local crag and it looked to be quite easy. Basicly the set up was rigging a fixed line, hooking the ascender to the rope and going (self-belay is in fact one of the recomended uses of this product). Any info from someone experienced with this would be greatly appreciated!
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billcoe_
Jul 27, 2010, 8:02 PM
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skatebrider wrote: Hey, I was wondering if anyone has some advice for rope soloing with a Petzl Basic Ascender. I watched someone at a local crag and it looked to be quite easy. Basicly the set up was rigging a fixed line, hooking the ascender to the rope and going (self-belay is in fact one of the recomended uses of this product). Any info from someone experienced with this would be greatly appreciated!
What happened when you typed that into the empty box in the upper right hand corner that says "Search"???
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skatebrider
Jul 27, 2010, 8:10 PM
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I tried that but all I got was herpes, any suggestions on that one?
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cclarke
Jul 27, 2010, 8:17 PM
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You have it correct. You can add a back up if you are paranoid.
Also, it helps to have some weight at the bottom of the rope so the device slides smoothly and you should have a plan if you come off and can't get back on the rock.
(This post was edited by cclarke on Jul 27, 2010, 9:02 PM)
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tapostrophemo
Jul 28, 2010, 1:22 AM
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I second the need for a plan when you get "stuck". I did (get stuck) my first time out TR soloing (with a mini traxion); luckily, I had a plan, though I've since improved my execution of the plan.
What was the plan? I brought a spare ascender and a medium-length sling, long enough to stand in like aiders with it clipped into the ascender. When stuck, I could either 1) use it plus the mini traxion as ascenders to keep going up, or 2) alternate weighting one and sliding the other down so I could get to the ground.
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irregularpanda
Jul 28, 2010, 1:45 AM
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skatebrider wrote: I tried that but all I got was herpes, any suggestions on that one?
Use protection...?
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carabiner96
Jul 28, 2010, 4:00 AM
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tapostrophemo wrote: I second the need for a plan when you get "stuck". I did (get stuck) my first time out TR soloing (with a mini traxion); luckily, I had a plan, though I've since improved my execution of the plan. What was the plan? I brought a spare ascender and a medium-length sling, long enough to stand in like aiders with it clipped into the ascender. When stuck, I could either 1) use it plus the mini traxion as ascenders to keep going up, or 2) alternate weighting one and sliding the other down so I could get to the ground.
Why not just rap down from where you were?
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skatebrider
Jul 28, 2010, 12:30 PM
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I haven't gotten a chance to look at the Petzl Basic ascender yet so I haven't seen if it is a toothed device, has anyone had any problem with rope damage from this device?
thanks
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sf
Jul 28, 2010, 12:59 PM
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Sorry to nitpick, but what you are really asking about is top rope soloing. Most consider true rope soloing to be self belay on lead. Anyway, there are many devices that can be used for this technique. I have used everything from a gri gri to a shunt to a jumar, but the mini traxion has by far become my preffered device, since it feeds hands free appreciably better than the other options. Regardless of what you use (and no, toothed ascenders will not shred the sheath under normal use), my advice is to us a second device as a backup. I had originally dismissed this as overkill, but there are cases of devices failing to catch. Clipping knots can work on moderate terrain, but double minitrax, the top one held high by a chest harness, is the only way I roll these days. Oh, and don't let slack build in the system, as this can lead to shock load and a cut rope in the event of a long fall.
(This post was edited by sf on Jul 28, 2010, 1:08 PM)
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skatebrider
Jul 28, 2010, 1:20 PM
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Thanks for the input. Just to clarify, when you say clipping knots do you mean clipping into knots tied into a separate fixed line or tying knots below the ascender so that if it slips it will stop (and are these knots clipped into a piece of gear). Thanks for any help its appreciated.
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ajkclay
Jul 28, 2010, 1:27 PM
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skatebrider wrote: I haven't gotten a chance to look at the Petzl Basic ascender yet so I haven't seen if it is a toothed device, has anyone had any problem with rope damage from this device? thanks
yes, it's toothed, no it doesn't damage your rope if used correctly. one downside is unlocking it if you have weighted it significantly. That and having a screwgate that does not rotate through the top thread hole and get jammed on the screwlock (have a screwlock that goes up high and is quite bulky)
Cheers
Adam
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ajkclay
Jul 28, 2010, 1:29 PM
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oh yeah, chest harness helps with a basic for TR solo too. I fashion one out of a 120mm sling.
