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Author

Rope Recommendations

laan

9-Jan-2012
1:02:43 PM

On 9/01/2012 egosan wrote:
>I own a pair of the Apus 7.8s. Love 'em.

Cheers, a pair of 60m Apus looks good, but maybe slightly over my budget... Where would be the best place to buy them in Australia?

barney800

9-Jan-2012
1:18:12 PM

I've been climbing with 50m doubles and a 60m single (in the UK and the rest of Europe) and have never felt the need for a longer rope. As far as I can tell, it's generally the more modern sport routes that require longer ropes and most of them are too hard for me anyway! Even then, I could just lead them on my doubles.

I guess 60m doubles could save you a bit of time on the occasional long pitch or abseil, but on balance I bet you spend more time hauling up the ropes after you and cursing the extra weight. More rope = more faff.

egosan

9-Jan-2012
2:08:57 PM

On 9/01/2012 laan wrote:
>Cheers, a pair of 60m Apus looks good, but maybe slightly over my budget...
>Where would be the best place to buy them in Australia?

Don't. You should be able to order a pair from OS for just over the cost of one of them locally.

Wendy

9-Jan-2012
2:23:39 PM

Climbing in Oz rarely needs more than a 50m single, let alone more than 50m doubles. I'd still get a long single if it's the only rope you're going to get because it's useful on some modern sport routes, but my most commonly used ropes are 50m 7.8mm and a 50m 10mm. My last doubles were 60m. I didn't use the extra length (including multiple trips to the French Alps, Yosemite, Squamish, Buffalo and other crags with long routes) pretty much ever. Except when I only took one and doubled it over for sub 30m pitches. Extra rope is extra weight, extra coiling, extra hauling up at the end of the pitch, extra clusterfûck. Think about what you plan to do 95% and if 50m will cut it, just go 50m. look to use a climbing partner's rope for the 5% that might need more.

I have the 7.8mm Apus too and love them. But if you want a rope that will last ages, I don't think you can look past Mammut. They have outdone Tendons, Edelrids, Beals and Sterlings hands down in longevity, but they do end up handling like wirecables.

gfdonc

9-Jan-2012
2:52:53 PM

I agree with Wendy in terms of using a 50m for climbing, but there are a few raps around where a 60m is handy. These days I have all 60s and I find myself wishing for a 50m fairly often for the savings in size/weight and them-cluster-thingys.

I bought a Tendon about a year ago from climbinganchors and it is furrier than my two much older ropes. It did get used at Buffalo a bit but I doubt that adequately explains the difference. Everyone else seems to like them but my experience hasn't been good.

My primary criteria is for ropes with a low impact force. I've had good experiences with Beal and Bluewater. My most recent buy was an 8.1mm Beal half rope and I'm happy with that. Any thinner than that (<8mm) and I'd be worried about holding a fall.

One Day Hero

9-Jan-2012
5:20:00 PM

I have 60m doubles and I don't think I've ever used the last 10m, will get 50's next time. If you ever climb with 3, I'd suggest not getting the shoelace ones.......being on second a couple of hundred meters up with only a single strand of shoelace to keep you alive is a bit disturbing. Weight penalty is about 1kg for getting 8.5 mil doubles, I think its worth it.

I don't think you need a 70m single in australia......maybe one or two routes, but you can arse it for those. If you're going to europe, buy a long rope when you get there, I picked up a 70m beal last year for 100 euros.......none of the crags I went too needed the long cord!


Zarb

9-Jan-2012
5:25:40 PM

On this topic (sorta), I was going to head off and do Bunny Bucket Buttress at Pierces Pass in a few weeks and I am trying to think about the system of ropes we will use.

Would you recommend I use two doubles and head up the route double rope trad style? Or would it be better to do the rap using a single and one of the doubles, and then climb the route normally using the double as a trail line (or just carry it up)?

Last time I did it with two fat singles... and it sucked.

One Day Hero

9-Jan-2012
5:27:50 PM

Oh yeah, another vote for mammut, they're the best ropes I've owned. I'm not a rope princess though, usually buy the cheapies. Last time I was in canada, mammut were trying to increase their north american market share, so they were the cheapies......sweet!

