Describe your TR Solo Setup

This guy has a pretty good comparison of the nano vs micro:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=310&v=-uNrvrC-_k4&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY&feature=emb_logo

While they are rated the same, he finds more friction with the nano because of the smaller pulley diameter, stiffer spring on the cam, and rope space between the device and the biner that is used. I use two micros, and find they don’t slide as easily as I’d like (10mm Sterling Safety Pro). Sounds like a nano would make this worse- not worth the tiny weight or $ savings, to my eye.

Thanks for the info and video, sounds like the nano  could be a pain to use.

I use a camp ascender on chest(double length sling with overhand knot in center and one on each end, slipped over shoulders, keeps ascender right on my sternum) also have a locker draw connecting chest to belay loop so it cant

Backuped with a microgram on belay loop. 

super simple.

Let the flaming begin, I use a single mini trax on a fixed static line with three quarts of water clipped on the bottom as a counter weight. I figure the device is a back up to my climbing, and I've been doing it that way (frequently) for nearly 20 years, works every time.

I’ll take that bait. Ive seen strings, slings, sticks, and most often hoodie drawstrings override toothed devices.  So if you’re TR soloing a bunch of stuff just above your free solo limit….cool. But otherwise I’d try to talk you into a second device, like I have other people. Try it for the next 20 years and then compare results for maximum scientific-ness!

Camp Lift on a quickdraw dogbone with lockers and rubber keepers on both ends, held up by chintzy carabiners and a shock cord neck strap. Ropeman 2 backup with a 3/8" quicklink on the belay loop to help it feed more smoothly.

Scott Darby wrote:

Anyone used a nanotraxion for TRS? I’m thinking about using a micro as the main, nano as backup. I know the chance of two micros being locked open is low, but I like the idea of one of the devices having no chance of being locked open. It is also a little cheaper…

I think this is covered elsewhere in this thread but the nano works fine on my personal ropes (9.5, 9.4) but doesn't work well at all on some random fixed lines (including a still supple ~10 static line). I've tried the nano as both the backup and the main device in combination with a micro. It isn't terrible, but really doesn't feed as well as a micro + ascender (while I'll probably go back to), or even micro + tibloc. This surprised me because it seems to feed well on thicker ropes when trying it out at home. 

But these preferences are pretty personal - I don't trust the camp lift, and I like having two devices because I don't trust myself to rig a single device correctly. I'll probably keep the nano around for fix-and-follow (it'll work great on a low 9 rope) and to have a second setup to lend out. 

Ben, 

Curious what it is about the camp lift you don’t like… care to expand?

fossil wrote:

Let the flaming begin, I use a single mini trax on a fixed static line with three quarts of water clipped on the bottom as a counter weight. I figure the device is a back up to my climbing, and I've been doing it that way (frequently) for nearly 20 years, works every time.

Everyone gets to choose their own risk tolerance, there's nothing wrong with that. You have a half-free soloing mindset, and that's an appropriate rig for your personal risk level and attitude you take towards TRS climbing. 

I would only tell you that was a bad thing to do if you were encouraging beginners to do something similar-- two devices should be the standard operating procedure for people the vast majority of people getting into TRS but when you become knowledgeable enough to have a good understanding of the devices, their failure modes, and how likely failure is then it's an informed risk assessment the same way runout trad climbing or highball bouldering or free soloing is.

Personally the amount of stories like that guy that almost took a grounder on a 5.13 in Tahoe and broke a bunch of bones are enough to make me want two devices-- I have not heard a single TRS accident report that involved two devices. 

But IMO everyone getting to set their own risk tolerance is a key component of climbing; just as I wouldn't dare tell someone that they shouldn't free solo so long as they are competent and informed, similarly it isn't my or anyone else's position to tell you how you should or shouldn't rope solo. You understand these devices and the consequences perfectly well. You do you. 

With regards to the Lift, I have taken easily over 1,000 falls on it and it has never slipped even half an inch. Always just an immediate grab. One of the best TRS devices out there for sure. 

Ricky Harline wrote:

You do you.  

That about sums it up nicely 

Scott Darby wrote:

Anyone used a nanotraxion for TRS? I’m thinking about using a micro as the main, nano as backup. I know the chance of two micros being locked open is low, but I like the idea of one of the devices having no chance of being locked open. It is also a little cheaper…

Yes, that's my setup and I really like it. I hang the nano on a 17cm dogbone with 2 lockers to keep it out of the way and make it easy to safely transfer to a Grigri rappel while mid-air.

The only downside I've experienced is that the nanotraxion doesn't work well with fat (11mm) ropes. It's great with 10mm and smaller though, and it does still work well enough on fat ropes if you throw enough weight on the bottom.

I know the most common setup is still the double microtraxion but I don't like it. My microtrax cam gets locked open an average of once a day, possibly because of the way I take it on and off the rope with its short tether.

It might be possible to disable the lockout on a bottom microtrax by flooding the mechanism with clear epoxy but I don't know anyone who has tried this yet.

