Silent Partner Appreciation

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Messages 1 - 75 of total 75 in this topic
briham89

Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 19, 2013 - 02:52pm PT

As much as the thing scared the crap out of me when I first got it (and it still kind of does), I'm finally starting to really enjoy using it. The freedom it gives you is really unreal. No more flaky partners and you get to enjoy special places and climbs solo, which adds a whole different experience.

I'm hoping now that I have more trust in it and my solo systems down, that this will be a big year for solo walls for me (at least big by my small standards haha).

Post up some of your own shots of using your Silent Partner! I know Norwegian and eKat must have a lot. Anyone else have solo wall dreams for this season?
briham89

Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 19, 2013 - 02:58pm PT
Nice!!! I'm sure you have stacks of great shots. Thanks for the awesome product
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Mar 19, 2013 - 03:02pm PT
F*#k silent partners!

I like living, breathing, heart beating ones that belay and lead and crack jokes about yer mom.

No offense eKatYouKnowILoveYouMomma
Leggs

Sport climber
Home away from Home
Mar 19, 2013 - 03:12pm PT
Great photo, Kath... love the look in his eyes.
briham89

Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 19, 2013 - 03:13pm PT
^^that's wild eKat!!!
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Mar 19, 2013 - 03:26pm PT
Thanks in advance for my friend eKatSilentMomma forgiving me for my overly smart mouth/keyboard.... (insert sheepish grin here)
'Pass the Pitons' Pete

Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
Mar 19, 2013 - 03:42pm PT
"this will be a big year for solo walls for me."

So what's the plan, Stan?
briham89

Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 19, 2013 - 03:47pm PT
So what's the plan, Stan?

Well...I guess big is relative, since I have yet to actually solo a wall. Either The Prow or West Face of Leaning Tower are my first choices, and then if I'm still feeling high and mighty jump on Lurking Fear or Zodiac, and see what happens after that...it's all easy when you are sitting on the couch typing and looking at topos.

So by Valley standards, not big at all, but big for me at this point.

Any sage advice you can pass on Pete?
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Mar 19, 2013 - 03:54pm PT
Any sage advice you can pass on Pete?


Get a partner that talks. Or, GOOD LUCK!!
limpingcrab

Trad climber
the middle of CA
Mar 19, 2013 - 03:58pm PT
I sold mine to buy other gear, and now I wish I hadn't :-(

Hey ekat, any chance that there's a bin of silent partners laying next to that bin of slides? ;-)
JEleazarian

Trad climber
Fresno CA
Mar 19, 2013 - 04:01pm PT
I did my first roped solos belayed by Jumars. I progressed to a Jumar and a prussik, the "Barnett System," two half hitches (for aid climbing) and finally the SP. While not a replacement for a partner that lives and breathes, for roped soloing (which has its own attractions), it is truly amazing.

John
Gagner

climber
Boulder
Mar 19, 2013 - 04:10pm PT
Hey Kathy - Remember showing me how to use it in a tree up in Tamarack just before I went and did SF Watkins solo....?? Fun times!!

P.
McHale's Navy

Trad climber
Panorama City, California & living in Seattle
Mar 19, 2013 - 04:19pm PT
Hey eKat, send me some photos, I'll scan em for ya! Here's my SP - it's still virgin but I can fix that. Funny, there's a banana in the photo.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Mar 19, 2013 - 04:48pm PT
I've been using mine this year!!
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Mar 19, 2013 - 04:52pm PT
Who got the idea of the name Silent Partner? The name is a work of genius.

