Rope Soloing with a Silent Partner

The Gear

The Silent Partner. The Silent Partner is a speed actuated braking device. It attaches to a climbing rope with a clove hitch, and to your harness by way of two locking carabiners. As you move away from the anchor, light tension on the rope causes the clove hitch to “slip”. This action allows you to move without having to feed out rope manually. During a fall, the rope feeds out quickly. This increase in rope speed actuates a centrifugal clutch that causes the clove hitch to tighten and stop the rope from feeding. Because it is sensitive to the speed at which rope feeds through it, the Silent Partner will feed freely at speeds typical of climbing. During a fall, it will lock up regardless of your body position. The Silent Partner is released by pulling on the excess end of the rope. It will function as a lowering device by simply passing the rope around your hip to provide friction.

The Rope. A rope for rope soloing needs to be durable. The good thing about rope soloing is that there is no drag at all, and if you do it right, also very little weight. On tough climbs, go for 10.5 or 11mm ropes. If you’re on a big wall, you will probably need a second haul line/ rap line in case the lead line gets trashed.

Rope Bags. Rope bags are a vital tool for anything that’s longer than one pitch, allowing the rope to feed out without snags. It often seems that most of your time on a big rope solo is spent stacking ropes into bags; just make sure it’s nice and big and can keep open.

Bungee Prussic loops. This small prussic loops made from thin bungee cord allows the rope below you to be held, rather than hanging from your waist. Bungee is used rather than thin cord, as in a fall this cord will cut your rope, and bitter experience has flagged up the fact that 2mm or 3mm cord breaking under load can cut like a knife.

The General Process

The climber arrives at the bottom of the climb and creates an anchor for both up and down forces.
They attach the rope to themselves close to the anchor using either a knot (fig8 or clove hitch) or a mechanical auto locking belay device (silent partner, soloist), and begin to climb, placing gear as they go and clipping in.
If they fall they will be caught by either their knot or mechanical device. If they are using a knot they must adjust the knot to give themselves slack.
On reaching the top, they create an anchor that is strong for both an upward and downward force.
They now abseil back down the rope taking out their gear, or if the route is traversing, abseil down a second free hanging rope (or haul line) attached to the belay.
On reaching the ground, they strip the belay and climb back up the rope (via jumars or reclimbing) and begin again.

The climber is safeguarded in case of a fall, with the drawbacks being they must climb the pitch twice, and also abseil down the pitch, so in effect moving over the same ground 3 times. On a single pitch route this is fine, but on a very long route this requires a great deal of organization, stamina and the ability to be self-aware (there is no one to check you but you).

The anchor. The foundation of any rope soloing system is the anchor, as without a bomber anchor – good for both forces up and down – you don’t have a system. When rope soloing, the rope is attached direct to the belay and acts as your belayers body (but not their breaking hand on the belay plate). Big walls with fixed anchors make soloing easy, as you have two or three bolts at each stance makes building anchors a no brainer. On trad routes, things get a bit harder, especially one hard to protect ground, as finding simply a good anchor for a downward force is tough enough, let alone an upward pulling one.

Cams and pegs tend to be multidirectional, but not nuts. Always go for an anchor that has 3 solid pieces in both directions (3 pegs solid in both directions; 2 cams good both ways, 1 nut good for a downward pull, 1 nut good for an upward pull).

Due to the fact you have nobody attached to the end of the rope (static belay), you can have a larger impact force. Have the rope go from the belay to the haul bags, hence they are lifted up in fall giving a softer catch. Some people also attach a ripper sling to their powerpoint.

Rope management. The lead and haul lines are fed into rope bags, with the end from the belay going in last, and the end of the haul line (attached to the haul bags) going in first.