Eric Hirst wrote:

Yes, that's my setup and I really like it. I hang the nano on a 17cm dogbone with 2 lockers to keep it out of the way and make it easy to safely transfer to a Grigri rappel while mid-air.

The only downside I've experienced is that the nanotraxion doesn't work well with fat (11mm) ropes. It's great with 10mm and smaller though, and it does still work well enough on fat ropes if you throw enough weight on the bottom.

I know the most common setup is still the double microtraxion but I don't like it. My microtrax cam gets locked open an average of once a day, possibly because of the way I take it on and off the rope with its short tether.

It might be possible to disable the lockout on a bottom microtrax by flooding the mechanism with clear epoxy but I don't know anyone who has tried this yet.

File/Dremel the tab on the cam

I use a nano+micro, but I’d go micro+taz lov2 if I was getting a new setup.

Noel Z wrote:

For anyone still shunting, here's an update from Yann Camus. He illustrates the "scropion catch". 

Maybe I'm crazy, but I've seen both these videos and I'm still shunting.

I've got a micro traxion backup. At least 200 falls and the backup has never been weighted beyond my trial phase where I was still trying to get the setup right. If my life were just on the shunt I'd be worried about this "scorpion catch" but given I've got a backup and have never seen it fail, I'm not really worried about it. You should have a backup regardless, because there are possible failure mechanisms which apply to every device.

The reason people shunt is because it's hands down the easiest device for switching to rappel, at least of the devices I've tried.

Noel Z wrote:

I can't disagree with any of this when a backup is in place. Kudos to Yann all the same for demonstrating the scorpion catch and for differentiating the different shapes of the shunt, e.g. seagull.

Yeah, no hate to Yann. I've seen quite a few folks out there TR soloing with no backup at all, so his videos are still relevant.

Mark White wrote:

The ascender isn't uncomfortable or problematic, is there another reason so many people go straight to smaller devices?

Curious about this as well.

regaljay - wrote:

Curious about this as well.

Personally, I just needed a single device and didn't own ascenders. 

Using this thread like many others to say that I want to get into TRSing. But, it's a hard conversation to join the middle of. I see a lot of comments saying "it depends" without saying what it depends on. And there are a lot of comments that contradict each other. And a lot of comments that don't contradict a thing but say "I'll take the risk"

So I just have to ask about my intended set up, meant to maximize what I already own. I want to fix a 8.9 mm dynamic 70m rope in a single line from bolted anchors, with a microtraxion chest-harnessed above and a grigri below as backup. I want to be able to TRS below, and at project grade. I'm tolerant for as much risk, say, as a lead on a PG trad route, I suppose (that is to say, I accept a large risk that can be totally mitigated by making no user errors). I want to minimize potential dumb mistakes in switching to rappel, which is why I like the grigri as part of the system.

Is the rope too thin? Is the grigri useless as a backup in a situation where the micro didn't catch in the first place (on this thinner rope)? Will I regret using the grigri even as a backup because of having to feed rope through as I climb?

I tie a figure eight on a bight on ether side of my midpointl. Each goes into a locking draw on the achors. That gives me 2 independent strands. One stand I run a nanotraxion (nano does not have the ability to lock open) and on the other strand I run a grigri. Gotta feed the grigri, but I figure it's no worse than a lead so who cares. 

I've been considering using one strand and run the gri gri as primary and drag the nanotrax under it as a backup. That way It's a little cleaner and simpler and I'm not climbing around 2 strands. 

Patrick Geoghegan wrote:

Using this thread like many others to say that I want to get into TRSing. But, it's a hard conversation to join the middle of. I see a lot of comments saying "it depends" without saying what it depends on. And there are a lot of comments that contradict each other. And a lot of comments that don't contradict a thing but say "I'll take the risk"

So I just have to ask about my intended set up, meant to maximize what I already own. I want to fix a 8.9 mm dynamic 70m rope in a single line from bolted anchors, with a microtraxion chest-harnessed above and a grigri below as backup. I want to be able to TRS below, and at project grade. I'm tolerant for as much risk, say, as a lead on a PG trad route, I suppose (that is to say, I accept a large risk that can be totally mitigated by making no user errors). I want to minimize potential dumb mistakes in switching to rappel, which is why I like the grigri as part of the system.

Is the rope too thin? Is the grigri useless as a backup in a situation where the micro didn't catch in the first place (on this thinner rope)? Will I regret using the grigri even as a backup because of having to feed rope through as I climb?

A couple notes:

1. If you want to easily switch to rappel, invest in a Taz Lov 2/3 or a Trango Vergo. The GriGri does not really self feed and you will have to tend to it by pulling through slack frequently; this is fine on easy terrain but can be a real pain and mental barrier when working hard sequences. Also it is a lot easier to rappel if the ABD is the primary device and the PCD is secondary. 

2. 8.9mm rope is fine if you are comfortable with it. Be careful with sharp edges and use rebelays to minimize edge rubbing and you should be fine, though a thicker rope will always be more confidence inspiring when you are hanging out in free space alone. A bonus of the Taz Lov 2/3 is that it supports pretty thick rope sizes while still maintaining the ability to self feed.