UKC

I need to buy a new semi-static rope. My last one handled more like hawser than rope and was folded rather than coiled. I would like one that handled better. Are they all inevitably hawser-like or do some handle better than others? If some are better than others which are the good ones and does the good handling lead to compromises in other areas (e.g. less robust or more stretch)? 

I've got Teufleberger 10.5 semi static from caving supplies in Buxton and it's very good. Supple and washes well.

I have a mammut 10.0 Performance Static, lovely rope. Handles and coils well, bought it direct from mammut a couple of years ago - check their prices as occasionally they get sold off very reasonably priced. Not sure if Brexit has kyboshed that now though as was shipped from Germany or Switzerland I think.

Was it like that even when new? Most semistatics get 'wiry' as they get old and grubby, but they do seem to vary a bit. 
I've recently bought some Beal Contract 10.5 which is very supple, and quite cheap.

It wasn't too bad when brand new but got wiry very quickly and before it was furry or grubby.

I'll look out for that thanks .

Tendon do a 9mm static which is more than enough for climbers and handles far more nicely than the 10.5/11mm options. 

Have a look at the ropes from Starless River.

The Gleistein is great but expensive, the French Equirial stays soft as well.

https://starlessriver.com/product-category/cords-slings-and-ropes-for-srt/

Pretty sure that's what I've got and you can hold about 3m of it straight up in the air!

my benchmark for handling nicely is "can I feed it through my DMM Pivot to abseil on without massive trauma". With this, yes, every time. Many other semi-static ropes are hard to bend into a tight enough radius, or feel like you need to bring a bolster and chisel to be able to get the rope through the groves. 

The price to pay is that it runs a lot more smoothly through the pivot when abseiling than you may expect, if you are used to a stiffer rope so pay attention at the top. 

It must be their use then, or maybe they changed the construction recently? I've been using Beal Contracts for months on a job and they've stayed supple. 

I don't know if thinner necessarily helps either as I've got some 9mm Edelrid (can't remember model) which is now stiff as a wire after about 4 years. Mind you when I bought them they were very soft.

I bought 2 * 60m static ropes very recently. I soaked them in a bath of water for ages then dried them (initial shrink, do this for static ropes!) and then used them somewhere dark wet and mucky and dried them again. So my reply is based on them them having been washed dried and used a bit, but not heavily used yet

1 was a Petzl club 10 and handles nicely, bright orange. Seems a good balance of secure but still not too heavy and stiff. Nice handling rope and the sheath isn't too slick so works well in descenders. Expensive though as you'd expect to pay in the £100--120 region

1 was a Southern Ropes LSK 10.5, ordinary white fleck, and I got it on ebay (others are there right now at same price) for £60 + £10 delivery. Search ebay for "LSK" (Low Stretch Kernmantel) CE certified and mine came with a certificate of conformity for work (although this is leisure for me). It is heavier and reassuringly thicker. The sheath is a bit smoother than the club but as it is a bit thicker it still works well in a descender even when wet

If you have some specific caving to do (and don't want a scary 9mm) then the club 10 is a luxury good handling hard working static in a nice bright orange. If you want a cheap semi static you are going to bash and abuse bog standard but still decent, then get a Southern Ropes LSK.

I ended up getting a Mammut 10 mm. As new it is very supple as new compared to my previous static ropes. Only time will tell if this is maintained.

I used it yesterday. It was brilliant to handle compared to my previous two static ropes. I just hope I can keep it like that. It came with quite a lot of instructions but there was no mention of washing it before use so I didn't. I can't help wondering if washing would make it stiffer. I will need to at some point of course.