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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Hey Mark Miller,
Sorry you can't figure out the Cinch. Have you watched the video instructions we put up? Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9TO5ikqXwo. If you watch those instructions and practice with it for 3 minutes, you'll find that it actually lowers really well. We did make some improvements a few years go which helps a bit with the lowering though. It doesn't matter which version you have if you follow the directions in our video instructions. If you don't follow those instructions the old one can suck. If you don't and you can't, then sorry--send it back to me and I'll hook you up with some swag. You just have to promise to read, practice and follow the instructions for anything I send you.
The current versions of the Cinch all have, "For expert use only", laser etched on the base plate. Older versions don't. Older versions also have a skinnier and pointier release lever. The pics on our website show the new version. Compare the handles carefully. The difference is subtle.
I regards to soloing with the Cinch, yes, those quoted words are mine. If you decide to do it, you are on your own, MF.
Mal
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msiddens
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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I've got both the GriGri and the Cinch and disagree that the Cinch is a POS. I actual think in some apps I prefer the Cinch. Mine is new though AND i'm talking about belaying only so....
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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medusa, If you're getting pinched by the Cinch (!) you're holding it with the "sure to kill" grip and you WILL drop your partner at some point. Glad you like the Grigri. Watch the video if you want to like the Cinch.
Climb safe,
Mal
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WBraun
climber
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I had a rock exotica soloist for a while and it was super smooth for lead soloing.
it was also the best for mini traxion type climbing.
It did have the problem that if you fell upside down you would slide down the free end.
They recommended you tie that end into your harness along with safety loops.
Of course I never did any of that. I left the end hanging out in space with no safety short loops. Who falls anyways?
If I fell upside down it would have meant "see ya at the base".
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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In that case medusa, you're forgiven. Choosing a lead solo rig is like choosing underwear. Some go with boxers, some with skivvies and others go commando. Whatever works for you. Glad you don't like to solo with the Cinch.
Climb safe,
Mal
PS: As I've been accurately quoted above, we didn't spend one second designing as testing the Cinch for soloing so I'm not offended if you hate it for soloing. Probably wouldn't work too well as a fishing lure either.
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wildone
climber
GHOST TOWN
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Tom, did you have a biner clipped through the hole at the bottom of both side plates of the pro-traxion when you deformed it? (like the material that comes with a pro traxion recommends)
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Grippa
Trad climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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Ryna - I own a Cinch and probably wouldn't recommend it for anything under 9.4mm. When loaded and releasing the device it's kind of an all or nothing feed of rope with anything small. The skinniest rope I've used is a 9.2, and I rapped with it. Needless to say I made it down fast!
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Edwardmw
climber
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The Petzl basic ascender works way better for top rope soloing than the mini traxion or the cinch. With the mini traxion you need two of them, and you have read all the above posts about problems with the cinch. Petzl basic ascender is the way to go.
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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Cilley uses a cinch and that is all he does is single rope climb by himself
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Edwardmw
climber
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Yeah, I know Richard, and we were there when he got his cinch, and Jo, him and I talked about it even before he used it. This was the day of Richard's first free ascend of the "Carpe Diem" roof crack in Yosemite (no toproping involved) He received this cinch more by chance than by preference, he had never used a device for top rope solo before. But, I do not want to speak for Richard, are you out there Dick?
Ed
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dickcilley
Social climber
Wisteria Ln.
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Jul 12, 2012 - 05:23am PT
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Simply said.Sportclimbing took my ropedclimbing life away.I would spent all day holding people while they dogged.The Cinch gave me back climbing.It¨s the best.
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Spike Flavis
Trad climber
Truckee California
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Jul 12, 2012 - 09:54am PT
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I dug this up from my blog
SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2011
Petzel Mini Traxion
Petzel Mini Traxion changed my life. I have a very limited amount of time to climb and my few trusted climbing partners are also busy with their careers and families. In order for me to get in enough cragging time to be comfortable in the backcountry, I started top-rope soloing with the Petzel Mini Traxion or “mini-T” as it’s better known. The top rope soloing “movement” has really gained traction in the past few years and it’s not uncommon to see two or three climbers top rope soloing at Snowshed Wall (one of my local Donner Summit crags) on any given day. In the instructions for use that came with the device, Petzel calls it a “Swing sided self-jamming pulley” and list three modes of operations; hauling, self-belay and horizontal progression or Tyrolian traverse. I really liked the graphic of a climber getting her hair stuck in the cam. Yikes!
When I decided to checkout TR soloing for myself I went to talk to local climbing ace Max at the Sports Exchange in Truckee. Max spends a lot of time in the Yosemite racing up big walls and is always up on the latest techniques. As he ran me threw the various systems being used, I couldn’t help but notice how often he said “bomber” but ultimately, I would be the judge of the systems safety. While some people use a Tibloc as a back up, I decided to go with a system utilizing two mini-Ts in locking karabiners that limit side loading and a chest harness. So on a cool April day in ‘09 I headed up to Donner to try it out. I choose a short 5.9 crack, clipped in and climbed up about five feet and hung to check it out. I dropped about six inches before the top cam engaged (more on this later). I then climbed the pitch and felt completely comfortable with the system. I rappelled back down and moved the top mini-T from the chest harness to my sit harness. Then I connected a sling from the chest harness to the top mini-T to keep it under tension and take any slack out of the system. I made some other slight adjustment and did another lap. I was hooked.
Since I’ve been climbing at Donner Summit for thirty years I quickly developed several circuits that allowed me to climb as many pitches as possible in the shortest amount of time. But in the end I realized that once you take the partner(s) and belaying out of the equation, you have plenty of time. It really made me realize how much time is wasted talking sh#t, trying to figure out what to climb next and avoiding annoying locals and dogs. Lately I’ve fine tuned my system by using a 130’ 10mm static line and my old FISH zebra-stripped gear sling instead of the chest harness to hold the top mini-T up and avoid the sagging I talked about earlier. Since I have a lot of weights around my house I double slung a 5# plate to attach to the bottom of the rope. Other climbers use some gear on a sling or a water bottle to keep the rope taunt and allow the Mini-T to slide freely.
It’s beyond the scope of this blog to give too many details on systems for top rope soloing. What is described above is my system being applied to routes I have wired. It may not work for you. I would encourage you to Google top rope soloing or search the supertopo forum for more information. A better idea is to ask some one you trust and then experiment with few different techniques. I’ve seen other climbers using different devices such as a Trango Cinch or a Grigri like Leo Houlding and Jason Pickles in the movie P2yche to “top-rope” their route The Prophet on El Cap! Top rope soloing is a lot like ascending a fixed line without aiders or tying in short. The whole process is a little more engaging than going out for a TR session with your buddies. YOU ARE SOLOING! IF YOU F*#K UP, YOU ONLY HAVE YOURSELF TO BLAME.
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Rankin
Social climber
Greensboro, North Carolina
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Jul 12, 2012 - 11:22am PT
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A friend of mine broke his leg after being dropped on a Cinch. It was an obvious case of operator error, but my experience belaying with the Cinch tells me that it would be terrible for soloing. There is so little friction that any obstruction in the locking of the device allows a complete unobstructed free fall. There are too many other great devices out there.
My favorites: Mini Traxion, Soloist, Grigri. Would love to check out a Shunt. Folks in the UK and at the New River Gorge have been using the Shunt for years.
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VTP
Boulder climber
ATX
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Jul 12, 2012 - 12:10pm PT
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I think the DMM buddy is a great product and might be what you are looking for!
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