Silent partner!!!

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chefer

Trad climber

Altadena but livin in the valley for the summer

Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 13, 2017 - 07:45pm PT

Sooo... i realize this isnt a forum for buying/selling gear, but since i havent had luck anywhere else I figured id give the taco a try. Im getting into rope soloing and have my eyes set on the big (or slightly larger than normal) walls. Anyone around here have a silent partner they want to get rid of? I can pay with good, hard earned cash if youre here in the valley.

Rollover

climber

Gross Vegas

Sep 13, 2017 - 08:03pm PT

Clove hitch or Grigri works just fine.
Unless you plan on freeing a bunch or IAD.
My two cents, having used all three.

Spider Savage

Mountain climber

The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles

Sep 13, 2017 - 08:45pm PT

Clove hitch is a good way to start to make sure you like soloing. Costs nothing and works. Makes you feel like a real man when you are up there.

Then there is this: https://www.backcountry.com/dmm-buddy?

I've not used one.

I use a Rock Exotica Soloist which is not really a proper tool for aid climbing. It is great for trad lead and pretty good for top roping.

chefer

Trad climber

Altadena but living in the valley

Topic Author's Reply - Sep 14, 2017 - 12:15am PT

Hey del, what's your email? You can contact me at a luke 971 at gmail dotcom

Da-Veed

Big Wall climber

Bigfork

Sep 14, 2017 - 07:56am PT

Use a Silent Partner if you can get one. The grigri has room for a single biner, the SP will fit two. There are many other aspects and dangers but this is the single one that convinced me to start using my SP over the GriGri. In a violent twisting fall the single biner could be sheared. Ultimately one should never rely on a single belay while soloing anyway. Back that sheet up with a 'tied in short' point!
My first solo wall was with a clove hitch, 7 more with a grigri, now I would never go without my SP. Cons: it is expensive and bulky. I know a guy (a solo A5 kinda guy) who swears by the Soloist, but I have never used it.
Like said above, try a clove hitch and see if soloing is right for you first. Then think about investing the $300 or whatever a SP costs these days.