The Step-by-Step Process

Stack the ropes. I set both rope bags and carefully feed both the haul and lead lines into their bags (free end goes in first on lead line, free end goes in last on haul line). Once this is done I check that my lead rope is attached to the powerpoint of the belay correctly and backed up direct to a bolt. With my haul bag hanging from the powerpoint I know that a pull on the lead line will life up the bag, and help give a soft fall.
Get ready to climb and sort out the rack. Tidy up the belay and put the ledge away (or secure it against the wall if it’s going to flag) so there is nothing to snag the ropes.
Attach the Silent Partner to the line a few meters along from where it’s attached to the belay, using two small screwgates. Stop and double check it’s set correctly and give it a few tests.
Take five meters of slack and tie a fig of eight. Attach it to another screwgate direct to the belay loop.
Attach the haul line to the back of the harness.
Secondary checks:
1. Harness done up
2. Rope soloist on correctly, with screwgates attached.
3. Back up knot tied.
4. Haul line attached.
5. Both ropes feeding direct from rope bags to me.
6. Make sure the haul line is attached to the belay at the far end.
7. Check I have all my rack, and that the belay is tidy.
8. Check I have a belay device so I can rap down my haul line.
9. Check I have my jumars or mini ascenders in case I fall into space.
Start climbing. Start by clipping a krab into the highest anchor and clip in the lead line so that if you fall it won’t be straight onto the powerpoint, then clip the aiders in and crank up. Place the first piece and move off the belay.
Now off the belay, check the ropes are leading straight to you, and that the haul line is not twisted behind the lead line. Everything looks good, so you move on.
You reach the belay. Create a powerpoint and clip in your safety. Next, unclip your haul line and attach it directly to the powerpoint, then attach it to your hauler and fix this to the powerpoint. Tie a fig of eight knot in the haul line after it leaves the hauler and clip this into the powerpoint as a second back up in case the hauler failed.
Take off the rack and attach it to the belay, along with the silent partner
Attach your belay device to the haul line, and then one jumar (or prussic loop) as a backup; then before unclipping from the belay and descending you check one more time that everything is good.
You’re level with the belay – hanging in space. To reach it you must pull out all the remaining slack from the rope bag, until the rope snaps tight to the bags, allowing you to pull yourself in.
The first thing to do at the belay is make the hauline tight from the bag to the belay above. Ether tie a new knot in the haul line (alpine butterfly works well), or use a hauling device (minitraction) attached to the haul bags (remote hauling). With the bags tight and ready to go, you lower them out into space.
Now you clean the pitch, and arrive at the belay above, and set about hauling.

Using the Silent Partner

Limitation. Do not use the silent partner for the following conditions:

As the only belay system. It is necessary to provide a reliable back up belay system.
In sub-freezing conditions. Frozen water in the clutch could prevent it from locking.
On muddy or icy ropes. Mud or ice could intervene with the clinching of the clove hitch.
On static rope. Severe forces could be generated in a fall on a static rope.
As a remote belay device. Always wear the Silent Partner on your harness when using it.
Search and rescue, industrial, or commercial applications. It is only for recreation use.

Attaching the silent partner to the rope. *Use only 9.8mm to 11mm

It doesn’t matter which end of the rope goes to the anchor. The Silent Partner will feed and lock to the rope in either direction.

The method of rope attachment is the same for both leading and top roping.

Open the housing by turning the side plates in opposite directions.
Form a clove hitch in the rope and place it on the drum with one strand of rope on each side of the center guide ridge.
Position the rope so that it will leave the housing as shown in the figure above.
Close the housing by re-aligning the attachment holes.

After attaching the silent partner to the rope, pull the anchored end to make sure it feeds and locks properly.

Attach the Silent Partner to your harness with two locking carabiners as shown in the figure to the right. If your harness uses a belay loop, clip to the same parts that the loop goes around. Don’t clip to the belay loop. Never attach the Silent Partner to a chest harness. If you do, the Silent Partner will hit you in your face when you fall.

Silent Partner Ground School. Before climbing with the Silent Partner, you should learn to use it while you are still on the ground. All you need is a climbing rope, a Silent Partner, a carabiner, and a suitable anchor for the rope.

