Harness and Biners for use with Silent Partner

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Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic
jared_j

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Topic Author's Original Post - May 1, 2015 - 11:31am PT
I've got a Misty Mountain Cirque harness, and got a Silent Partner a few months ago. I've been out with it quite a few times sussing out my preferred system (e.g. the minimal deviations from the manual that I feel comfortable with).

I've been using Petzl Am'D lockers (the biggest lockers I own) to connect it to my harness through the tie-in points. It's a really tight fit - both in terms of width / space for the biners in there, and the vertical height between the two tie-in loops. It's pretty obnoxious getting them in and out of there. I'd like to do some mellow multipitch and it's enough of a hassle taking off and putting on the device that I'm concerned I could fumble and drop it.

What biners and harnesses are happy Silent Partner customers using? If I'm gonna go out and get a new harness just for soloing, I'm thinking of a Metolius Safe Tech variety where backup knots on the gear loop are full-strength backups.

JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
May 1, 2015 - 11:48am PT
I still use my old Bod harness with no complaints, and I use two BD screwgates, which fit comfortably -- neither too loose nor too tight.

John
Climberdude

Trad climber
Clovis, CA
May 1, 2015 - 12:09pm PT
I use large SMC locking carabiners with my Silent Partner. I also use the Petzl AM'D that you mentioned, which is very similar in size and shape to the older SMC locking carabiners. I use these with an Arc'teryx harness without any issues.
Travis Haussener

Trad climber
Salt Lake City
May 1, 2015 - 01:06pm PT
BD big gun and BD positron screwgate
Studly

Trad climber
WA
May 1, 2015 - 05:35pm PT
I tried a variety of carabiners, and the one that I found that suited the Silent Partner and its associated tasks the best for me it is the Mammut Bionic HMS.
The biners profile and thin nose allow you to slip the biners side by side through your harness under tension, which is a big part of the hassle with the Silent Partner putting it on and taking it off. Also the Silent Partner rides well at the small end of the biner and stays there, while the wide end of the carabiner allows your harness freedom of movement and doesn't constrict you.

Febs

Trad climber
Northern Italy
Aug 15, 2015 - 03:56am PT
Nice insight, thanks Studly.

I was also considering to use a single, STEEL carabiner. That would have plenty of strength also for what matters torque and I would have one less clutter on my harness.

Like this.
http://www.bergsportwinkel.nl/big-maillon-delta-singing-rock.html

It should have 45kn strength on any direction as far as I got it.

Would that make sense to you guys?
Thanks
couchmaster

climber
Aug 15, 2015 - 08:15am PT


I see it's an older thread but for me, I never liked my Silent Partner all that much (it's just me -Steve Schneider soloed the Nose in a day with one but I ain't him:-). I use 2 of the lightweight Trango Superfly lockers when I do use it. The Silent Partner weighs enough for me already:-)


pop.risk

Ice climber
japan
Aug 15, 2015 - 09:57pm PT
i use 2 x trango ovals. 1 a screw gate, the other a snap gate. reverse facing. heretic stuff i know.
i also have a retainer cord from the snap gate to the SP.

to make it worse, i clip thru the belay loop, and have added a second belay loop in the way of a short dyneema sling.

harness is an arcteryx 'big wall', 365 or something.

fully aware its against much of rock exoticas instructions. i take responsibility for that.
has worked well for hundreds of pitches and enough falls to feel ok about it.

i back it up by running it thru a microtraxion to make an easy loop of slack, then a safety knot beyond that. keeps things running butter smooth.
have fallen without the backup knot and the traxion made enough friction to lock the SP, but wouldnt rely on it.

i dont advocate any of that for others. think for yourself.
ß Î Ø T Ç H

climber
/ ne'er–do–well
Aug 15, 2015 - 10:06pm PT
Harness ... for use with Silent Partner
Febs

Trad climber
Northern Italy
Aug 17, 2015 - 11:30pm PT
My opinion is that the SP manual instruct to use both the waist and the leg loops simply because back then there were no harness with a belay loop. If you look at the old manual with its old drawings, you'll notice that there's no belay loop at all in that illustration.

And since it always worked since then, and changing a manual would take a massive load of testing - and of responsibility - wren and rock exotica never changed that.


That being said, I am interested in the microtraxion backup approach (I own a mini-traxion, but I guess it'd work the same way)..

What did happen when your microtraxion locked your fall? I mean: I guess that if it intervened it's because the silent partner didn't lock. Is that correct? I feel like, probably the microtraxion was too close to the silent partner for the rope to take enough speed. Or was it something different? I am really interested.

Also,

I tried to take a semi-dynamic test fall on a microtraxion on a spare rope and the sheath ended up quite damaged. It was a fall with a fall factor of about one.

I feel like backing up with something more dynamic than a knot may be a great idea, but I'd test something with no theets.
Did you ever try to take a fall on the microtraxion?

Thanks, cheers
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Aug 17, 2015 - 11:48pm PT
tried to take a semi-dynamic test fall on a microtraxion on a spare rope and the sheath ended up quite damaged

Are you surprised by this?

Febs

Trad climber
Northern Italy
Aug 18, 2015 - 12:27am PT
No. Why do you ask?
Scylax

Trad climber
Idaho
Sep 7, 2015 - 04:03pm PT
Thus far in my use of the SP I am happy with the Metolius Waldo harness, though it is rather bulky. Biner is the DMM Zodiac(x2).
Febs

Trad climber
Northern Italy
Nov 30, 2015 - 01:23am PT
But how do you tie-in? As in the manual or by using the belay loop?
Slabby D

Trad climber
B'ham WA
Nov 30, 2015 - 09:35am PT
One more user who recommends ditching the manual and clipping the device directly to a good belay loop (Using DMM Zodiac(s)). Far less likely to crossload the biners in a fall and it orients the device perpendicular to the wall. As a result it feeds better when traversing in either direction and it makes it far easier to remember which side is the anchored end. Many falls on such a set up and I'm still here wasting time on the internet.
Alpamayo

Trad climber
Davis, CA
Nov 30, 2015 - 10:10am PT
Clipping the device to my belay loop leaves the device hanging low and clanking me in the knees. No Thanks. Maybe taller people can get away with it.
Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic
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