The unofficial LRS Sulu Go thread

As more people are starting to get this device and as it had quite a lot of hype specifically for LRS, I think it warranties it's own thread. If someone else wants to start a TRS thread go for it but I actually think there's not much to talk about for TRS. 

I've finally managed to make use of some good weather, got out and played with my Sulu Go in a variety of configurations.

A few thoughts first though. 

• There's technique to pulling out slack with this thing, you need to keep the rope close to your body, I don't think there's any way round this unfortunately. 
• None of these configurations were tested in a fall so consider this as first impressions with the main focus being on how well the device feeds for LRS. 
• The grabyness of this device seems to be mainly determined by the angle the device sits hanging off the belay loop, anything from the rope or your legs can alter the angle of the device and cause it to lock, I feel this will be very important going forward. 

Config 1: Sulu Go with a neck lanyard

Kept it low and surprisingly not terrible, not amazing don't get me wrong it didn't feed well and shit the bed when traversing, better than a grigri but not much more to say about this. 

Config 2: Sulu go with Lanyard redirect

This allowed the sulu to hang as it would for TRS without a neck lanyard but use a carabiner hanging off the lanyard to keep the rope feeding straight up and then down to the anchor and gear. This fed well, not quite as good as a well dialed in grigri set up but well. I would still get some unwanted engagement as the lanyard was long enough to have the rope go off axis. 

Config 3: Sulu Go with high lanyard and cache loop

Wow, this is close, it would self feed just fine and slack could be pulled up relatively easily, not perfect and honestly still not quite well dialed in grigri level. I felt the cache loop didn't do a tonne of work here and it was just another thing to manage, maybe better without it. 

I'm excited to play with this some more as well as do some fall tests with the device. 

Sorry for the dark pics. 

Note that the "New TRS device" thread is already running, so we definitely don't need another one for TRS with the Sulu.  The FB group is also actively discussing it.  (I personally prefer a non-Meta option, but that seems to be where the majority of LRS/TRS talk happens.)

I'm going to play with mine for LRS today.  It's full-on winter here though so real climbing will have to wait.  I've found in previous device testing that cache loops may seem to be unnecessary when experimenting, but that when one's 20m off the deck they become required.

It may turn out that the Sulu needs a pulley/Attache to redirect the dead end.  I tried that with the LOV3 initially but found that the Beal 9.4 I favor feeds well without the pulley.  But the LOV3 has a nice rounded top edge when in LRS configuration, while the dead end side of the Sulu is more squared off.

The cache loop didn't feel particularly needed even at about 20m (we don't have anything bigger on grit ha), your idea of using a pulley to control the angle of the dead end of the rope could be a better way forward instead of a full cache loop I think. The largest improvement came from controlling the angle of the live end. 

Mine hasn't shipped yet but when it does, I intend to test it out using the backpack method. I recall one of the videos that AC posted using the prototype where the guy demo-ing was using a backpack + chest harness, and it seemed pretty smooth in terms of how it fed and how he pulled slack. 

However, that was a prototype in a controlled indoor setting so I'm not sure how much that will hold up in the real world.

I'm going to be trying mine with the backpack + Revo method like I do with the Taz when mine comes. Am definitely curious to see how it performs. 

It's snowing, so no real testing, but I did a little messing around with a LRS setup for the Sulu. (I'll take some whips on it when the weather is less frightful.)  The only real difference between it and the Taz LOV3 setup I've been using is that I had to fab a little hook to go through the Sulu's hole to hold it up.  Initially I tried a cord, but immediately realized that that tied the device closed, which complicated putting in & removing the rope (duh).

Just messing with it I'd say it feeds ever so slightly less smoothly than the LOV and catches the same (instantly).  I tried a carabiner on the shoulder to smooth the feed, but I can't determine whether that (or a pulley) will really be necessary until my cache loop can hang down farther than the floor.

Overall It seems very promising!

(Note that this is a Beal Stinger 9.4.  I will prob test with a fatter rope at some point, but I don't have anything thinner.  Yes, I use a soft shackle, which is stronger than a steel carabiner and does not care about cross-loading. When I'm actually climbing with it I tape the eye closed since it doesn't need to come off of the harness or device during a climbing day.)

Some fodder for you all. I might take it for a spin today, but promising while standing on terra firma.
Link in case the embed function does not work.
https://youtube.com/shorts/Lyr5pAPRKeM

Mr Rogerswrote:

Some fodder for you all. I might take it for a spin today, but promising while standing on terra firma.
Link in case the embed function does not work.
https://youtube.com/shorts/Lyr5pAPRKeM

I hope this works but I dread to think what this would be like on a traverse. 

Haven't got mine yet, but this looks promising. I'm sure I have a large twisted quick link around somewhere.

https://www.peguet.com/ppe-certified-maillon-rapide-quick-links/large-opening-twist-maillon-rapide

Seb,
you insinuating it will be a faff, or dangerous....or even BOTH?! =)
IGD for sure.

