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alannamal
climber
B.C.
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 16, 2011 - 10:46am PT
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So I just picked up a silent partner (100 bucks, never used, score!) and am looking for some tips from folks who are familiar with them. It seems like the manual is all over the top with there back up systems. Do you really need to use 2 lockers on it? And hows about just having a clove hitch as back-up instead of the big cluster of loops that they recommend for leading? I know that I'm ultimately responsible for my own safety systems, just wondering what other users of said device have found to be most effective. Thanks!
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scuffy b
climber
dissected alluvial deposits, late Pleistocene
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Sep 16, 2011 - 11:29am PT
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Is using two lockers a problem?
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James Doty
Trad climber
Phoenix, Az.
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Sep 16, 2011 - 11:37am PT
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If you read and re-read the manual you will see they recommend a clove on a locker as the back-up. Using multiple fig of 8 on lockers is another option. I use a clove on a locker(keylock so the clove won't snag when taking it out) and got good at doing a clove with one hand and my teeth.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Sep 16, 2011 - 11:40am PT
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I like silent partners too, someone who isn't jabbering away when I'm leading a spicy pitch.
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James Doty
Trad climber
Phoenix, Az.
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Sep 16, 2011 - 11:47am PT
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That belay device he came up with is awesome. I wish he could do something with it to help himself.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Sep 16, 2011 - 11:51am PT
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Greg Lowe could tell you that there is a big difference between having a good, even great, prototype and bringing it to market.
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James Doty
Trad climber
Phoenix, Az.
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Sep 16, 2011 - 11:55am PT
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Yes, that thing would be tough to manufacture because it is such a work of art. I know I would buy two.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Sep 16, 2011 - 12:16pm PT
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Nasty captain of a sailing vessel, to his mate: "What I want from you mister mate is silence, and not too much of that."
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James Doty
Trad climber
Phoenix, Az.
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Sep 16, 2011 - 12:21pm PT
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Spendy was what I was getting at. I would still buy two having used it before. Superlight, autolocking on DOUBLE ropes! Good example of simple elegant genius.
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Sep 16, 2011 - 12:32pm PT
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If you're comfortable w/ 1 biner and 1 clove hitch no one will stop you. I like the double biner aspect b/c it's your whole system and you can't fully control orientation on your biner if you fall (though the new solo/belay-specific rotation-limiting biners can help).
There's an old rc.com thread somewhere describing a solo fall that broke a climber's biner on a grigri sending him to his backup.
There was also another tale of a climber who took a huge fall on Braille Book and another similar story on After Six because the low angle falls didn't generate enough force to lock up the device. Also, if you forget about self-feeding the back up can limit how much slides through.
I'm far from a SP expert, but FWIW, I've never run more than one knot (I like and eight on a bight). I think the rationale behind having many knots ready to go is that you don't have to futz with it much to drop one and move into the next. If the terrain permits to not drag the whole rope up on your person, pulling up from the anchor would be my preference.
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James Doty
Trad climber
Phoenix, Az.
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Sep 16, 2011 - 12:43pm PT
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I think having a technique to deal specifcly with each situation is the key.
Melissa, are you talking aid or free? Just wondering about tying and retying the figo8 with one hand while free climbing. Do it at stances? This is why I go with the clove.
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James Doty
Trad climber
Phoenix, Az.
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Sep 16, 2011 - 12:44pm PT
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I have gotten pretty quick at dropping the old one and slapping on a new one.
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JeffR
Trad climber
Cayucos, CA
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Sep 16, 2011 - 12:47pm PT
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I've found that using two carabiners to connect the SP makes the SP more "stable" on my harness, although one would certainly work.
The idea of the big-cluster-o-loops is yeah, a backup, but the advantage is also that it keeps the weight of the unused rope off of the SP mechanism which allows the SP to feed smoothly. I usually use two loops, because I found that sometimes I needed more rope to do a move than is available between the SP and the first loop, and it is quick and easy to unclip/untie the first loop to do the move, then tie/clip a second loop when I reach a good stance.
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James Doty
Trad climber
Phoenix, Az.
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Sep 16, 2011 - 12:52pm PT
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Absolutely. Good points. I might try a second locker/clove combo b/u again now that I am a little better at managing the thing. I have run into the same issues with being short of rope at a crux.
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Sep 16, 2011 - 12:52pm PT
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James Doty...Yes...I like to guestimate my next stance or hang for back-ups. I'm not keen on doing lead belayed solo free climbing beyond necessity, so I've never tried it on something that was so hard that a stance or hang would not be had at a reasonable interval. Like I said...people run multiple loops to make the process one handed. That would be easier for me than trying to shove a clove...which I've never had a knack for, but clearly others do.
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James Doty
Trad climber
Phoenix, Az.
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Sep 16, 2011 - 12:56pm PT
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Yeah, old ropes are a nogo. I like climbing with a partner better of course but won't let the lack of one stop me.
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James Doty
Trad climber
Phoenix, Az.
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Sep 16, 2011 - 12:57pm PT
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By the way you should have whined your complaints. He may have appreciated it for R&D.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Sep 16, 2011 - 01:01pm PT
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Helps to have a nice rope with a dry finish for nice feeding. Keeping the rope weight off the Silent partner by the use of a back up knot is the most important thing I can think of. I have absolute confidence in the SP catching falls so for me the back up knot is just to take the rope weight off the device so it feeds well. When I use the SP I accept the fact that I am going to be doing a little french free, as it is quicker in some instances to take a hang to retie the back up knot then try to hold on and redo the whole affair if you are on anything of much difficulty.
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James Doty
Trad climber
Phoenix, Az.
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Sep 16, 2011 - 01:07pm PT
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Good points about french free. I feel the same as far as the b/u. My first SP failed by constantly locking not failing to lock. I thought that was pretty cool design and became more confident in it. Wren rebuilt it of course for free.
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tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
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Sep 16, 2011 - 01:24pm PT
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Curious if anyone has used both the soloist and silent partner enough to compare pros/cons between the units.
As to roped free soloing, I've always looked at it is something to be done on routes that you wouldn't do cordless, but are still below what you'd do with a partnered belay.
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