Edit: I'm glad you won eKat - the name is a gift to climbing language.
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Mar 19, 2013 - 04:58pm PT
Had mine a while. Just took this pic.

donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Mar 19, 2013 - 05:00pm PT
I love unroped soloing on moderate terrain in the mountains. On hard climbing, i like a partner to share the adventure AND the work. Not necessarily silent ones but not loud ones either.
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Mar 19, 2013 - 05:19pm PT
Question Ekat were you guys ever able to break the locking mechanism in such a way that the drum freely rotated? (not freeze it). If so what did it require? Fully understand if stupid liability or contract law does not allow an answer.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Mar 19, 2013 - 05:21pm PT
soloing a wall involves a lot of bullshit tricks. It is annoying to learn about how to haul from bellow if your bag got stuck under a roof etc. Wish I could hijack someone's brain and KNOW it all. Or at least know where to read about it...
briham89

Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 19, 2013 - 05:30pm PT
soloing a wall involves a lot of bullshit tricks. It is annoying to learn about how to haul from bellow if your bag got stuck under a roof etc. Wish I could hijack someone's brain and KNOW it all. Or at least know where to read about it...

not to thread drift to much, but here's some good info:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1262910/Far-end-hauling
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
Mar 19, 2013 - 05:37pm PT
eKat.... hi.

How many of those suckers did you sell???

I understand if you don't count all the ones sold for cash....

The IRS and all that.
Big Mike

Trad climber
BC
Mar 19, 2013 - 06:08pm PT
Damn! Where is weege on this thread!! His sp is scratched to sh!t!!

I've always had loud partners myself!! Best solo free climbing self belay on the market from what I hear! I take it you guys sold the patent Ekat?
briham89

Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 19, 2013 - 06:55pm PT
No. . . never broke it to the point of freewheeling.

That's good :)
Zamfir

Trad climber
Danbury, CT
Mar 19, 2013 - 07:20pm PT
Guess this is the right thread to bring up the following --

I purchased one of the first public batch of 50 that was made / offered for sale. At least that's what I recall -- it's obviously been awhile.

After a couple of years of use, not heavily since I had regular partners and I kind of liked the modified gri-gri (limitations and all), I did have it fail to lock up. Fortunately this occurred when I was testing the device at the beginning of the day/climb.

Sent it back to them (hmm... Wren/RE?... memory is fading) and it was taken apart and the cause was found to be the anodization on the *inside* had flaked off and was jamming the mechanism. The device was 'fixed', sealed, and returned to me. Seemed to work fine, but never felt really happy about it afterward. They stated that later batches (not sure if the discussion was more detailed than that) did not have anodization on the inside.

I believe the fix was to remove the interior anodization from mine.

OK..long winded, but I've always been bothered by the following thoughts --

-- Was I the only one that reported this? And in any case, was there ever an announcement made to warn other early adopters? I'm not blameless here, because I only mentioned this to others I know who had an early device (i.e, not many).

-- Were there other issues w/ the early devices that were not reported? I don't recall hearing any issues at all, but I don't actively seek them out either. Obviously dovetails with my concerns above (lack of announcements AFAIK).

Thinking about dusting it off again... and would like some reassurance -- if such is possible. Buying another is an option I guess.

Todd Mummert


RyanD

climber
Squamish
Mar 19, 2013 - 09:54pm PT
I want one!

And Ekat, help me out. What's a thrustworthy businessman:-)
hillrat

Trad climber
reno, nv
Mar 19, 2013 - 10:07pm PT
It's new to me. Picked one up used, CHEAP, which seems to work fine. I haven't fallen on it yet, and don't really plan to; but since this climbing thing is relatively new to me as well, I probably will.

Anyone have some pictures of the internal guts of the thing? I'd love to see it. Seems a brilliant piece of invention to me. Thanks!

kennyt

climber
Woodfords,California
Mar 19, 2013 - 10:07pm PT
When my partner is silent I know I'm in deep shit!
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Mar 19, 2013 - 10:14pm PT
last time I remember a live partner was silent Grant Walker.. was my first summer of leading... all three bolts had unclipped and I was making a 10c move to the anchor. Thus I learned that just a biner on a bolt was not advisable. I also learned a lot about focus and confidence and a bit about myself.

Havn't fallen on it? Jeez the first thing I did when I got mine was fall on it.. alot. Set up a nice top rope setup. Practiced rapping with it and disengaging from a fall. If I had the money for two of em I'd have done a lot of crazy stuff to break the first one.. I tried to make it fail.

