PLEASE HELP ME OUT HERE. I'm ready to solo aid my first route, its going to be City Park up at Index(wash.) my fav. place besides yosi. I'm either looking at the Solo aid or a gri gri. Which is safer and simpler. I want the sketch factor to be at a minimum. If your recomending the solo aid, how can I get my hands on one, rock exotica sold out to Petzl, and there not advertising the solo aid in their catalog. Any help would be great thanks. Also I'm going to Yosemite in June for about a month, any recomendations on some good first time solo walls would be helpfull also.

-- Harry (alpex@rock.com), December 01, 1998

Answers

Hey Harry, Well I use the Gri-Gri for a solo device and I do like it. The only problem with it is that in a fall you could unlock the handle and it would fail. I tie back up knots every 20 feet or so to prevent this and my Gri-Gri is also modified. My handle is now retacable so there is no way the I could catch it in a fall. But the easiest way to set up the Gri-Gri to solo is just to tape the handle down (don't restrict the cam movment) and rock and roll. I am a manager at a climbing gym and I am right next door to the biggest retail shop in Las Vegas (Desert Rock Sports) I will see if they have the solo-aid in stock. I will e-mail you if they have one. The Zodaic is a great solo, so is the Tangerine Trip. These routes have very little free climbing (the free climbing is easy) and they are steep and fun. Well I hoped I helped Harry take care and have fun. Burt

-- Burt (epiclmber@hotmail.com), December 02, 1998.

Yo harry!

Both are pretty nice for soloing. I have a modified Gri-Gri that works great, has caught a few wingers (including an upside down 30 footer in the Fisher towers) and also works pretty nice for free climbing, as it doesn't require quite as much hand feeding. However, if you can get your hands on a solo aid they are sweet too! Check out the other post on this issue called "gri-gri as a solo device?" there is some more info in there! Remeber always tie back up knots anyway, cause nothing is totally foolproof! Excpet that backup knot!!!

Cheers! Feelio!

-- Feelio Babar (IronMonger@Circleheadsarebomber.com), December 02, 1998.

Hello,

I've soloed many of the routes up at index, although I've never soloed a big wall.

I don't see the need for a device on A2 or easier. The method I use is to have two locking biners on my harness and to alternately tie knots with as much slack as seems prudent or as much as I'm willing to run it out. This is bomber and I never have to worry about a device failing. Plus it has the added benefit of giving you your runnout before you even leave the current piece which is kind of a thrill.

However, if you were soloing A3 or something where a longer fall may rip pieces, then a device would be a good idea.

Steve

-- Steve Purcell (steve@mds.com), December 02, 1998.

It would seem that the soloist and the solo-aid are back. The ad in Climbing '99 gear guide, page 23 shows 'Wren Industries'selling each. Email; wren@bewellnet.com I would love any feedback you gain from experience with either.

-- Tim (ClimbRat@aol.com), March 09, 1999.

Wren industries will also be manufacturing the Silent Partner designed by Mark Blanchard. This is unit is the one to have but will run you almost 250! Doink! If you are interested in the silent partner, e-mail Wren, at the sdress given in the add. This should be out soon!

-- Tea (mtea@ptc.com), March 17, 1999.

I have used four different types of soloist devices for both free climbing and aid climbing: Two clove hitches, a Gri-Gri device, a Soloist device, and the Silent Partner. I have never used the Solo Aid device. Of all these methods, I can tell you the Silent Partner is by far the best. If you plan on doing soloing, especially mixed aid and free climbing, spend a few more clams and get the Silent Partner. The Silent Partner is the only device I have found that self-feeds the rope. The Soloist device claims to allow self-feeding of the rope, but the self-feeding does not work well in practice. Also, you must wear a chest harness with the Soloist, but the Silent Partner does not need a chest harness. The Silent Partner is a definite improvement over the Soloist.

-- Mark A. Fletcher (mfletche@turnerdesigns.com), August 10, 1999.