Hello all, Its been a while since I bought a rope so and I would really appreciate the UKC opinion.
I need to buy a new rope because the Beal 10.3m that I use is starting to show its age(10 years, but never heavy use). I'm looking at buying a thinner 'performance' sport rope because thats what I'm doing these days.
My plan is to keep using the 10.3 for working a route or putting draws up and the new rope just for redpoints, though I'm sure with time I will start to phase out use of the 10.3. So eventually it will start to take a regular beating, in the same way any other rope would.
I'm concerned about buying such a small diameter, could it cut easily while running over an edge? I have climbed many sport routes where the rope has to pass over some dangerously sharp edge. Will 8.7m be durable enough, and last, or is this diameter of rope really for the single redpoint attempt on a route where bolts don't lay over edges?
I was thinking of the 70m Mammut Serenity superDRY 8.7mm and wondered if anyone had any experience or opinion of it? I don't want to buy something I can't thrash.
Used one on Salbit Sudgrat earlier this month, it handled really well. No idea about how it will last as my mate has not had it too long but he bought it for big easy days out, not working routes.
You will probably find tech has moved on a lot in 10 years since you bought the last rope but thinner is thinner and it will be prone to wear if used to work routes.
as for keeping on using the 10 year old one, I wouldn't recommend that at all. Bin it.....
In reply to AdamBrown: I've had three of these (used to be 8.9mm). I think its a great rope and wears really well. I use it for everything from alpine to sport.
Handles well, the lightness is noticeable for redpointing and onsights. I will certainly buy another.
An 8.7mm rope and the word thrash don't really go together. I believe lot of the diameter loss is sheath reduction? Which should say a lot. For tech routes where rope drag and weight is a concern, it will be amazing, as it would be for alpinism and straightline trad. For thrashing it will be great, just for a vastly shorter time.
As a matter of fact the opposite is true. The Serenity has a "best in class" 38% sheath proportion. Sterling Nano Fusion for example has 27% sheath. From what I observe it is tougher and wears better than my mates' ropes of various other brands.
I have just been using a new 9.2mm Mammut realisation 80m. It handles very well but I'm not sure I would go thinner. I feel reasonably confident using it with a gri-gri 2 but falls on the 9.2mm could probably be a bit softer. My 9.4mm infinity seems a little better in this respect.
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