I've had a progressively worsening left shoulder problem over the winter, finally had it looked at by a doc, it's called "frozen shoulder". To make a long story short the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint is frozen by inflammation, typically self resolves in... (envelope please) 9-18 months!!! Usually doesn't reoccur after it heals. I'm a lefty so this has seriously cramped my climbing this spring. So the doc recommends laying off climbing for awhile to let the inflammation go down.

I was ok with that for about 3 days. I figured I could climb as long as I didn't use my left arm too much. DRT climbing is ok if I take it easy. Yo-Yo, Texas, Tree Frog and my Microwalker all require shoulder joint mobility in both arms. What to do? Enter the Rock Exotica/PMI chest roller. I picked up the single roller version and implemented it as part of a semi-minimal tree frog. Handled ascender up top with long footloop (same length as Yo-Yo or Tree Frog), Chest roller next, then a hitch at my waist, Pantin on one foot. Tested it out, works perfect. I use very little arm effort, right hand does the extension moving the ascender up per pull, left shoulder is happy.

Interesting thing is that the roller doesn't exactly hold the climber more vertical but what it does is make it very easy to stand up more vertical on each push. I've climbed a few times on it, did some facilitating and solo'd on a woods white pine over the weekend. Overall it makes SRT seem too easy! I thought tree climbing was supposed to kick your butt and make you suffer!





In this photo my right arm is pushing the ascender up, it is not holding me vertical on the rope.


-AJ

My old man had some trouble with frozen shoulder. He had 2 sessions with a bowen technique practitioner and it sorted it out. Might be worth a try Andrew. Nice setup btw! Looks comfy...

My only issue with chest rollers is the weight; but given a) how much I weigh, b) how much my other gear weighs, and c) how much effort it saves on the climb, it's worth it.

So far so good on shoulders; hope yours calms down soon!

I've had a Rock Exotica/PMI chest roller for a year or so. My thought was that it did keep me somewhat vertical, especially (as you mention) when pushing up. It defiantly makes climbing more effortless. The reason I don't use it more is that it seems like a lot of gear hanging on me, versus RAD or DRT. But with the chest roller, you can literally walk up the rope hands free. All in all - a pretty neat tool. Coincidental thing is, I was planning on taking mine out this morning for a spin.

I don't do a full Mitchell bungee/walker etc. type system so the gear configuration is even less complex than say a standard Tree Frog (hand ascender/footloop/croll/HUT/pantin)

To break it down, my chest roller SRT system is:
Hand ascender/footloop/chest roller/hitch/pantin

My DRT system is "nested" ready to climb in the SRT system so the reusable parts add to the switchover and gear efficiency of the SRT setup:
Hitch/pantin

The SRT system is adding only the following to the existing DRT system:
Hand ascender/footloop/chest roller

I thought the chest roller would bother me when I wasn't using it but I don't notice it at all. It's easy to loosen it slightly when not in use. I think the benefit of the roller outweighs gear weight considerations for climbers with upper body weight and in my case where it makes the difference between climbing and not climbing SRT.
-AJ

Sorry to read about your shoulder issue -- God's speed on the recovery.

Question about the chest plate; I know it's still early in the season, but do you think that plate will get hot and chafe in when it gets hot?

Have you ever watched the Rope Rocket video. It looks cool (pun intended) and you don't 'need' either arm -- been wanting to try it, but not bad enough to buy a mini-traxion.

Anyway, wish you the best,
Jack

ps; guess you won't be using your grigri2 for a while -- thought you'd be interested in the semi-captured concept with a delta.

Jack, why not try the rope rocket with a hitch and micro pulley to see if you like it. That is how Ive tried it in the past and it works nicely for me.

Thanks for the good wishes.

A tree climbing saddle will chafe and irritate quite a bit more than chest roller. When you're climbing on it the plate is not pressing on your chest, load is pulling it away from your chest. The shoulder and back straps are quite comfortable, the whole system is well designed. It won't get any hotter than the air or your body temperature.