Attach one end of the rope to a suitable anchor as you would when climbing
Attach the Silent Partner to the rope.
Clip a carabiner into the attachment holes. This will serve as a handle.
Pull the Silent Partner slowly along the rope to show you how it feeds.
Now, give it a sharp, quick tug. This will show you how it locks.
To release the Silent Partner, first remove the tension in the rope, then pull the tail end.
Notice that if you pull on both strands of rope, the Silent Partner tightens up the clove hitch and causes difficult rope feeding. When climbing with the Silent Partner, avoid pulling or weighting both strands of rope at the same time.
Feed the Silent Partner all the way to the un-anchored end of the rope. Notice that the Silent Partner can easily feed right off the end of the rope. When climbing with the Silent Partner, always tie into the end of the rope.

Leading. The following four points are essential:

A dynamic climbing rope is attached to an anchor that is secure when pulled in all directions.
The Silent Partner is correctly attached to the rope with a clove hitch, and the climber’s harness with two locking carabiners.
The end of the rope is tied into the harness.
A backup belay system is provided by at least one loop knot tied into the lead rope, and attached to the harness with a locking carabiner. Always use a backup belay system

Always use a backup belay. The use of a backup belay is more than a safety consideration. The weight of the excess rope hanging from the device can make rope feeding difficult. Clipping backup knots to your harness will remove this weight.

The backup belay while leading:

Always tie into the end of the rope. If you don’t, the Silent Partner could feed off the end.

The features of the climb should dictate the positioning of the backup knots along the rope. Your backup knots should be capable of preventing you from hitting things such as the ground or ledge.

Setup at least two back knots at a time. That way, if you have to release a knot at a difficult part of the climb and are unable to tie another, you will still have a backup knot clipped in. It is usually easier to setup all of your backup knots while at the belay station. Then all you have to do is release them as you climb.

12 – 15 meters of rope between the Silent Partner and a backup knot is about the limit.

Preventing self-feed/slack accumulation while leading. The weight of the rope between the Silent Partner and the anchor can cause the rope to feed through the Silent Partner. This situation can result in a dangerous accumulation of slack in the belay system. To prevent this, it is necessary to support the weight of the rope at some point on the pitch.

Prusik method. The figure to the right shows the rope being supported by a prusik knot clipped into a protection point. This method is best since it does not cause an increase in fall factor. Use small diameter cord such as a bootlace so that the prusik will break if loaded during a fall. Bungee cord is an alternative to bootlace, which will stretch to provide a dynamic catch.

Figure eight method. A figure eight knot is tied into the lead rope clipped into a protection point. This method has the advantage of not requiring any extra gear, but does increase the fall factor if you fall above this point.

With both methods, the point of protection supporting the rope must be capable of holding both an upward and downward pull.

Occasionally pull up on the lead rope to see if slack is accumulating at the anchor. Slack accumulation can easily go unnoticed and increase the length of the fall. Checking is easy to do when clipping protection.

Top roping. The Silent Partner will feed and lock in either direction, allowing you to climb up or down at will. This makes the Silent Partner well suited for doing ‘laps’. The Silent Partner can be used to lower yourself at the top without changing the setup. Climbs with much traversing, large overhangs, or weave back and forth and not good choices for solo top toping. Stick to climbs that go straight up and follow a straight line. Also, because of the speed required for the Silent Partner to lock up, expect to fall further than being belayed.

The following points are essential:

A dynamic rope is anchored at the top of the climb.
The Silent Partner is attached to the rope with a clove hitch and to the climber’s harness with two locking carabiners.
The rope is anchored at the bottom of the climb with a small amount of slack.
A backup belay system is provided. In this case the backup system is a separate dynamic rope anchored at the top with loop knots tied at intervals.

As you climb, the Silent Partner will pull against the bottom anchor and feed upward. If you fall, the Silent Partner will lock to the rope and the upper anchor will support you. Do not grab the rope when falling. Always use a reliable backup belay system.

Falling. Consider the consequences of falling on an overhang or traverse high above the ground. It may be impossible to climb back to the route and too far to lower yourself to safety. Ascenders help you in this situation. Chose routes that lend themselves to soloing.

Falling with a Silent Partner. The Silent Partner’s locking mechanism is sensitive to the rate at which the rope feeds. The Silent Partner will lock anytime the rope feeds too fast. This makes it capable of catching you whether you are upright, upside down, or head over heels.

