HOW to Be More Self Reliant When Rope Soloing

Top Rope Solo climbing and Lead Rope Solo Climbing can be quite dangerous if you place yourself in a tricky situation. Maybe you get stranded and you need to go up or down and maybe you can injure yourself in a fall. This is a non-exhaustive list of items to think about before you go out! Items to self-rescue, to call for a rescue, to eventually get rescued if you cannot reach for help, etc.

Obviously I recommend a cell phone and/or an inReach satellite communication tool or other.

Also water, food, a few extra warm clothes and sun protection are to be considerred.

A helmet is a MUST in my opinion.

[YannCamusBlissClimbing]

I forgot one of the most important items. I mentioned it but did not give it the place it deserves… What is it?

Fernando Sanz found it: Cell phone on you (not at the belay) with more than enough battery. Good for communication and emergency light. It has been taped to a helmet before..

I should have mentioned some amount of tape also.

[markedwardsclimbing]

When top rope soloing I clip an extra few piece’s of self rescue gear at the bottom of my rope (ATC, prusiks, etc) This does two things, gives weight and is a back-up if I unfortunately drop my abseil/self rescue equipment I carry whilst climbing. Great videos, thanks.

[mountaineer]

Your advice is extremely important. I always carry a neck knife and a whistle, both worn on a breakable stainless steel chain (my Army dog tag chain) around my neck, under my shirt/jacket. Great, important video!

[fernandosanz]

I always have some tape along the spine of my rescue biner so I can tape shut a non locking biner if I have to abseil from a single point. It weights nothing and allows me to have ¨locking¨ biners in a pinch so I do not leave the more expensive locking biners.

[feelinghealingfrequences]

going to look for a blocked rappel video now

[wyattroncin]

I use a petzl adjust PAS paired with an oval biner and a basic ascender secured with some 1mm accessory cord. I use it at anchor bolts, at extended anchors, and to convert off the TRS system into rapel or jumars. I also keep a couple autoblocs on me, for backup prussiks and to extend my belay. Combined with my progress capture, a belay device and some extra slings and biners I'd have to lose multiple pieces of gear before I'm trapped. Probably overkill, but i don't mind the weight and a mostly empty harness doesn't feel right when oudoors.

I also carry a leatherman style cs (small knife and scissors) some tape, and my phone. Since i primary climb at a pretty busy urban park, i would only have a few minutes wait before the fire department got there.


As i step up into learning lead solo I'll probably be taking some extra equipment fir safety.

[brianrodman]

+1 for the buddy check for the soloist vid

[robinstewarthood]

Helmets are great because it's difficult to sort yourself if your unconscious x

[MrHassancehef]

whistle is an important piece indeed!, another key tool (for climbing in general, not only solo) is a glove! (you don't need the pair). For doing a multipitch, I would prefer to have a leather glove over a micro :p

[adamtravan]

What is it about their tracks/trains that give them the unique elements and looks? You don’t see the same maneuvers being copied on other types of voasters

[namelastname]

The only problem with your videos is that there are not enough of them 😂

[jeffc]

Yann, have you tested the Petzl ASAP? It looks like it works on a similar principal as the Silent Partner in that it moves freely in either direction, but locks at a certain downforce due to engagement of throw-out cams.