UKC

Soloing - walk offs

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ROSP 02 Nov 2016

When there is a bit of a walk to get to the descent when soloing single pitch, how does everyone carry their shoes? Do you wear a harness and hand you shoes off or keep walking around to the top to leave approach shoes pre-placed for the descent? I'm sick of stumbling around the crag in my very tight TC Pros between climbs!

Cheers all!
Post edited at 21:14
 Jon Stewart 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

When I'm soloing, I wear comfy shoes. Super-tight shoes for pottering sounds a bit weird...or are you soloing at your absolute technical limit?
 d_b 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

I tend to wear a harness and hang them off a gear loop. I tried a bit of cord, chalk bag style but it was a lot less comfortable.
 Mick Ward 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

Agree, generally you need comfy shoes soloing. Sure, if it's a hard solo/headpoint, you might be wearing tight shoes. But you'll probably only be doing one such route per session.

Be kind to your feet... and be careful.

Mick
 Flavio 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

What?? If you preplace your shoes at the top, how you going to get back to the start of the climb?

I clip them to my trouser belt loops or you can use a sling around your shoulder or a backpack.
ROSP 02 Nov 2016
In reply to Jon Stewart:
Hi all cheers for the replies! I do tend to wear tight shoes (perhaps very tight was an exaggeration) I link the precision it gives me and the extra confidence on the odd small foot placement! I'm not exactly soloing at the limit, only up to about HS on a very good day! By preplacing shoes I meant bringing two pairs.
Post edited at 21:34
 Jon Stewart 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

What crags do you go soloing at? I only do this on grit and never need to carry shoes - rockshoes are usually better for the descents, normally down gullies. Can see why you'd need them if you've got steep grass to contend with though.
ROSP 02 Nov 2016
In reply to Jon Stewart:

Tremadog, Barnmouth and Idwal, so aside from Barnmouth they all have a bit of a walk!
 Jon Stewart 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

Ah right, that makes sense. I might take my little multi-pitch backpack on that type of thing to carry trainers, prefer that to having things dangling - also I'd feel a bit stupid soloing in harness, but that's a minor consideration given the arguable stupidity of going soloing in the first place (not my view!).
 Jamie B 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

Anytime I've soloed on larger crags it's been on easier routes, so a small backpack with shoes (and maybe a snack/drink/warm top) hasn't been a big deal.
 wintertree 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

It's been a while... I'd wear my climbing shoes unless the descent was slippery wet grass or mud style. Then I'd go barefoot and carry my shoes. Suppose I'd tie the laces together and hang round my neck if I needed my hands, as I've done with approach shoes when wading water.
Post edited at 21:53
 Michael Gordon 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

Would either clip them onto the harness (as I tend to do with the chalk bag anyway) or just accept the walk in rock shoes, depending on the walk obviously. Even 'comfy' rock shoes are not great for steep grass/heather descents!
 alan moore 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

I've tried a tiny rucksack but it's not quite the same as feeling the wind up your shirt.
Don't wear a harness when soloing; you'll look like a nerd.
Better to put up with the pain.
4
 d_b 02 Nov 2016
In reply to alan moore:

If you care how you look to the adoring crowds of onlookers then you are probably climbing for the wong reason.
2
 muppetfilter 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

Tremadog ... just like Jimmy Jewel
10
 remus Global Crag Moderator 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

Flip flops can work pretty well, nice and lightweight.
 oldie 02 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

Pair of light boots/shoes with laces tied together clipped to long sling either arranged a bit like rucksack or finished with double twist round waist with krab to join end loops and tied laces.
 thomasadixon 03 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

On a crab attached to the loop on your trousers (shoes with hooks in the back of them, not laces) always works for me - wear a belt though!
 Dogwatch 03 Nov 2016
In reply to alan moore:
> you'll look like a nerd.

Oi. What's wrong with us nerds? You'd have a bit of a problem posting on a forum without the work of nerds.
Post edited at 06:11
1
 Chris Sansum 03 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

I hang my chalk bag off a belt (a wider one than the belts they come with). The shoes get attached using a couple of lightweight krabs. But my solos tend to be long routes. If it was single pitch and not too muddy I'd just wear my rock boots down. And I agree about the comfortable boots thing - I can wear my Anasazis all day.
 zimpara 03 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

If it's on grit, throw your shoes onto the topout from the base of the climb, then climb out to them.
1
 bensilvestre 03 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

Again I usually solo in loose shoes, but I also tend to walk back down barefoot... Or downclimb an adjacent easy route. Can't get enough downclimbing practice as a frequent soloist!
 Simon Caldwell 03 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

> Tremadog, Barnmouth and Idwal, so aside from Barnmouth they all have a bit of a walk!

Aside from Barmouth they're not single pitch are they?
1
 Gills 03 Nov 2016


Does it not make sense to wear a harness even soloing? I realise it mostly wouldn't be put to much use other than carrying shoes, but if your to get cragfasted would it not make rescue easier? Bit off topic but was just wondering...
ROSP 03 Nov 2016
In reply to Simon Caldwell:

You got me, multi-pitch and single pitch... Happy?
Jim C 03 Nov 2016
In reply to Dogwatch:

> Oi. What's wrong with us nerds? You'd have a bit of a problem posting on a forum without the work of nerds.

If nerds went on strike, everyone would know about it, the world would all but stop spinning.
 Aigen 03 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

what I do now is rig an abseil rope to get down to the bottom again. On the first route I bring a rope to the top, then rig it and leave it there for the rest of the day. Walking off all the time takes to long and is painful.
 GrahamD 03 Nov 2016
In reply to Jim C:

> If nerds went on strike, everyone would know about it, the world would all but stop spinning.

I'm sure the boffins would sort it out
 d_b 03 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:
> You got me, multi-pitch and single pitch... Happy?

No, because the concept of a pitch is meaningless when soloing. Everything is single pitch!
Post edited at 13:42
 doz 03 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:
I just leave my wellies on
 Michael Gordon 03 Nov 2016
In reply to Gills:

> Does it not make sense to wear a harness even soloing? I realise it mostly wouldn't be put to much use other than carrying shoes, but if your to get cragfasted would it not make rescue easier?

That's correct, though I suspect most soloists don't set off on a route thinking they may become cragfast.

Another use of a harness can be to carry the guidebook (in pouch, clipped on) on a multipitch route. That said, a wee rucksack would also work for that.
 Goucho 03 Nov 2016
In reply to ROSP:

> When there is a bit of a walk to get to the descent when soloing single pitch, how does everyone carry their shoes? Do you wear a harness and hand you shoes off or keep walking around to the top to leave approach shoes pre-placed for the descent? I'm sick of stumbling around the crag in my very tight TC Pros between climbs!

> Cheers all!

I just walk off in the rock shoes I'm wearing and then give them a good wipe before the next route.

Then again, I don't wear shoes which are so tight they cut off the blood supply to your feet - probably a throw back to being institutionalised by EB's in my formative years
 aln 03 Nov 2016
In reply to doz:

> I just leave my wellies on

I'm more of a rollers Katesbridge kinda guy.

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