Lead rope solo anchor Only the basic technique is described here. Feb 10, 2023 路 Order Rope Solo gear from Avant Climbing Innovationshttps://avantclimbing. We talk about it, demonstrate it, and e Roped solo is more dangerous than climbing with a partner is. When rope soloing, the rope is attached direct to the belay and acts as your belayers body (but not their breaking hand on the belay plate). 7, II), and it's direct start via El Grandote (5. But I also second all my pitches and when I do I'm essentially TR soloing. Setting up a secure top rope anchor is vital. Whipping on lead is scary. performed alone without a climbing partner), but however, unlike free solo climbing, which is also performed alone and with no climbing protection whatsoever, the rope-solo climber uses a mechanical self-belay device and rope system, which enables them to use The basic procedure is: Lead climb the pitch, with one end of the rope tied to the current pitch's bottom anchor, and a lead solo belay device (upside-down GriGri, El Mudo, Silent Partner, rolling clove hitch 馃 etc) attaching the rope to your harness. When a climber falls, having a solid top rope anchor is literally a matter of life and death. Shop our unique lead rope solo equipment and climb with less I have been looking into rope soloing on lead with a grigri 2, and have heard some horror stories about carabiners breaking and the device failing to lock. Everything You Need to Know!! Wide Boyz 242K subscribers Subscribed Aug 23, 2025 路 Lead rope solo falls low on a route can feel harsh—with only a few feet of rope in the system and no belayer to give a soft catch, the impact is harsh. 1. Use the Slide-Cinch to tension Lead Rope Solo Anchors upwards, or to stick clip a two bolt inline anchor. Falling with slack in your system will significantly increase the forces that these devices put on your rope, which can result in the de-sheathing of your . Want the full breakdown on Lead Rope Solo backfeed prevention? Moved PermanentlyThe document has moved here. The document provides details on setting up various anchor systems, using different belay devices, adding cache loops to store extra rope, and backup belay systems. Make sure you're familiar with the solo device you are using, and the rope is feeding in to and out of the device correctly. Will the fall occur near the anchor with minimal slack, or higher up with lots of rope drag? The required absorber stiffness will vary accordingly. Rope Solo. An anchor refers to the whole system — the anchor points, the protection gear, runners, carabiners and climbing rope. More complicated techniques are needed to solo an overnight alpine route or aid-solo a big wall. The rest of the rope is either placed loosely on the bottom, or carried in the climber's bag. 5-inch diameter: Twice as strong (allows for higher Feb 3, 2022 路 So, one end of the lead rope is fixed to this anchor and the climber ties into the other end of the rope. The rope is fixed at the lower anchor and the belay device is oriented as if you were rappelling upward with sufficient free rope to reach the next anchor. The highly advanced technique of lead rope soloing is one way to solve this unfortunate and unlikely situation. Feb 10, 2011 路 The foundation of any rope soloing system is the anchor, as without a bomber anchor - good for both forces up and down - you don't have a system. Be mindful of rope stretch in long pitches (ground fall Oct 30, 2024 路 Lead Rope Solo is increasingly developing into an independent discipline in climbing. That’s why we created the Comfort Catch LRS Absorber: engineered for optimal stretch, tuned for energy dampening, and shaped for compact integration into your LRS setup. Explore our lead rope solo gear at the Avant webstore. Many other skills are essential for this activity: e. A video I have been meaning to make for some time: I explain how to use a Solist Device for lead rope soloing. Anchor Requirements: A lead solo anchor (at the start of a pitch) must be multi-directional, able to hold upward pulls (because your first piece will try to lift the anchor in a fall) as well as downward pulls. At the top of the pitch, set a top anchor, and remove the rope from your lead solo belay May 22, 2021 路 Building a trad climbing anchor for Lead Rope Solo sport climbing. But how does the discipline differ from traditional rope climbing? The EDELRID Knowledge Base examines this as part of a risk assessment. This flexible device will wear in slightly over time to match the diameter of your rope. Learning so much, I think if I keep practicing I can scale it Lead