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cclarke
Jul 28, 2010, 1:43 PM
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skatebrider wrote: Thanks for the input. Just to clarify, when you say clipping knots do you mean clipping into knots tied into a separate fixed line or tying knots below the ascender so that if it slips it will stop (and are these knots clipped into a piece of gear). Thanks for any help its appreciated.
You can use knots below the ascender but you would negate the effect of having the line weighted. A second line with knots would work but is an added hassle and extra weight.
Like many people, I use two devices on the belay loop, one above the other, with the top device kept high with a double length runner or two slings hitched together and used as a chest harness.
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sf
Jul 28, 2010, 2:01 PM
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By clipping knots I mean clipping into your harness with figure eights on bites/butterflies/clove hitches on either your primary or on a separate fixed line. There are multiple ways to do this, each having advantages and disadvantages but none being totally hands free. Please don't think that a knot just hanging below an ascender that fails to grab will do anything for you, yikes.
To keep biners oriented properly I wrap a narrow piece of duct tape around the spine of an auto locker multiple times such that the ascender can not migrate and cross load. The chest harness also helps with this by keeping some pressure on the setup.
Soloing of any kind, even on top rope, should be considered an advanced technique and should not be undertaken without a solid grasp of more fundamental concepts, such as basic fixed rope ascention. My abbreviated explanation has not addressed many subtle details of top rope soloing, so continue to educate yourself before attempting to leave the deck with no one around.
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dolphja
Jul 28, 2010, 2:33 PM
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skatebrider wrote: Thanks for the input. Just to clarify, when you say clipping knots do you mean clipping into knots tied into a separate fixed line or tying knots below the ascender so that if it slips it will stop (and are these knots clipped into a piece of gear). Thanks for any help its appreciated.
http://www.climbing.com/...techtips/ttsport253/
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milesenoell
Jul 28, 2010, 2:40 PM
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This is how I do most of my climbing. It is very straightforward and I doubt you will have any problems setting yourself up. That said,
--Have a plan for getting off the rock when you can't send. Doesn't take much, but you need to be able to completely un-weight the ascender which can be tricky. There are better and worse ways of doing this. Actually try doing this before you get stuck.
--I think chest harnesses are worse than unnecessary for this, but some people like 'em for some reason. it make s your TR fall go from twice the length of your biner (about 7 inches) plus rope stretch (a couple feet?) to just rope stretch.
--Two devices can make it all cluster-fucky, so if I ever feel like a back-up I just clip a clove in the other strand. Free and it's more solid than a device. (as for devices failing, the only device I have ever heard of failing was the Mini-trax after it was impoperly -not conmpletely- closed. Thats why I don't use or recommend them even though they are probably the most popular option.)
--Go TR solo and have fun.
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milesenoell
Jul 28, 2010, 7:45 PM
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carabiner96 wrote: Why not just rap down from where you were?
Because first you need to be able to get all your weight off the ascender long enough to disconnect it, or it jams against the belay device. Just getting your weight off the ascender momentarily and disengaging the cam doesn't work, you need to actually disconnect yourself from it.
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carabiner96
Jul 28, 2010, 7:50 PM
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milesenoell wrote: carabiner96 wrote: Why not just rap down from where you were? Because first you need to be able to get all your weight off the ascender long enough to disconnect it, or it jams against the belay device. Just getting your weight off the ascender momentarily and disengaging the cam doesn't work, you need to actually disconnect yourself from it.
From what he was saying, he has all of the tools to do so.
My steps are:
rig belay device below mini/whathaveyou, with a backup.
rig prussic/second ascender above first, with long sling
weight up on higher ascender/prussic, undo the mini, then sit back onto the rigged and backed up belay device.
remove upper prussic/belay device.
I think that's probably faster than down jugging with a mini once you're a bit of a ways up? Or if you only have once ascender...JMO.
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milesenoell
Jul 29, 2010, 1:34 AM
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'biner:
Sorry if I made it sound like you didn't know how this works. I put that post out there as much for the OP so he has an idea why it might be harder than it might first appear.
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carabiner96
Jul 29, 2010, 1:42 AM
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milesenoell wrote: 'biner: Sorry if I made it sound like you didn't know how this works. I put that post out there as much for the OP so he has an idea why it might be harder than it might first appear.
Well, I was originally replying to a guy who was not the OP, so that could be the source of confusion. 
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