Get to know your gear.
couchmaster

climber
pdx
Mar 19, 2013 - 10:44pm PT
Steve Schneider's in a day solo ascent of the nose (21:22?) with a SP was nothing short of astounding to me. Curious if he's still utilizing the SP these days. I wonder what he would think his time would be if he repeated it in the near future.
karodrinker

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Mar 19, 2013 - 11:18pm PT
Briham,

That castle rock in the OP? looks like the 5.6/5.7 lieback at the waterfall cliff
briham89

Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 19, 2013 - 11:42pm PT
^yep nailed it! It's fun to do a few laps on that doing the left and right end variation and then setup a tr solo on the 5.11a next to it.
rgold

Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
Mar 20, 2013 - 01:09am PT
I had one for a while---not one of the early runs Todd mentions. Never fell on it in real life, but tested it periodically in the gym or from trees, as well as always giving it a good yank at the base of every pitch of the routes I soloed.

It always worked fine for me, but I eventually sold it. I've done a ton of free soloing (retired from that now) and always loved it, but I discovered that part of the love was being totally unencumbered. With rope soloing, I had loops hanging down, I was doing fiddly things to manage rope weight, I was worrying about getting good upward and downward pull anchors, I was climbing up, rappelling down, and either re-climbing or jumaring every pitch, and it all started to seem like the other end of the spectrum from what attracted me to free soloing to begin with.

Meanwhile, at almost seventy, I've had more than enough of my own damn company. There are a few people willing to spend time with me; it's just that I'm not one of them. I like climbing with other people a lot more than I like climbing with myself at this stage of life. After seven decades, one doesn't know how long it will be before the final veil of silence descends. When it does, there will be an eternity of it, I don't think I'll be needing any supplementary practice for that journey, and so my Silent Partner is gainfully employed safeguarding a much younger person, someone who, like all youth, thinks life is infinite.
couchmaster

climber
pdx
Mar 20, 2013 - 09:40am PT
I'm in total agreement with Rgold. I've bought several of the solo belay devices and they all remind me of breaking rocks with a small sledgehammer, whereas free soling is more akin to flying a glider. When I'm not in tune, which is more frequently as I get older, rather do a solo TR lap or get a partner. Leading with any solo belay device is suckage incarnate.
John Mac

Trad climber
Littleton, CO
Mar 20, 2013 - 09:56am PT
I have one and have been using it for years. With my weird work and oncall schedule, it is often the best of only partner I can find. I toss the rope in a small pack so I don't have to worry about rope tension.

Mine is all banged up and scratched to hell but it works like new.
TrundleBum

Trad climber
Las Vegas
Mar 20, 2013 - 06:26pm PT

Silent Partner appreciation BUMP !
RyanD

climber
Squamish
Mar 20, 2013 - 07:32pm PT
RGold, your wisdom never ceases to amaze me. Seriously, thanks.
divad

Trad climber
wmass
Mar 20, 2013 - 07:44pm PT
never had a partner I didn't like, especially if they talked...
briham89

Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 20, 2013 - 09:23pm PT
Don't get me wrong, I've always liked my climbing partners. It just seems that there are times when no one else can climb, but my silent friend still allows me to, and for that, I love it!!
Norwegian

Trad climber
the tip of god's middle finger
Mar 21, 2013 - 08:45am PT
Slabby D

Trad climber
B'ham WA
Mar 21, 2013 - 09:55am PT
Love my Silent Partner. Well used and whipped on. Partner (actually friends) are great but sometimes you just need to enjoy the uninterrupted process of doing it all yourself.

mareko

Trad climber
San Francisco
Mar 21, 2013 - 03:58pm PT
I love my SP. We've been out many times! Its great to have the freedom to do your own thing. The climbing is a lot more intense since you can't ask your partner for beta, slack or just vent. And that's why our SP's are amazing partners.
briham89

Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 21, 2013 - 04:02pm PT
Nice shots!!

