Test Of Lead Climbing Solo Devices (Part 1 - 10 kg weight)

Silent Partner, Soloist + (Grigri 1, Grigri 2, Eddy: NOT MADE for lead solo)
Please consider buying an online course from me: you will learn A TON!

Rope is a mid-life 10 mm Mammut Galaxy Dry rope.

Stay Safe and Enjoy climbing !!

Rock Exotica Petzl Edelrid Wren

[maximcoleman]

Can we take a moment to recognizes how epic Yann is! been watching your educational videos and it helps in the overall thinking process... Keep up the great work : )

[herbothremodelingllc]

I still have my Soloist from the 90's, it is gold.

[STstream]

I was so hyped to start lead soloing, but once I took a glance at the device market: 0-Soloists, 0-SilentPartners...

[jonahsmall]

Thanks for this, good information to know with the gri gris and eddy. I think people (myself included) take for granted the security of camming devices like those.

[squaredcorn]

Spectacular video. I use a grigri 1 with backups clipped to my harness, but I'll be reconsidering my device choice after seeing this. Thanks Yann!

[mktrollop]

Id be really interested to see how a shunt performs, obviously not for lead, but is probably the most common TR device used here in the UK and in Ireland too.

[aalokbharadwaj]

Thank for the video, it is very informative. I just had one input though: you have to consider the rope diameter don't you? I used to use a 10mm rope that was 3 years old (so the dia of the rope had increased) with a GriGri2 in a lead solo setup and I had no problem trusting it (with backup knots of course). But when I switched to using a 9.8 mm new rope, I was a bit more worried it wouldn't hold my fall, because paying out rope was way easier (I use the grigri2 without any modifications or a chest strap). I now have backup knots closer than on my climbs with my older 10mm rope. I definitely think the diameter of the rope plays an important part in the camming action of any the devices. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[FabioSpelta]

The problem with the Silent Partner is that it does not work in freezing temperatures. For who wants to climb in the Alps is not safe.
How to repeat my test: leave the SP in the freezer for one hour or two.
Try.
Watch it fall to the ground :-)

[hill_skills]

Yann knows I am great fan of his. Andy K also respects Dr Camus's work

[federicamaslowsky]

Have you had a look at Camp Matik for lead rope soloing? A friend suggested as a good solo device, but I haven't found any informatio for this use online....

[johnanderson]

Crazy idea I’m curious about what if you lead climbed with prusiks? It would be annoying to have to reposition the knot every time… just a thought figured you’d like to try out

[mmaarrccoo-om]

Very interesting. Thanks for all these tests.

[happyhappy]

Do you think that having the rope to back over the grigris is one of the reasons they failed? If it goes directly over the noise of the grigri it might hold better (of course you couldn't guarantee the rope would always feed that way even soloing). Also, if you have a weight at the end of the rope, as you would have when top rope soloing, that might perform similar to a break hand when belaying

[wvstiles]

Good info but only shows use with single anchor initiating factor 1fall, climber would have used pro and of course trusted backup such as petzl ti block or reverso also cross loading biners is Extremely Dangerous there are biners and devices to prevent but good job on your videos

[puffoclimber]

In grgri nothing is placed to fix death rope, this is free to run for meters. A microtraxion or Kong Duck are meant to create a rope line as a hand could take death rope like it wat a belayer...Am I right? Thank u

[russellp]

It's a brake assisted not brake on its own you should never let go of the brake rope just like a figure 8..

[prusikmallorca]

Thank for posting is very interesting, but there are not real scenarios. There are for solo top rope, but not for lead.
Grab the rope down (to the ground p.e) in the middle of the campus put a bolt, and then throw the load (better more kg) from the upper part of the campus, and we will see.

[rockclimbinghacks]

Excellent video. I use a grigri 2 with backup knots for lead solo. I mount the grigri at my chest, then have the brake strand go down through a mallion on my belay loop - this ensures better locking. However, after much kinking of the rope jamming me up, I'm thinking of moving to a clove hitch with no backup. What do you think?

[iljano]

hi!!! those results are very interesting; i'd like to see there a camp goblin and a madrock safeguard wich is always locked

[yabkrak]

Great video thanks! Could you explain more about the cold temperature problem with the silent partner?