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Ropes

surfziggy

13-Oct-2015
3:57:16 PM

Tendon/Mammut/Edelrid/Sterling which one?

My Mammut 9.8 is now down to about 45m and I'm in the market for a new rope. Catch and weight wise this was a good rope and it handled really nicely. I bought it on the premise that it was hard wearing, but I have to say it went spongy and fluffy pretty quick. Also, it was a bugger with the grigri it really twisted up lowering or rapping with the grigri.
Previously we had a cheapie Beal ($199 from rock hardware). I retired this from lead and it gets used weekly as a solo top rope set up. It's still going good! Also, it had a nice low impact force (7.4kn? I think), but on the down side it wasn't super light. And when you're carrying all your shit to the crag and two kids stuff this matters.
Before that I had a bunch of other ones, can't remember what they were. But they're now rope swings and dog leads.
I want a new line (want not need ;-) ). It's use will be used for sport climbing outside a couple of times a week and the occasional mixed/trad bumble. So I'm looking for something hard wearing, must have a soft catch and must handle well.

When I last bought my rope, Mammut were considered to be hard wearing. Maybe we're tough on ropes, but I don't think it was as long lasting as the Beal.

What's your verdict on Tendon?
Or is it worth spending the extra $100 or so and getting a Sterling?
Or any other recommendations?

gfdonc

13-Oct-2015
4:42:27 PM

My 2c?
I've had at least two Tendon ropes, an Edelrid, Bluewater, Sterling and Beal in recent memory.

The Tendons are cheaper and low impact force (IMHO one of the most important criteria) but they do fuzz up quicker.
The Bluewater was expensive but lasted really well, in fact it was still looking good when I retired it for toproping.
Beal have always been good, low impact force as you say, but I think there's a notable difference in the wear-factor between their models. I have a 10.2 that's still going strong, but other models I've seen seemed to get fuzzy quicker.
Recently I've bought Sterling and Edelrid, both are wearing well but probably too early to make a conclusion.
Buy bicolour, it's worth the extra.

martym

13-Oct-2015
7:11:43 PM

Regarding tangling, I have heard this has a lot to do with the initial uncoiling- you know he you tube vids and detailed instructions? Apparently they are actually useful!
Definitely worth looking into.

argos44

13-Oct-2015
8:26:31 PM

I've had three different tendon ropes. Never again! They wear super quickly.

dmnz

14-Oct-2015
10:46:38 PM

On 13/10/2015 argos44 wrote:
>I've had three different tendon ropes. Never again! They wear super quickly.

Agree

surfziggy

27-Oct-2015
5:39:52 PM

Steve from Rock Hardware sorted me out with a nice new Sterling Marathon Pro. We've used it twice so far and it seems good. Initially it was a little slick through the Grigri, but that didn't last long. It's nice and gentle to fall on too. Hopefully I'll be able to report back soon that it wearing well too, it certainly seems like a work horse compared to the Mammut or the Beals. It seemed a bit weird tying into such a fat rope, but it knots nicely. And when I started climbing I didn't really notice the extra weight. In any case round here there ain't much over 15m. So we're only talking about 150g extra at the top of a pitch.

I actually bothered to read the instructions on uncoiling this time (first time ever after 15-20 years climbing), and I reckon it actually made a big difference to the handling straight out the bag. I did the unlooping 4 coils each side. Then I hung a draw up at head height and pulled the entire rope through end to end. Then repeated this 3 more times. The result - no twisting going through the grigri and no tangles. I may actually read other instructions in future.

rodw

27-Oct-2015
6:49:42 PM

On 27/10/2015 surfziggy wrote:
> I may actually read
>other instructions in future.

You have just been kicked out of the man club :)

mikllaw

27-Oct-2015
7:02:41 PM

I bought a pair of Tendon hard ropes (10.5 mm) in 2011 and one has finally been cut down to a 30m short rope and I've started using the other full time. Bomber and last forever. I normally trash a rope in just over a year.

surfziggy

27-Oct-2015
8:11:09 PM

may

TimP

29-Oct-2015
9:27:25 AM

Weigh My Rack has a video on all the new ropes for 2016

I'm leaning towards Edelrid for my next rope just for their environmental certification:

"bluesign® is the world's strictest standard for environmental protection, consumer protection and occupational safety. All environmentally relevant aspects of production are critically tested and permanently optimised: material use, energy, water, wastewater, exhaust air, noise, waste, and the treatment of hazardous materials. A "bluesign® product" may carry this symbol only when at least 90% of the textile area and 30% of the ingredients used are bluesign®-certified."

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