High rope (TR) soloing is an underused instrument for working initiatives, permitting you to take your time dialing in crux sequences with out the necessity of a belayer. It’s additionally merely a enjoyable day trip route climbing when you may’t discover a accomplice or are feeling anti-social. The approach is more and more utilized in multi-pitch climbing as effectively, the place skilled climbers can save effort and time with the second following with a TR solo setup.
TR solo programs will be fairly advanced, and the main points matter if you’d like an environment friendly and protected system. One obligatory piece of substances in any setup is a few kind of neck or chest strap to maintain the higher machine within the appropriate place whereas climbing – in any other case the machine doesn’t feed easily. Tommy Caldwell famously makes use of the elastic headband of an outdated headlamp for his DIY setup. A number of different DIY varieties exist, usually utilizing some mixture of skinny elastic and static cords.
Should you TR solo quite a bit, you’ve seemingly performed round with completely different programs for preserving your higher machine steady. I’ve tried a couple of issues through the years, together with copying Caldwell’s methodology. Avant Climbing Improvements just lately launched the High Rope Solo Neck Lanyard, a readymade neck strap that’s palms down the most effective resolution to this downside I’ve ever encountered. It positive beats any of my DIY options. There are 4 issues that make choosing up an Avant lanyard on your subsequent TR solo session a no brainer: effectivity, adjustability, consolation, and security.
The Avant lanyard is fast and simple to arrange. You place the looped bungee lanyard round your neck, insert the pass-through loop by your higher progress seize machine, after which clip this pass-through loop by a micro carabiner on the finish of the lanyard. You may then modify the size of the lanyard with a slide adjuster behind your neck. This straightforward setup is such a time saver when shifting between routes, particularly on a multipitch. To be taught extra about learn how to use the Avant lanyard, try their directions.
With the slide adjuster, the lanyard suits everybody – it’s a one-size-fits-all product – and which means it may be shared by companions whereas on a multi-pitch (if wanted). The short adjustability is nice for getting that excellent stress with the progress seize machine relying on what angle of terrain you’re climbing. The bungee stiffness has been calibrated to not prohibit climber actions whereas on undulating terrain, preserving the progress-capture machine upwards in all positions.
In contrast to plenty of DIY options, the Avant lanyard may be very snug to put on across the neck. The lanyard is constructed out of a skinny bungee wire. This wire is then wrapped incased in clean tubular webbing for a cushty really feel across the neck. When not in use across the neck, the lanyard will be stowed in your harness utilizing its inbuilt carabiner.
The Avant lanyard has two sensible security options. The primary is that the lanyard is designed to interrupt at a load of 35 lbs, stopping any choking hazard. If the lanyard will get snagged round one thing throughout a fall, the bungee will snap. The second function is that the pass-through loop comprises a inflexible rubberized part to stop the wire from jamming the progress-capture machine. All TR solo programs have the chance of a bit of fabric getting sucked into the machine, inflicting it to fail. This is the reason two gadgets should at all times be used. Avant has well diminished this threat by protecting nearly all of its pass-through loop with rubber. This limits the quantity of wire wiggling round, lowering the possibility of a jammed machine.
To be taught extra in regards to the Avant lanyard, I reached out to Brent Barghahn, proprietor of Avant. We mentioned how he got here up with the design, security options, longevity, and extra. You may learn our interview beneath.
Initially from a small city in Minnesota, Barghahn was drawn to mechanical engineering by his early experiences constructing customized sports activities gear. In college his focus shifted to mountain climbing. After graduating, he moved to Salt Lake Metropolis to work in gear design at Black Diamond. Now dwelling in Flagstaff, Arizona, Barghahn’s climbing focuses on technical routes, massive partitions, and crack strains, with plenty of rope-soloing. He’s free climbed 4 routes on El Cap, lead rope-soloed as much as 5.14, and projected many higher grade single- and multi-pitch trad routes.
Avant hosts a rising variety of distinctive trad, multipitch, top-rope solo, and lead-rope solo merchandise. We just lately reviewed their “Flip-Cease” Cam Carabiner Stabilizers, which you’ll be able to examine right here. Should you’re searching for different methods to degree up your out of doors climbing, try their “Fast-Fireplace” Cam Launch, “Snack Pack” Multipitch Storage Pouch, and “Tech-Tether” Multipitch Cellphone Leash.
Interview with Brent Barghahn
How did you give you the thought for the lanyard?
I personally wished a lanyard that was snug in free climbing motion, versatile sufficient to share with a accomplice whereas fix-and-follow multi-pitching, and common sufficient to make use of with off-the-shelf progress capturing gadgets with out dremeling or DIY mods. I had a tough model of the identical options which I’ve used and beloved for a couple of years. I wished the ultimate model to be high-tech and low-bulk, so I built-in warmth shrink and swages impressed by the ultralight rigging seen in paragliding.
Right here in Northern Arizona, we now have plenty of rappel-in crags, so prime rope soloing is handy and standard. This gave me the chance to optimize this lanyard till it was excellent! The pass-through loop particularly couldn’t be simpler to make use of with any machine of your choice, and actually hastens transitions throughout a prime rope solo mileage outing.
I’m impressed by the protection options, each the 35-lb break restrict and the inflexible rubber protecting on the go by loop to stop the wire from jamming the machine. Are there every other security options I’m lacking?
These are the 2 main security options! The 2 different safety-related options are the built-in racking carabiner in order that the lanyard isn’t dropped whereas up on a route, and the webbing padding to keep away from neck burns within the case of snags. The rear adjustment can also be arguably a security function – with out adjustment it’s tough to carry progress capturing gadgets upwards with the right stress throughout completely different routes of various steepness.
I’ve skilled no put on or tear on the lanyard within the a number of occasions I’ve used it. I might think about put on down low on the bungee and go by loop with heavy use. Is that this product anticipated to final a few years or is it meant to get replaced commonly?
The lanyards ought to simply final a few seasons. My private prototype lanyard remains to be working effectively a 12 months later, regardless of frequent use. It was a steadiness between sturdiness and the skinny fail-safe design options, although, so this purposely light-weight lanyard gained’t final eternally.
The place is the lanyard made and assembled?
I used to be making these lanyards in my storage from prototyping by early manufacturing, however couldn’t sustain with manufacturing demand (and nonetheless climb as a lot as I’d like, the entire purpose of a climbing trade enterprise!). I took the time to search out a fantastic contract producer abroad that now makes them to higher consistency and high quality than I might obtain with my storage setup.
Your organization affords such a singular array of merchandise. Are you able to inform me about how and why you began Avant Climbing Improvements?
After I give up my climbing gear Design Engineer job in 2020 to climb full time, I believed I might be completed inventing new gear. However I saved tinkering within the time since, and got here up with a group of fascinating accent gear that I used to be utilizing for my very own climbing targets. I particularly had created varied lead rope solo equipment to have the ability to solo redpoint climbs close to my restrict.
The aspirations to create a model really started when the Flip-Cease prototypes got here to life. This little innovation improved my very own trad climbing expertise sufficient that I wished to carry it to the climbing world. And, since I used to be doing the model begin up work both manner, it made sense to carry all of the rope solo equipment to market, too!
Avant can be a assortment of substances enhancements I’ve made to unravel my very own wants over the past years. At a degree this final fall, I noticed there have been sufficient fascinating improvements to carry a small model to market. Sufficient mates had been asking for the home-made variations of the gear that it appeared price committing to mass manufacturing. I’m happy to now supply these gear options extensively to all climbers.