rope solo anchors should be cinched upwards to reduce unwanted slack and avoid crossloading carabiners, but in a way that still allows dynamic fall absorption. com/s Moved PermanentlyThe document has moved here. Because of the extra effort involved, roped solo can feel half or a full grade harder than the route's rating. For me, I settled on a mini trax with alpine knots every six feet on a single 9. The manual Oct 6, 2025 路 Bolts on trad routes for lead rope solo anchors - at the very bottom New Topic Reply to Topic Feb 26, 2025 路 Avant Climbing Innovations 4. Watch our series of free video tutorials on rope solo lead climbing. This can be helpful for adjusting your position at the belay, as a back up when ascending a rope, or for lead rope soloing (advanced climbers only!) Aug 25, 2022 路 When the leader reaches a belay, he fixes the lead rope to the anchor with a clove hitch and yells, “Line’s fixed!” Note that the leader does not pull up any extra climbing rope. The quicklink serves as a knot-blocking backup in case the first bolt fails. Clean, simple, and secure. I'm using a Silent Partner. 2 cleaning lead rope solo anchor #ropesolo #sportclimbing #leadclimbing #climbing #soloclimbing Learn what top rope climbing is and how to set up and clean a versatile top-rope anchor: the quad. I have accomplished close to 100 pitches with this system, both free and aid climbing. com/climbing-blog/redpoint-rope-soloing-revised-2023 https://app. Subjects include: general principles, devices-specific recommendations, suggested knots, belay anchors, self rescue and more! This is a shock/force limiting knot at the anchor that I've been using for lead rope solo to "soften the catch" on near-anchor falls and it's been a game-cha Dec 13, 2024 路 Article: Choosing and Rigging Tree Anchors for Lead Rope Solo Climbing A common question for top rope soloing is how do you get the rope up there in the first place? Well, a lot of crags you can just walk around to the top, tie off a tree, and repel in but some you can't top access or it's unsafe with people below you. Tree Health: Ensure the tree is alive and has a healthy, strong root system. But some forum users have complained that the attachment points may be too week or the breaking ribs of the Solo System Configuration The rope is first fixed to the anchor with two alpine butterfly knots in series with minimal slack in between using large HMS biners. Why not combine both fears on a 12a Lead rope solo free climbing and free solo videos with no annoying background music. Solo climbing I am super new to climbing. Anchor that end of the rope to a good anchor. Process Overview Fix your rope to a solid top anchor. . Am I going to die? Any advice very welcome! Nov 18, 2024 路 Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. “W” EARNEST anchor, MDA (Mult But with rope-soloing he has managed to find a way to be in the mountains, be safe and be alone. I'm rock climbing with my silent partner and use cams and a nut to build an equalised clim Oct 30, 2024 路 Lead Rope Solo is increasingly developing into an independent discipline in climbing. Gear Solutions for the Core Rock Climber: including product offerings for lead rope solo, top rope solo, multipitch, and trad (traditional) rock climbing. Brent Barghahn from Avant Climbing shows us his favorite Lead Rope Solo systems and why he chose the devices he did. Lead Rope Solo falls near the anchor can be harsh — there's almost no rope stretch to absorb impact. Or both the ones on an anchor (if possible leaving the abseil point free for Top rope solo systems rely on progress capture rope grabs, which allow rope to pass easily through one direction and stop rope from going the other. TR soloing is a great way to get in quick sessions, put in more laps, keeping warm on cold days, or when you're following a pitch and then hauling up a backpack. If you get hurt or if the route is too hard, you are on your own. We make the niche climbing gear that you won't find anywhere else. Rappel on a single rope, placing directional gear as necessary. Use your best judgement. 