Simul Climbing Question - Efficency at Belay Stations

Essentially my question is how to stay efficient when the leader has run out of gear and the follower reaches the belay station.

What I found is the majority of time lost is in the former leader having to coil their half of the rope up at the belay. Is it common to keep your roles of leader and follower for the whole climb to avoid this? or does one person just climb with the rope coiled around them the entire time whether leading or following?

 Sharing any tips from your experience with anything regarding simul-climbing would be appreciated!

Mike-Mayhemwrote: or does one person just climb with the rope coiled around them the entire time whether leading or following?

Both people can share the rope carrying duty. Climbing with 30m on you can be tough, but 15m isn't so bad even if you're leading. It's much faster to change roles at the belay unless the follower racked all the gear on a sling that can quickly passed off. 

Adam Flemingwrote:

Both people can share the rope carrying duty. Climbing with 30m on you can be tough, but 15m isn't so bad even if you're leading. It's much faster to change roles at the belay unless the follower racked all the gear on a sling that can quickly passed off. 

So your saying 15m can be coiled on both climbers? I didnt think of that! Climbing with 30/35m of coiled rope gets pretty tiring on a long stretch of climbing.

or just fold a rope in half and use double rope technique (has to be rated for this, but many skinny ropes are). I'd recommend a half rope, personally. The rope weighs less, easier to deal w rope drag, and no coiling. same rap-able length. 

Matt Castelliwrote: or just fold a rope in half and use double rope technique (has to be rated for this, but many skinny ropes are). I'd recommend a half rope, personally. The rope weighs less, easier to deal w rope drag, and no coiling. same rap-able length. 

This. 

Buy a cheap 1/2/double/twin rope, fold in half for simuling. Use as a light tag line when needed other times. Very useful to have. I picked up a 7.9mm rope for under $90 for these rare-ish uses and it is totally worth the investment.

If you're walking off, you can use a gym rope.  35-40m is my ideal distance.  

Mike-Mayhemwrote:

So your saying 15m can be coiled on both climbers? I didnt think of that! Climbing with 30/35m of coiled rope gets pretty tiring on a long stretch of climbing.

Having ~10m coiled on each climber is my normal when climbing with a ~60m rope.

In addition to easier communication, you have some flexibility if either calls for a fixed belay while someone doesn't feel like they want to move.

Edit:  One other thought that seems worth conveying - simul-climbing usually goes much more smoothly and safely if you know each other very well climb-wise.

Stuffing the rope in a backpack can be nicer to climb with than the coils. The most efficient way can be to pass the backpack and switch tie ins in many instances. Lots of factors to think about, whether or not you're using microtraxions, after cruxes or spaced out evenly, and if you're going to have the stronger climber be the follower or the leader, length of climb, how far you're running it out in between peices, if you're going to need to switch to a traditional belay for the cruxes, and what type of descent. These things are going to determine what rope length and how much you have coiled, as well as the rest of your strategy.

For example on 5.easy with a great partner and  walk off descent I might use a 20m rope, no coils and 1 or no micros.

On vertical harder terrain with a single rope rappel descent, I commonoly use a 60m or 70m with half packed in a backpack and a micro placed every 100 feet. In this scenario I might have the stronger climber lead since it will increase the speed and the risk of the follower pulling off the leader is mitigated. 

I like the second having a grigri to easily adjust length of rope out and easy switch to a regular belay and back so double ropes are out for me

For full on simul climb I like a short rope. For occasional simul and regular belay I like a backpack to flake into. 
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Wait. wait, wait ... you guys mean "it depends"?!?!

;)

Have definitely thought about splitting the rope in half, but instances where you are using a fatter rope is mostly what I’m wondering about. The backpack method makes sense if you aren’t planning on needing to give additional slack. For that reason using a coil has always been more attractive to me. Although yesterday I got really tired simuling 4 steep pitches with all that rope coiled around me and figured there must be a better way!

Mike-Mayhemwrote: Have definitely thought about splitting the rope in half, but instances where you are using a fatter rope is mostly what I’m wondering about. The backpack method makes sense if you aren’t planning on needing to give additional slack. For that reason using a coil has always been more attractive to me. Although yesterday I got really tired simuling 4 steep pitches with all that rope coiled around me and figured there must be a better way!

Yeah - I think for that: "4 steep pitches with all that rope coiled" around the leader, some kind of progress capture device strategically place is probably in order. :)

Bill Lawrywrote:

Yeah - I think for that: "4 steep pitches with all that rope coiled" around the leader, some kind of progress capture device strategically place is probably in order. :)

I generally use a micro trax when I simul climb. My question was mostly about being more efficient to move quickly while simul climbing.

And to clarify before mountain project tells me I’m going to die: I meant tired as in out of breath as oppose to cruxing out

Mike-Mayhemwrote:

I generally use a micro trax when I simul climb. My question was mostly about being more efficient to move quickly while simul climbing.

Again, for whatever it is worth, I think efficiency with simul-climbing means knowing your partner well ... probably above all else.