It’s hard to deny that Top Rope Solo is one of the most effective ways to build volume. Whether you’re a busy climber trying to find time to work on your next project, an introvert who prefers soloing, or someone who quickly climbs large routes using fix-and-follow tactics, Top Rope Solo makes sense in many cases.
The basic idea is simple:
- anchor the rope at the anchor,
- clip to the belay device,
- recheck everything,
- start climbing.
But any climber who has done this in the wild knows: there are a ton of nuances that determine how comfortable and safe the process will be.
Brent Bargan and his team at Avant Climbing Innovations have thoroughly researched solo rope climbing, creating specialized gear to address common problems. Over the past few weeks, I’ve replaced my homemade systems with Avant products and tested three products in various climbing areas, including Smith Rock, Squamish, Eastern Sierra, Red Rock Canyon, and local Portland crags. The test included the Top Rope Solo Neck Lanyard, the Rip Strip rope protector, and the Flex Link Anti-Cross Load Protector.
The Top Rope Solo Neck Strap pulls devices on the rope, keeping them close to you and eliminating slack.
This is important for three reasons:
- It reduces the risk of rope damage in the event of a fall,
- It allows you to climb smoothly, without the distraction of constantly pulling the equipment up with your hands,
- And it reduces psychological stress—you know you won’t fall many meters if you fall.
The Avant website also notes that their mustache is made with a safety break at a load of about 25 kg. This means that if an emergency occurs, the whisker will break, rather than creating a strangulation risk.
When free climbing a fixed rope, a climber typically attaches to it using a self-belay device (usually two – a primary and a backup). Examples of such devices include: Petzl Micro and Nano Traxion, Edelrid Spoc, Taz Lov3, AlternativeCurrent Sulu Go, Wild Country Ropeman, and others.
A “neck strap” or similar device attaches from the neck to the top device and is crucial for automatically taking up slack without the need for constant manual adjustments. Proper automatic “slack management” (aka rope slack) not only ensures a continuous, focused climbing style, but is also critical for safety. When using toothed belay devices, excess slack in the rope during a fall can lead to serious damage to the sheath or, worse, a break.
For years, I used a homemade lanyard made from elastic cord and old nylon webbing, but the Avant version has proven significantly more comfortable. I’ve used the aforementioned belay devices before and am confident that the Avant lanyard is compatible with all of them; in this test, I used the Petzl Nano Traxion and Micro Traxion.
The ability to adjust the tension of the elastic cord and auxiliary carabiner makes use noticeably more comfortable.The only concern I have is about durability: the outer sheath of the bungee cord has started to unravel over time. This hasn’t affected its functionality yet, and I don’t think it will wear out any further. Otherwise, the Avant neck shank was better than most homemade solutions I’ve seen and used.
[In response to a question about durability, Avant Climbing Innovations stated that their products are guaranteed and that such wear and tear is extremely rare.]
Next is the Rip Strip rope protector. Sharp edges are always a hazard in rock climbing, but when TR soloing, the same section of rope constantly rubs against the terrain as you shift sideways, hang, and repeatedly navigate difficult sections. This friction quickly wears down the rope, and on sharp terrain, it can lead to serious damage or even rope cuts, especially with repeated falls and hangs.
For those just getting started with TR soloing, one point deserves special mention. One of the goals of refining solo gear is to create the feeling of climbing as “purely” as possible, as if you were simply being belayed from below and didn’t need to manipulate the gear as you went. It’s like following a multi-pitch route without having to remove gear (though that can be fun, too). The most impressive thing about the Rip Strip is that it can be yanked off the rope and hung on your harness in one motion, with one hand. In comparison, a protector I’ve used before from another brand was significantly more difficult to remove—it required several sharp tugs, whereas the Rip Strip comes off in one smooth motion.
Finally, the Flex-Link Anti-Cross Load Protector. It’s especially useful when using common semi-automatic belay devices (Petzl GriGri, Edelrid Pinch, Trango Vergo) as a “rope grab” mechanism instead of lighter, specialized devices (like the Edelrid Spoc). When using such belay devices and a standard locked carabiner clipped into a waist loop, the risk of lateral loading on the carabiner is extremely high—in fact, almost inevitable. In the event of a fall, the load may fall on the weaker sides of the carabiner.
Flex-Link completely eliminates the risk of lateral loading, especially when combined with a captive-eye carabiner, which further reduces the risk of tilting on the waist loop side. I also see potential for Flex-Link in non-standard rigging schemes, such as securing ropes on rapid links. Overall, this product will be especially useful for those planning to use a self-belay system for solo ascents.
Each of the Avant products I’ve tested solves a specific problem with a simple, thoughtful design. Whether you buy one piece or the entire kit, for anyone serious about effective, smooth, and safe toprope soloing, this is a worthwhile investment.
Pros: Thoughtful design for specific tasks, light weight, original solutions, more convenient than most homemade options.
Cons: Slightly more expensive than DIY solutions, minor issues with the durability of the “neck whisker.”
Author: Ben Lim (Portland, Oregon)
Source of article: alp.org.ua