UKC

Hi.

Just looking into this. 

Any pointers to good YouTube tutorials or books.

What devices would one recommend? I note Dave McL uses a gri-gri and shunt but also that the shunt has draw backs and that there's a lot of other combinations being used. 

Check out the Petzl Information sheets for self belaying on single and double ropes.

I use a single rope with an old Petzl ascender and micro traction.

There are loads of options. If you use a static line then most things will do the job. Personally any ascender style device (rather than a belay) except a shunt I'm happy with (I don't like that the shunt releases when you grab it!) Get it raised up with a chest sling (something snappable so it doesn't strangle you) so theres no drop before weighting the rope.

Belay style devices work but can be difficult to make feed nicely.

Most of the time I'll use either a Petzl basic or a microtraxion or both stacked, but in reality I'll use what I have with me except prussics or those tibloc things

https://en-gb.facebook.com/groups/RopeSolo/  The top rope solo facebook group is mentioned in many threads.

Same as my usual climbing partner it seems.

(During Lockdown we're clearly not climbing together!)

Been looking at those Petzl pages.

I note one of the 'seen in the field' systems they comment on is two ropes, with an ascending device on one rope (being the primary system) & fixed knots on the second rope (the secondary system), using a Y lanyard to clip the knots as you move up, ensuring you are always clipped in to that second rope. Would a Klemheist knot be better than fixed spaced knots? You would not be unclipping and can move the knot / clip point with you so reducing potential forces on that system if the primary system fails?

https://www.petzl.com/GB/en/Sport/Appendix-6--Analysis-of-solutions-observe...

In reply to Justsomeclimber:

That's my plan.

The rest is still being considered. I've got a shunt so will do some safe practice with that. Also got a Petzl ascension

This is the system I’d use for double ropes avoiding any knots:

https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Setting-up-a-self-belay-system-on-two-ro...

I use a single rope system as in this info/technical information, but I have the ascender at chest height (it’s a small old Petzl ascender) and the micro traction lower as the back up.

https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Installation-on-one-single-rope-with-two...

I'm almost sure I've seen threads before about best device for top rope solo climbing, might be wrong though 

Yes though new devices come on sale and others get reassessed in light of accidents or tests.

Use two devices, one device is not foolproof (every device has some sort of failure mode). There have been a few accidents reported online using one device only. If you get a smooth feeding combination you will not even notice the device. I like a MicroTraxionon the belay loop paired with a RollnLock on a dogbone with lockers. Tie a small bag at the bottom of the line to weight it.