8mm static rope. g. You can use this technique to lead or top rope belay. Dozens of tutorials, reports, guides, and videos are circulating on May 30, 2023 路 Hey Everyone, The Collab you have all been waiting for is here! This week me and Yann get to have some fun lead rope soloing. Advanced first aid in remote areas SIRIUS in 2003 and 2018. I've been using these techniques and I love the freedom it gives m Sep 12, 2025 路 Lead Rope Solo falls near the anchor can be harsh — there's almost no rope stretch to absorb impact. i have used a shunt in the past but wondered what people are using these days? last time I used the GriGri to lead rope solo. Lead Rope Solo Anchors 2 anchors 1 anchor replicated Belay Slip knot Revo Grigri Barnet Height (italian way) Backup Spare loop Back feed management prusik stopper knot above quickdraw (alpine) soft artefact References https://www. I'd Love to hear what you think Apr 1, 2023 路 In the past I saw climbers climb alone on multi-pitch routes only by themselves (but not free solo). Going to use a standard grigri on my belay loop and a Petzl shunt as a backup on my leg loop (but also pas’d up to my main harness loops). Comfort Catch Lead Rope Solo Absorbers are modular—sold as individual links—allowing you to tailor your system to the demands Jan 5, 2019 路 You can quickly adjust your clove hitch connection by clipping a carabiner to the “heart” of the knot. com/collections/lead-rope-solo-solutionsFor more details on my rope soloing methods 747 likes, 19 comments - avant_climbing_innovations on June 19, 2025: "Lead Rope Solo falls near the anchor can be harsh — there's almost no rope stretch to absorb impact. Here are links to the gear that I use and love: The helmet Lead rope solo anchors should be cinched upwards to reduce unwanted slack and avoid crossloading carabiners, but in a way that still allows dynamic fall absorption. Simple locker for the main anchor (quicker and ok enough on eye-bolts), no backup anchor but a rebelay with a clove hitch on the It is a great pleasure to share our knowledge on Lead Rope Solo with all of you. An absorber anchor fixes that. System: Unmodded Grigri 2019, Petzl Volta 9. Rope management (D) LRS is all about mastering the details regarding rope management. Orient the 5/16" quicklink so that the threaded nut screws upwards to open. In traverses, leave quickdraws in place if necessary, and secure the rope below potential friction points to minimize abrasion. Connect both devices to your rope and to your harness. Nov 19, 2025 路 In my lead rope solo anchors, I set up an in-line 2-bolt system with a quicklink draw. It also covers techniques for feeding rope, clipping, and resting while lead climbing solo. We'll walk you through the fundamentals of ground anchoring, choosing an anchor location, and troubleshooting rope jamming. Lead rope soloing is scary. Here is the entire (beginner) video series on rope solo lead climbing Part 1 -- Intro and Gear List • Rope Solo Lead Climbing Tutorial Part Important: In climbing or mountaineering, climbing with a partner or in a team offers the highest level of safety. Lead Trad Climbing on Deface Crack in St George, Utah. Soft-Cinch Lead Rope Solo Backfeed Preventer 5-Pack $34. 8 stars, 377 Reviews of Avant Climbing Innovations Top Rope Solo Neck Lanyard - Universal Fit, Avant Climbing Innovations "Soft-Cinch" - Lead Rope Solo Backfeed Preventer (5 Pack), Avant Climbing Innovations LRS Chest Harness, Avant Climbing Innovations "Rip Strip" Rope Protector, Avant Climbing Innovations "Tech-Tether" Multipitch Phone Leash, Avant Climbing Lead rope solo anchors should be cinched upwards to reduce unwanted slack and avoid crossloading carabiners, but in a way that still allows dynamic fall absorption. Gerke Hoekstra is very experienced in lead rope solo climbing and tope rope solo climbing. Sep 14, 2025 路 In my lead rope solo anchors, I set up an in-line 2-bolt system with a quicklink draw. You must have a clear understanding (which includes building know-how) of top anchors, ground anchors, and PLEASE DON'T TOP ROPE SOLO TO LEARN CLIMBING BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIND A CLIMBING PARTNER. 50 in stock Avant Climbing Slide-Cinch - Lead Rope Solo Anchor Tensioner $14. Feb 16, 2025 路 Set up for rappelling, then remove gear from the route while rappelling. 50 I lurked this page a lot, today I want to share this climb. Rope solo redpoint near your limit with our accessories to improve LRS piece of mind and safety. From hard trad climbing, to modern multipitch tactics, to redpoint lead rope soloing - we've got unique solutions to improve your climbing experience 3 Improvements for Lead Rope Solo Setup (Rope, Anchor, GriGri Orientation)Welcome to Ultimate Survival Gear, today I am out in Red River Gorge to work on my Dec 17, 2019 路 Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. In 2018, he launched the Top Rope Solo’s first e-course!!! Here is a bit of Yann’s climbing experience in solo (lead and second) Mar 5, 2024 路 Yikes, your rope got damaged near the middle from rockfall, and for whatever reason you have