Ya I've seen the Rope Rocket, nice rig. I like that a chest roller doesn't grab the rope, I don't want to be hanging off my upper back and chest which is what I think is happening more so with the Mini-traxion in the chest position. Nothing is perfect but you go one way or the other to optimize for your climbing style/preferences.

I use my Grigri2 every climb for rappel. I rarely climb Yo-Yo.

If I didn't have a shoulder problem I would reserve the chest roller system for very high initial ascents in old-growth for example. If I had more weight up top I'd be using it every ascent over 50 ft, the expended energy savings per push or every time you move your body upward is significant.
-AJ

Definitely works well for you. I only want my Grigri attached to the front of my harness when I'm using it. So when it's not in use it's stashed in a zippered pouch. I don't want things not being used clanking around in front of me. I don't think I've opened my delta (pear in my case) in a year anyway, everything life support attaches by carabiner or is girthed.

I've never dropped a Grigri but if I do it's on to a Munter for rappel. Or, worse case (not really) scenario downclimb ascenders or hitch in combination with downclimbing footlock to get out of a tree.

As I've mentioned before there's something very good about the mindfulness required to handle an untethered piece of gear at height. We do it all the time with carabiners so why not a Grigri? I think it's the same dynamic with the rogue climber's love of screw gate carabiners, it's the mindfulness at work again.
-AJ

Funny you mentioned that because after the first couple climbs on my Tengu. I did what others on here were doing. Which is to tape the the eyes real tight around the Delta link only to realize I can't get the dang thing on without opening up the belt!! Bummer.

Sounds like your harness is sized a little small for you. You should definitely be able to slide in and out of it without opening the delta.

When I size a harness on a facilitated climber I put the belt around their waist just above the hips, I want the eyes that will hold the delta to meet completely flush side-by-side pointing straight out away from the climber. If they don't I go to a larger size.
-AJ

Moss: Thanks for describing your setup. I have been using mine in a double bungee ropewalker. This setup is real popular with the rock climbers and vertical cavers. And once you get off the ground a few feet, you can really go. But I'm looking for a more minimalist way to use my roller. I'll be playing around with it a bit and I'll try out some of your configurations.

Ditto on heat. It doesn't really touch you when your hanging there. And the weight is a non-issue with me. My saddle and gear are weighty, but I don't notice it when I'm hanging.

My loops over lap each other the full length when I have the belt on. I guess I just have big hips ..
I find the fit to be great now that it's broke in. I would not change the size (medium) at all. I just find it much easier to open the Delta than to put it on like a pair of pants. Especially when wearing leg chaps...

Dan

Man moss sorry to hear that! But, good for you for adapting!

I think most would be quite surprised to learn that chest roller doesn't support the upper body as completely as one would think it would.

Actually, I've toy-ed with the idea of using a Petzl mini Traxion for the chest roller. That way when you sit down on it, the mini Traxion would grab the rope and support the upper body more fully - maybe too well. It would release as soon as you start to ascend again. Never actually tried it but maybe I should just to see what the problems are.

I have a chest harness but connecting the MT to it isn't real straight forward.

Hey man; get well quick! You don't have time for this. Actually, of course, don't push; let it heal and then you're good for life.

I had frozen shoulder for almost 2 years, but didn't find out till near the end.

At first I laid off, thinking I was giving it a rest. The result of that was loss of motion and lots of pain. A MRI showed nothing wrong. Six months of physical therapy regained the range, but the pain was still severe. Eighteen months later a friend told me about a thing called frozen shoulder, and suggested going to Shiatsu massage to "break up" the tissues. I never did that.

Then one day I was out in the yard working on a tough section of dirt and rocks with a pickaxe and got a little overzealous (angry) at the dirt. Later I noticed the pain was gone, but it took about a month to figure it out. That was a year ago.