That's a ton of loops Norwegian!
John Mac

Trad climber
Littleton, CO
Mar 21, 2013 - 04:10pm PT
Slabby D: Why don't you use two lockers?
Norwegian

Trad climber
the tip of god's middle finger
Mar 21, 2013 - 10:11pm PT
slabby d you deserve a cyber slap
put another locker in your critical path.

come on the instructions read so,
and they offer clear and concise direction.

plus it keeps the ears pinned
and thus no, never any, maybe some, perhaps a little
mishaps will ensue.

come on, please.
one more locker.
you can and will do it.

cheers to you, patron of silence.
Laine

Trad climber
Reno, NV
Mar 22, 2013 - 12:40am PT
The Silent Partner is great for solo leading. I prefer the rope in the backpack with knots method over the long loops. The pulley works smoothly while climbing. however I've never had as smooth action on TR. the thing loves to lock up on me and forces me the feed it thru the device. Worth the investment hands down
Slabby D

Trad climber
B'ham WA
Mar 22, 2013 - 01:01am PT
Ouch! That kinda hurt.

I use one of these strong carabiners. 32kn/15kn strength. I even clip it to my belay loop! I'm gonna die....except for that backup loop. I never liked the crossloading you'd end up with clipping biners through your harness loops. Norwegian has a reasonable point about keeping the ears aligned but damnit if I don't keep doing it....anyway who claimed any of this was safe....

FWIW there is a dude on this site with more solo pitches than the rest of us combined who rigged his SP in a similar manner.....
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Mar 22, 2013 - 01:07am PT
Why don't you use two lockers?

One's worthless.

Endless repetition of nothing yadayadahahahaha.
briham89

Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
Topic Author's Reply - May 13, 2013 - 11:28pm PT
Has anyone else been having fun with their SP lately???

Mark Hudon

Trad climber
Hood River, OR
May 13, 2013 - 11:44pm PT
After Iron Hawk last spring I sort of swore off big wall soloing but I've recently begun to fantasize fondly about it again. I'm pretty sure I'll solo at least one more El Cap route.
briham89

Big Wall climber
san jose, ca
Topic Author's Reply - May 13, 2013 - 11:47pm PT
Right on Mark good for you!

I'm hoping to pop my el cap solo cherry this year...won't be quite as hard as Iron Hawk though.
hillrat

Trad climber
reno, nv
May 14, 2013 - 01:21pm PT
Bump.
AP

Trad climber
Calgary
May 14, 2013 - 01:35pm PT
I got a SP last year and love it for days that I don't have a real partner.
Ya there is a bit of frigging around but it beats not climbing.
I gave up free soloing years ago when I became a dad.
j-tree

Big Wall climber
Kevin DeWeese is the name, I live wherever I am.
Apr 1, 2014 - 05:50pm PT

drapnea

Trad climber
SLC, UT
Apr 1, 2014 - 06:34pm PT
Got out last week and put 10-15 pitches on my SP in Moab/San Rafael Swell. No pictures but had fun.
Febs

Trad climber
Northern Italy
Jul 15, 2014 - 03:36pm PT
I LOVE this fucing bulky red thing. I get excited every time I see it around the house, not to mention when I use it (which happens quite seldom actually, because whilst I love to climb alone, I really hate to DRIVE all alone).

I guess you have seen more orthodox belays than this, but it worked good.

Starting. I am a fatass, I know.

*

Rappeling back to the ground with ease
j-tree

Big Wall climber
Typewriters and Ledges
Jul 16, 2014 - 03:45pm PT


ms55401

Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
Jul 16, 2014 - 06:12pm PT
this thread is officially awesome

great post by febs; I totally relate to admiring my red SP
Gerg

Trad climber
Calgary
Jul 17, 2014 - 08:43am PT
hey ekat,
i bought mine, the purple one, in about 1999. I talked on the phone to WREN, someone then in L.A. who designed guitars too, was that you?!
Gerg

Trad climber
Calgary
Jul 17, 2014 - 08:52am PT
^^ awesome, neat to reconnect :)
I talked to a guy, maybe this Blanchard fellow?
Anyway still works beautiful, thanks for creating it!
overwatch

climber
Jul 18, 2014 - 01:31pm PT
Bumping this cool thread with a question. I saw a thread or someones' blog where they wrapped the biner with the rope to rebelay as opposed to cloving or using a friction knot to hold the rope weight. Anyone ever try this? Any draw backs other than the two strands rubbing against each other during a fall?