During a lead fall, the Silent Partner will lock as soon as the rope becomes tight. When top roping, the Silent Partner may feed some as you start to fall, since it will take some time for you to pick up speed. When you fall top roping, do not grab the rope with your hands. Doing so could cause rope burns.

The Silent Partner does not provide a dynamic belay. The forces generated during a solo fall will be higher than if you were being belayed by a human. Make sure your rope is in excellent condition and that your anchors and protection are bombproof.

Releasing the Silent Partner after a fall. There are two methods:

Weight off the rope.

Start climbing again to remove your weight from the rope.
Once your weight is off the rope, pull on the free end of the rope enough to rotate the drum a slight amount. This will release the locking mechanism.
It may be necessary to loosen the clove hitch on the drum by hand to restore easy feeding.
As you climb back up to your last protection, you can take in slack by manually pulling it through the Silent Partner.

Weight on the rope.

The Silent Partner can be released with your weight on the rope by pulling up on the free end of the rope.
Once it is released, the Silent Partner will feed again. Keep your hand as far from the device as possible to avoid pinching your skin. Also, be ready to pass the rope around your hip to provide friction. You can lower yourself as needed.

If you take a really severe fall, the clove hitch may become very tight. The easiest way to release it is with your weight on the rope. After you release the locking mechanism, bounce on the rope a little to get the clove hitch to slip. As the clove hitch slips, it will loosen.

Self-lowering. The Silent Partner is not recommended for routine rappelling. It does not provide much friction, and will force you to rappel very slowly. However, it is appropriate to use lowering yourself after a fall, after top roping, executing a pendulum or cleaning half-pitch climbs.

First release the locking mechanism, then pass the free end of the rope around your hip to provide extra friction. Now rappel as usual, but don’t go too fast, or the device will lock.

If you want the Silent Partner to lock up and hold you, drop fast enough to cause it to lock. The more sudden you release the rope, the quicker it will lock.

Helpful Tips

Rope feed.

The type of rope used will affect the rope feed assistance. The easiest feed is with a 10mm, supple, dry treated rope in fairly new conditions. The average 10.5mm dry free climbing rope feeds quite well. A stiff, worn, 11mm rope does not feed very well.
The weight of a lot of excess rope hanging from the Silent Partner will hinder feed considerably. Keep the length of rope between the Silent Partner and the backup knot attached to your harness as short as possible. 12-15 meters is the limit.
When leading, keep the rope and the Silent Partner between your legs to reduce rope friction.
Avoid pulling on both strands of rope leaving the Silent Partner. This action will tighten up the clove hitch and cause it to feed hard.

Backup knots.

Using extra-large locking carabiners for your backup knots will make removing them easier.
The clove hitch is a convenient choice for backup knots because it will become untied by itself when removed from a carabiner. This makes it easier to release a backup knot with one hand while climbing.
Tying all of your backup knots and clipping them into separate carabiners on your harness before starting to climb is easier than trying to tie them in the middle of the pitch.

Clipping protection.

Pulling the rope up to clip protection is more difficult when soloing. Save yourself some trouble by clipping at waist level.
When clipping protection overhead, first pull some rope through the Silent Partner by pulling downward. Then pull and clip the rope as you normally would when climbing with a belayer.
Figuring out which strand of rope to clip into your protection can be confusing. Be systematic about how you setup the Silent Partner and backup system will help reduce the confusion.

Choose climbs carefully. Not all climbs lend themselves to roped solo climbing. Climbs with long traverses, large overhangs, or features that tend to snag the rope will compound the difficulties of solo climbing.

Think Ahead. Anticipating difficulties and dangers is the best way to avoid them. Keep track of what is happening around you and with your belay system. It takes all the fun out of climbing, and may be dangerous to have a belay system foul-up during a crux move or long runout.

Maintenance and service. The silent Partner was designed and built to last a long time and hold many falls. It should require no routine maintenance other than generally wiping it clean. Do not lubricate any part of the silent partner.