to keep climbing up instead of rapping down. Lead Rope Solo multi-pitch practice: Lead solo, rappel to recover all materials, ascend to begin next pitch with all materials. In this video, I explain how I lead rope solo using a gri gri. $8. It is important that these devices feed smoothly without allowing the accumulation of slack. Take others advice, get professional training and all that blah blah blah Link 2 bolts together, either the first two in the pitch on a sport route. It feeds the best and is simple and safe. 2. @gowithconor Pt. Ensure that the MT is engaged in progress capture mode before ascending. When hung upside down from your chest harness it feeds surprisingly well, but engages almost instantly in a fall. This time I use the revo made by Wild country . Nov 19, 2024 路 What are people's go to top rope solo devices/methods these days. Attachment Height and Strength: Load the tree as low as possible to reduce leverage. I climbed sporadically since 2017 and more seriously since the start of this year. Avoiding twisted ropes is essential! So, properly stack the rope in the backpack and you will be fed properly. Rope soloing with the rope in a sack, note the carabiner on the shoulder strap (backup knot not shown – it would be on the rope between the Silent Partner and the backpack). Steel carabiner for the main anchor, 8 mm maillon for the backup bolt (knot against maillon). LEAD ROPE SOLOING Introduction to Lead Rope Soloing Risk Assessment and Mindset Solo Belay Devices Techniques Anchors How To Put It Together Gear List Rope soloing is a technique where you belay yourself instead of being belayed by your partner. We tested over a dozen industrial rubber grades How I Rope Solo. brentbarghahn. Climb on Apr 13, 2020 路 A short description of the idea (a little visualization follows): One end of the rope gets fixed to a suitable anchor at the bottom of the route The rope is 'connected' to the climber via a munter hitch through a carabiner. I also explain how to build the anchor on a sp Take your lead rope solo efficiency to new levels with AVANT’s specially designed TPU Slide-Cinch. In lead rope soloing, you act as your own belayer, and that means anticipating the dynamics of every potential fall. e. Is it possible to top or lead rope solo? Also this may sound like a dumb question but how do you top rope outside? Jul 12, 2023 路 Because of the lack of actual rope solo devices many climbers including myself have tryed using a Wild Country Revo as a "replacement" for the well known and trusted Silent Partner. Certifications instructor of traditional climbing lead 2018 with the FQME and climbing guide Rock and Ice with the ÉNEQ in 2003 and 2006 Upgrade with AGMA 2018. 8. IF there are more than one ledge for some pitches: consider re-stacking the lead rope mid-pitch. Going at your limit, or pushing it, is unwise. Remember these approximate strength guidelines: 6-inch diameter: Safe when rigged properly. Dec 23, 2020 路 Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. 2 mm, Micro Traxion for the cache loop. 50 in stock Avant Climbing Lead Rope Solo Chest Harness $39. It shows how to make a special figure 8, the figure 9, the figure 8 with 2 tails, the figure Rope-solo climbing or rope-soloing (or self-belaying) is a form of solo climbing (i. I have taken 1 unplanned fall where the gri Maximize Your Lead Rope Solo Cragging with Our Quicklink Specific Cincher Take your lead rope solo efficiency to new levels with AVANT's specially designed TPU Slide-Cinch. Are there any ways around this, besides for the obvious solution of backup knots, like attaching the grigri to your belay loop with a sling, or some other way of using it? Mar 18, 2025 路 Lead Rope Solo (LRS), or solo lead climbing, is increasingly developing into a distinct discipline within the climbing scene. There are many ways to set up a top … Nov 22, 2025 路 Take your lead rope solo efficiency to new levels with AVANT’s specially designed TPU Slide-Cinch. To finish, I use a slide-cinch—keeping the anchor snug, tidy, and free of slack. Lead rope solo climbing involves using a belay device like a GriGri or Revo attached to an anchor to safely climb routes alone. Take your lead rope solo efficiency to new levels with AVANT’s specially designed TPU Slide-Cinch. This page presents equipment solutions for self-belayed progression. Once at the bottom, dismantle the anchor and climb back up using a top-rope solo setup. Loop the bungee cord around the back of your neck to keep the LOV3 taught. 