Noel,
I thought I had one laying around too, but sadly, the juice to find it was not worth the squeeze. Almost certainly the single twist link will be better and cleaner.

Mr Rogerswrote:

Seb,
you insinuating it will be a faff, or dangerous....or even BOTH?! =)
IGD for sure.

Just a bit of a faff, my redirect was exactly because I found it unworkable on a traverse. 

Edit: I had a play, it's nice I like it, it does seem to very very reliably lock in this configuration. I am finding it doesn't ever really want to auto feed (walking up some stairs imitating a traverse), when my redirect would mostly auto feed. I think we are getting there. 

A pulley certainly seems to help the feed

What advantages, if any, does this have over the Grigri+? Seems clunkier, more expensive, and worse feeding?

Mr Rogerswrote:

Some fodder for you all. I might take it for a spin today, but promising while standing on terra firma.
Link in case the embed function does not work.
https://youtube.com/shorts/Lyr5pAPRKeM

What do you mean about inverted falls? I don't see how what you were demonstrating is inverted, you only twisted the device in the same upright orientation.

Bug Boywrote:

What advantages, if any, does this have over the Grigri+? Seems clunkier, more expensive, and worse feeding?

One positive is that because it's a TRS device too, after you have led a pitch, fixed the line, and rapped it to then clean the pitch, you wouldn't need to switch devices to re-ascend your line prior to starting the next pitch

Mr Rogerswrote:

Some fodder for you all. I might take it for a spin today, but promising while standing on terra firma.
Link in case the embed function does not work.
https://youtube.com/shorts/Lyr5pAPRKeM

Try a dyneema soft shackle instead of your 2 quick links.  I bet you'll find it to be pretty great.

evan freemanwrote:

Try a dyneema soft shackle instead of your 2 quick links.  I bet you'll find it to be pretty great.

I see a slackline supply store selling soft shackles in 10 and 20cm lengths. Would the 10 be sufficient you reckon or would the 20 be better?

Ricky Harlinewrote:

I see a slackline supply store selling soft shackles in 10 and 20cm lengths. Would the 10 be sufficient you reckon or would the 20 be better?

I make mine from 48" of 5mm/3/16" dyneema and they end up about 35cm long opened up. I'm not sure how they measure theirs, but mine ends up being about 50% bigger than the belay loop when it goes around the tie-in points.  You could probably use a shorter one as well and adjust your chest hold up point.  West Marine carries it by the foot for $.79.  Thinner dyneema is still plenty strong, but the 5mm is more confidence inspiring and 40+kN breaking strength is loony.

I did a little testing today with my ladder & tree method.  It allows for free-falls from as high as about 20' and I set up a second rope with butterfly knots to create clip-in points so I can "lead".

The Sulu works very much like the Taz LOV, which is to say very well.  I couldn't get the LOV to not catch on the 9.4 when actually TRS climbing, while fooling around with it inside the house I could pull rope through it easily.  The Sulu, with its spring, catches instantly.

For LRS, the Sulu feeds well when the rope is going directly downward, but even the slightest traverse direction makes it want to lock up.  I suspect this will be annoying in real-life use, but obviously more testing is required.  This translates into instant, confidence inspiring catches.  Feed is ok, but might need a redirect to be super smooth.  I had to find a tiny carabiner to go through the hole as my little hook wouldn't stay in there when I was really moving around a lot.  IMO elastic won't hold it firmly enough to get good self-feeding:  you need a decent chest harness & solid attachment point.

I'm mostly excited about the Sulu as a possible LRS option for really skinny ropes that the LOV won't accept.  I never liked the idea of using a GG+ for that since it's not a very good TRS device.

Lowering on the Sulu is about the same as a GG or LOV--you just need to control the brake strand and learn the sweet spot.

Gonna rip the Sulu LRS rig on some .9 to mid .10 pitches tomorrow.
Will have the USHBA hand ascender as back & cache management in the mix.

And Evan, yeah I'll splice up a soft connection when I get details a little more dialed for that custom fit!

I'll take video to share with you gear weirdos tomorrow including some playing around with traversing.

Edit for Mountain Hick:
The inverted fall scenario that can usually defeat the device is no present with this setup. That where the rope itself basically pushes down on the caming mechanism when upside down in a fall.
I'll post some more to show what I mean so clarity is had. Apologies I caused some confusion with my quick little stamen I made there around it.

This is the best set up I have found, I'm going to replace a tweak a things here and there but overall I'm very happy with this, auto feeds very well with a cache loop and reasonably well without. The top pulley is a game changer. 

Rope is configured same as Mr Rogers and Evan. 

It doesn't auto feed on a traverse and will lock up but I think when it does lockup it's actually much easier to unlock it than something like a grigri.