My 100euro 70m is a cheap piece of shit by Beal, but it will last more than half as long as the good ropes which cost more than twice as much!

laan

9-Jan-2012
6:09:55 PM

On 9/01/2012 a.brasington wrote:
>On this topic (sorta), I was going to head off and do Bunny Bucket Buttress
>at Pierces Pass in a few weeks and I am trying to think about the system
>of ropes we will use.
>
>Would you recommend I use two doubles and head up the route double rope
>trad style?

That's what I would do, but for BBB which is mostly straight up I would probably just use them as twins, i.e clip them both to every draw which is a bit more straightforward, unless you are worried about taking a massive whipper and getting them cut... trad style double roping, i.e alternating between which rope you clip depending on bolt/pro location, is probably making that a bit less likely to happen since both ropes are running different paths.

gfdonc

9-Jan-2012
6:20:41 PM

I'm no expert, but I don't believe using ropes that aren't rated for use as twin rope system ought to be used as twins, even though it seemed a good idea to me at the time (and on Hotel California by coincidence).

For example, using two single ropes as twin ropes must logically increase the impact force, as you'll get pulled up quicker. It probably doesn't double it, but even 50% more could stress gear past their rated strength. When you're on bolts it probably doesn't matter, but ..

Anyone provide any more technical data? How about a diagram?

egosan

9-Jan-2012
6:42:38 PM

Nice thing about the Edelrid Apus is they are rated both half and twin.

One Day Hero

9-Jan-2012
6:59:33 PM

On 9/01/2012 gfdonc wrote:
>I'm no expert....................

no shit!
>
>For example, using two single ropes as twin ropes must logically increase
>the impact force, as you'll get pulled up quicker. It probably doesn't
>double it, but even 50% more could stress gear past their rated strength.
> When you're on bolts it probably doesn't matter, but ..
>
>Anyone provide any more technical data? How about a diagram?

You don't need a diagram, its really simple.

You may choose between a short stop and higher forces, or a long ride and lower forces.......you can't make one better without making the other one worse. I find the obsession with lowering impact forces a bit moronic as it means people are asking for longer falls with increased chances of decking. There's not much chance you're going to blow up a ringbolt/quickdraw/wire by clipping both your double ropes at once. However, you may be able to keep yourself from hitting a ledge.

I don't try to buy the most bungy rope on the market.......for most of the climbing you guys do (especially victorian trad bumblies) its probably not the best tool for the job!
>


The good Dr

9-Jan-2012
9:43:52 PM

I have found 60m doubles to be extremely useful. Linking pitches and abseils, particularly in Europe, though even in OZ (such as access and climbing The Initiation at Buffalo) on the long multi pitch routes. Would not buy 70s though.

Once I moved to a 70m single, it was actually really useful. Linking pitches and 10m of extra abseil should not be underrated. There are plenty of crags in Europe that need a 70. Classic crags like Buoux and Chateauvert for example have routes where 70m ropes are a necessity. These routes are at relatively amenable grades as well (18 - 24).

ODH is just trying to promote people 'sucking it up' so he can rail against their idiocy later. Nice ploy. Actually I am in awe of this deviousness! It is like a subtle bass line that is not noticed until you take it away, hidden by all the other pretty stuff going on over the top.


IdratherbeclimbingM9

9-Jan-2012
9:53:14 PM

True, and even he suggests that he is no amateur!
;-)

Back on topic, single or double 60's are the 'new 50's' these days...
Hemp 150' ropes are so yesterday, and sewn caterpillars are even more prehistoric!

barney800

10-Jan-2012
9:21:52 AM

On 9/01/2012 barney800 wrote:
>I've been climbing with 50m doubles...and have never felt the need for a longer rope.

Having said that, this:

http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=DisplayTopic&ForumID=15&MessageID=17646&Replies=16#NewPost

looks like a good use for 60m doubles.


benjenga

10-Jan-2012
4:02:04 PM

I stand by my 70m single in Australia, it got me to the ground off any route at frog that you normally need twins for and I always feel more confident that if I am doing a long pitch I will have rope to spare. Plus as its been said once you chop down at 70 you still have a 60m+ rope. Mind you coil a 70m rope a few times and you will know about it in your shoulders.
I use 60m twins @ 8.4. I was thinking the same thing when I bought them and I am very glad I got 60 not 50m ropes.

laan

11-Jan-2012
10:52:27 AM

Thanks guys for all the useful input... I was about to start collecting caterpillars, but I think I'm now in a position to make a slightly better decision.

There are 37 messages in this topic.