The number one rule of free-soloing is simple: never fall. That’s because you’ll be on a route anywhere between 10m and 1,000m in height. If you slip, well… If a hold breaks and you fall, hmm… Free-soloing can take you up a single pitch or up a mind-boggling big wall (in about 4 or 5 hours, mind you).Free-soloists pretty much always climb well below their abilities and will have rehearsed a climb on rope many times. That doesn’t mean shit can’t go wrong – one of the sport’s first superstars, John Bachar, died free-soloing a route he’d done many times as a warm-up. Deep Water Solo is a form of free-soloing above deep water, because, y’know, not dying | Michael Evans