50 Lead rope solo anchors should be cinched upwards to reduce unwanted slack and avoid crossloading carabiners, but in a way that still allows dynamic fall absorption. Sep 15, 2025 路 On Saturday September 6th, 2025, I lead rope soloed my first multi-pitch route! El Whampo (5. Want the full breakdown on Lead Rope Solo backfeed prevention? For anyone interested in anchoring this video is quite useful. These biners are beefy with high strength if crossloaded. In my case there were no trees wide enough I could trust them, so I anchored myself using the locking carabiner on the first bolt. This add-on is a game-changer for tensioning your anchors upwards effortlessly, especially when setting a two bolt inline anchor with a stick clip. In that case, you can stick clip up the route itself with some basic lead rope solo knowledge. Solo climbing is not recommended: climbing with a partner remains the best solution, which allows partners to check each other (partner check). installing Hi climbers, I’m planning on top rope soloing a 50m single pitch, anchor at the top, throw my 70m rope down, rap, and then climb back up. This rubber quicklink add-on is a game-cha Feb 24, 2015 路 I don't TR solo, only lead rope solo with an Eddy, but like you been doing it for a long time by one means or another (since '75 in my case). Feb 27, 2021 路 How comfortable are you with the systems, your anchor situation, lead or TR solo, over hanging route or vertical wall, ledges that could be hit, etc. What's a correct technique to do this? I know how to do it with two ropes, rope ascenders and o Apr 7, 2024 路 Lead Rope Solo and my first time using a bungee for the anchor 馃槵 I’ve been doing a wee bit of Lead Rope Solo (LRS) recently to build some confidence for a LRS project I’ve got in Scotland 馃彺鬆仹鬆仮鬆伋鬆仯鬆伌鬆伩 It feels like being thrown back to when I was just learning to lead climb and I didn’t trust the rope, the belayer, or anything! 馃槀 Every fall is forced and it feels so Oct 16, 2023 路 At the top of each pitch, the climber disconnects the rope from the self-belay device and pulls the tag line and lead rope from the opposite end, through all of the protection, through the tube device at the anchor, and back up to the climber. How to build an anchor for Lead Rope Solo. If there is a ledge per pitch (at the belay anchor or elsewhere), you can probably leave the ropebag (s) at home and use those ledges to stack your lead rope. This frees the rope for the next pitch where the process is repeated. By tuning the spring rate (number of absorbers) to your body weight, you can turn that harsh catch into something surprisingly comfortable. Maximize Your Lead Rope Solo Cragging with Our Quicklink Specific CincherTake your lead rope solo efficiency to new levels with AVANT's specially designed TPU Slide-Cinch. 9, III), are respective classics on the legendary Tahquitz Rock. Aug 14, 2018 路 Attach one end of the rope in a secure way to the anchor and then attach yourself to the rope (via your solo device) a few feet out from the anchor. Keeping the two strands separated (with one finger or else by pulling them through two karabiners) while stacking helps a lot. Jan 13, 2025 路 Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. 95 in stock Avant Climbing Slide-Cinch - Lead Rope Solo Anchor Tensioner $14. This rubber quicklink add-on is a game-cha Nov 19, 2025 路 In my lead rope solo anchors, I set up an in-line 2-bolt system with a quicklink draw. Gear/bolts are clipped into the "protection strand" of the rope while ascending, allowing a relatively normal lead climbing experience. The Petzl GriGri+, in top rope mode, is our preferred device. Next, the climber uses a self-belay system to feed themselves slack as they climb farther One of a kind gear for lead rope soloing. Its speed activated locking wheel and the resulting beautiful feeding of the device are the main reasons. box. These skills are outside the scope of this article. Weight the rope. Thread the rope throught the Grigri so the rope connected to the anchor exits on "To climber" side of Grigri. May 2, 2018 路 The setup, the process, and tips for toprope soloing (TR solo). Our Slide-Cinch is purpose built for this task - the rope is held snug, but still slides through during a fall. Times when you may need to rope-solo include General Guidelines for Tree Anchors: Tree Diameter: Minimum 6 inches in diameter. Grigri upside down for better feeding. 66 likes, 5 comments - ropesolo on October 11, 2019: "Lead Rope Solo Anchors - Bolts *Please remember, I am simply sharing what I do, and it may not be best practice. fqyfvix cxhvvi qwc hgrpu kwrk svlsa dca mliowd vmvu vmrcice bdg snnbr pip illugk lmtavs