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skidawg
Feb 2, 2007, 9:58 PM
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Registered: Jan 6, 2005
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Alright, so I have a question. I've got one of those Ropeman ascenders from WildCountry and would like to do some top roped solo climbs with it. I've done it before, the thing though is how to get of the darn thing and get back down. For those of you unfamiliar with it, it's just a camming device that lets the rope through, then cams, and prevents the rope from comming back the other way. If you can't finish a route, or you're in a spot at the top where you can't unweight the rope, it's really difficult to unhook it, and rapell down. I usually use a prusik above the ascender just for backup, and this is an option to unweight the ascender, but then getting the prusik out is a whole nother problem alltogether. Just wondering if anyone out there has any suggestions on better ways to go about soloing with the ascender.
thanks in advance.
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d1ll1gaf
Feb 2, 2007, 10:18 PM
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Registered: Mar 25, 2004
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Here is my opinion on a solution to your dilemma.
1. Attach a second prussik to the rope with a sling to step into (the ascender and your backup prussik are still attach but both are now not weighted).
2. Pull out some slack between the backup prussik and the ascender and attach you repel device. Make sure that you have enough slack that you can weight the repel device without weighting the ascender.
3. Weight the repel device, remove both the prussik you used in step 1 to take your weight off of the system and the ascender. You should now be setup to repel and you still have your original prussik as backup.
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dharmatreez
Feb 3, 2007, 3:04 PM
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Registered: Oct 25, 2005
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i also use a wc ropeman (only for fixed self-belays)
the set up above will work fine, but i have found it to be easier for myself to do the following and use my "monkey" back up rope:
- tie a butterfly in your backup rope piece that is above the level of the ascender and back up prussik on your main rope (if there isn't a pre-placed back-up knot already in a good spot)
- attach a draw to your harness, step up and clip into the butterfly and weight that, if it was high enough it should unweight your ascender and prussik
- attach rappel device (and back-up), THEN clean off ascender and prussik
- weight rappel device as you step up to unclip draw from butterfly
- unclip draw and descend
just a tip, if you need to slid down the ascender to unweight it or unstick it AFTER you've clipped in to the butterfly, you can unclip the wire on the cam of the Ropeman from your ascender biner, pull straight out on it to deactivate the cam by pulling it away from the rope, as you push down with the other hand, it will give you more play in the system to break it down
happy trails and safe climbing
jason
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CelticGuy
Apr 13, 2014, 6:51 PM
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Registered: Aug 27, 2013
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I've sent Wild Country this question. Will post an update.
.....
Hi, I’m using the ropeman 1 ascender as a backup system, however I’d like to know if you have tested the part in a fall situation.
I have concerns that the teeth may bite into the rope and potentially sever it. In essence the teeth act like a sharp ledge over which the rope is pulled and a sudden drop of say 5 ft (eg one anchor leg blowing out) would impart a large force on the cam and this would be transferred to the teeth with a large pressure (surface area is small) which could bite into the rope.
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wivanoff
Apr 14, 2014, 11:42 AM
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Registered: May 23, 2007
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Although I use a different device, here's what I do to make the transition.
If I can use a ledge to stand on and unweight the ascender, I'll use that first. If not...
While hanging from the ascender, I thread a sling through my tie in points and attach my rappel device to the sling and rope just below the ascender. This extends the rappel device. I then wrap a loop of the climbing rope around a foot and stand up in the loop. This unweights the ascender and allows me to disconnect it and rappel down.
You only have to stand up a few inches to unweight the ascender. My ascender may be easier to disconnect than the Ropeman. I do not own a Ropeman.
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gunkiemike
Apr 14, 2014, 11:43 PM
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Registered: Oct 1, 2002
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Celtic - if the design of the Ropeman give you cause to worry, find another device. Nagging concerns in the back of your mind are not what you want when you're out there all by yourself.
(I'm betting that WC is going to tell you that they don't recommend TR self belay with the R'man)
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CelticGuy
Apr 16, 2014, 7:09 PM
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Registered: Aug 27, 2013
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gunkiemike wrote: Celtic - if the design of the Ropeman give you cause to worry, find another device. Nagging concerns in the back of your mind are not what you want when you're out there all by yourself. (I'm betting that WC is going to tell you that they don't recommend TR self belay with the R'man)
You just corroborated my thoughts too. Thanks.
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