Silent partner cluster

Hi,
I've used an SP for free climbing a lot and get on reasonably well with it. However when aid climbing the addition of 2 daisies and a fifi at the front of my harness means it gets real messy. So, when aid climbing are most people clipping the SP into the harness tie in points (as in the instructions), or the belay loop (to get the thing out of the way). Thanks.

In case it is relevant, although I'm talking about using an SP on relatively easy aid (for example Zodiac), I do find the daisies useful once it gets vertical or I think I might drop a hook, and I do like to have either a fifi or a very short extender to top step with. I've fallen on my SP several times free climbing, and I'd want a backup knot. So I end up with a right mess on the harness. Hence, I'd like to move the SP out of the way and onto the belay loop.

I use a BD big gun harness, my SP rests in the tie in points between either belay loop, with 1 daisy per belay loop,
my fifi rests my right side belay loop (on top of my daisy). on my left side belay loop, underneath my daisy, I clip 1 back up knot (about 10m of rope) when aid climbing because it is easy to re-tie multiple times than tie 7 and once and hang them all on me (which sucks). for me this system has been the least amount of cluster-y shit.

what do you think about just walking a clove hitch for your backup? No need to retie every couple feet. Or even a ropeman device. I have done this and it seems to keep the cluster to a minimum. SP then ropeman then backup. need rope easy feed through ropeman until you need more then walk your clove.

As far as the daisys I think even with a partner it can quickly become a cluster, so you just have to focus on managing it. And I second the other comments about splitting belay loops with the BD Big Gun.

Just got a single ledge on order...Stoked for the Solo suffering and adventure myself...

I clip it into the tie-in points on the harness to keep it lower on my body and away from my face.

I have my daisies girth hitched through my belay loop but I have my fifi run through the tie-in points. I rarely use the daisies when climbing, usually only when the climbing is awkward or severely overhung or I'm using a hook. I just let them dangle.

I've tied a 9/16 webbing loop into my belay loop that I have a big locking biner dedicated to my back up. I use it to back up the Silent Partner and when I'm cleaning.

When I'm soloing, I'll pull up 40 or so feet and tie my safety knot there. When I've moved that far, I'll tie another.

Mark Hudon wrote:I clip it into the tie-in points on the harness to keep it lower on my body and away from my face. I have my daisies girth hitched through my belay loop but I have my fifi run through the tie-in points. I rarely use the daisies when climbing, usually only when the climbing is awkward or severely overhung or I'm using a hook. I just let them dangle. I've tied a 9/16 webbing loop into my belay loop that I have a big locking biner dedicated to my back up. I use it to back up the Silent Partner and when I'm cleaning. When I'm soloing, I'll pull up 40 or so feet and tie my safety knot there. When I've moved that far, I'll tie another.

All the climbing spec 9/16 webbing I'm finding when I search the web is rated to 9 or 10 Kn. A Kn is about 224 pounds. So 9 X 224 =2016 pounds. Additionally, I have the sling doubled so it's worth 4032.

Thanks for your concern though.

Mark Hudon wrote: I've tied a 9/16 webbing loop into my belay loop that I have a big locking biner dedicated to my back up. I use it to back up the Silent Partner and when I'm cleaning.

To minimize the cluster there. That biner hangs down a bit so it's out of the way of everything.