In case wrapping isn't clear, I mean clipping the rope then wrapping it around the biner and clipping it again so that there are two side by side strands"inside"the biner.
overwatch

climber
Jul 18, 2014 - 07:16pm PT
Anybody...anybody...Buehler?

One more bump seeking an answer to my question
briham89

Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 18, 2014 - 09:38pm PT
In case wrapping isn't clear, I mean clipping the rope then wrapping it around the biner and clipping it again so that there are two side by side strands"inside"the biner.

Hmmm interesting. The whole weighted / moving strands next to each other thing freaks me out a bit.

Cool to see this thread back. Anyone getting out there with there SP lately?! I've been working too much :(
overwatch

climber
Jul 18, 2014 - 11:28pm PT
Same as twins though, right? except larger diameter. More chance to rub together but beefier if they do?

I have tried it and it is much less hassle but I have never tried it on anything really steep nor fallen on it. A steep pitch might still allow slippage to the belay.
kk1982

Trad climber
Jul 31, 2014 - 11:41pm PT
Howdy, has anyone used the SP with a rope any less than 10mm? I have a 9.7 mammut and want to start climbing with my SP, but the manual says don't go less than 9.8. Also, I'm debating the loops on harness method vs. the rope in backpack method. I'll probably try both methods but would love some pros/cons from those of y'all with experience. Thanks!!
overwatch

climber
Aug 1, 2014 - 06:57am PT
For me I really do not like wearing a backpack full of rope when I start a climb. Others swear by it. Try both ways and decide for yourself
Norwegian

Trad climber
dancin on the tip of god's middle finger
Aug 1, 2014 - 08:08am PT
1000 words and a rider


[Click to View YouTube Video]
AP

Trad climber
Calgary
Aug 1, 2014 - 05:38pm PT
Used mine today. First time in a while so had to be extra careful to avoid the clusterf**k
A definite heads up attitude is needed (or heads down to check everything is in the right order)
That comment about ropes less than 10? I use a 9.8 Edelrid. Works fine
Febs

Trad climber
Northern Italy
Sep 6, 2014 - 03:27am PT
The more I use my silent partner, the more I wonder what human belayers are for. There's just no reason to use any of them. Much bulkier and less effective.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
Sep 6, 2014 - 05:52am PT
all those loops of rope hanging off the harness looks like a PINTA to me? anyone carry the rope stacked in a bullet pack?
nature

climber
Boulder, CO
Sep 6, 2014 - 06:54am PT
yes... i prefer it when my partner quietly shuts the f*#k up
Captain...or Skully

climber
in the oil patch...Fricken Bakken, that's where
Dec 16, 2014 - 10:16pm PT
Birthday present to myself....(sweet!)
Lasti

Trad climber
Budapest
Dec 17, 2014 - 05:11am PT
Regarding hanging loops and pains...

PINTA or no PINTA, I use the same setup as the 'Weege, just with a Grigri.

(Get off my lawn! says the SP thread, but I am a poor boy from the East, far away from SP country, says the guy living in my head.)

The plus side: you just unclip as you go along, no need to tie/retie backup knots.
Con: definitely looks like PINTA central + cornucopia of potential clusterfrackage especially on routes the meander a bit.

Soloing is the BOMB when your partners are flaky and you are in a far away land... But boy do I miss my regular partners.

Lasti
rockermike

Trad climber
Berkeley
Dec 17, 2014 - 05:33pm PT
most of the best.... most memorable.... climbs in my life have been thanks to my Silent Partner. Great climbs in their own right, but being solo just amps up the psych that much more. I love it.
Captain...or Skully

climber
in the oil patch...Fricken Bakken, that's where
Dec 27, 2014 - 06:57pm PT
Yay!
Thanks, eKat!
briham89

Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
Topic Author's Reply - Dec 27, 2014 - 08:57pm PT
Nice captain!! Post some pics from your adventures with it.
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