UKC

I'm in the market for an 80 metre sport climbing rope. It will only be used perhaps 3 or 4 weeks in the year and mainly on Kalymnos. 80 metres is a lot of rope so it has to be light and handle nicely. I use a click-up which says I can go as low as 8.6. I don't want to pay extra for triple rated and other than the fact that dry treated ropes seem to handle better, this is not really a requirement. Any recommendations? Any deals? I should have bought one out there a few years ago when the exchange rate was good but there is not much difference now. In fact some items are more expensive than here.

Al

In reply to GridNorth:

While I absolutely love climbing and belaying with a triple rated (or anyway ~9mm) single rope... unless you know you're going to be using it a lot... perhaps it's not worth the premium.

So what I always end up doing is get a nice 60 to 70m rope, I abuse locally (1-2 years). Two nice 70m (or 80m) triple rated thing for winter and alpine exploits. And finally an 80m rope for the once a year bolt clippin' vacation.

Sure, I have lots of ropes... but most of them are still fine and dandy after 4 to 5 years. It's only the daily abused thing that gets replaced often (so I look for bargains). Similarly as the 80m sport rope gets used so little, reasonably nice rope from a good bargain is often good enough (@ my grades, the rope is never the limiting factor).

So for the last few years, I've more or less ended up getting my ropes from Bergfreunde, and the bergfreunde -editions. This the the 80m cord I have is Mammut Zopa (9.7mm, bergfreunde edition.... 80m for ~130 Eur).

That said, if your willin' to shell out a bit more, T-P has Swift Pro for ~170 Eur (dry treatment & 80m).

In reply to HeMa:

I'm looking around but trying to get a realistic idea of weight is nye on impossible. Different retailers show different weights for the exact same rope

Needless to say weight or lack of is very high on my list of criteria. 80 metres is a lot of rope. Who is T-P?


Al

In reply to GridNorth:

In a recent thread Fraser said that he'd got 100m rope from Decathlon for 119 euro. It's called either Big Wall or Edge, I think. Whatever, he liked it. If prices are pro rata then thats an unbeatable price.

In reply to GridNorth:


Check the source, so manufacturer... not retaillers.


Telemark-Pyrenees...

In reply to JTM:

Beat me to it Jon!

It was this one:
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/edge-rope-89mm-x-100m-id_8360082.html

The 80m version is here:
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/edge-rope-89-x-80m-id_8360084.html
but is only £10 less, so the 100m is a real bargain. So far I've been very impressed.

Edit: it was £119, not euros sadly.

In reply to Fraser:

Ah yes, pounds! Even so that's cheaper than what I paid for my 100m from Mike's bargain basement in Sisteron.

In reply to GridNorth:

I use a mammut infinity 80m. It's a compromise really; neither the lightest nor the most robust (I think there are mixed reports on this aspect but I've experienced no problems). However, it's still quite light, handles well and for what I want it works very well. Regularly see deals on them but nowhere near £119 !

https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=6452

http://www.rockrun.com/rock-climbing/software/climbing-ropes/mammut-infinit...

My personal view is that the lighter weight Mammut Revelation and Serenity for example aren't robust enough to consider as a sports rope unless you are operating at a very high standard and/or sponsored ! Clearly there other makes (!) but the superlight singles don't cope well with sharp limestone in my experience. I have used Revelations extensively on long alpine rock routes, but they haven't lasted long on euro limestone!

In reply to JTM:

Shame in some ways they don't look to have a 9-9.5 version - I'm in the market but an 8.9 would probably require a new belay plate which sort of limits the saving really...

In reply to Skyfall:

>...but the superlight singles don't cope well with sharp limestone in my experience

sharp limestone... oh please, try gritty granite.

In reply to HeMa:


lol, but they tend to be ok on the glacier smoothed variety ~~~~~~

In reply to GridNorth:

Hi Al,

Josh and I bought new 80m ropes before heading out to Kaly in 2015. I bought an Edelrid Anniversary (9.7mm), and Josh bought the Mammut Revelation. When new, they both felt about the same thickness - there wasn't any noticeable difference between their weights.

I felt the Edelrid was slicker than the Mammut when new, and over time handled better. Mine's still got plenty of life left in it; Josh ditched his on Kaly last year - but he used his much more over the past year.

It has to be said that the Edelrid still felt fairly heavy to pull up at the top of the longer routes at Lambda, but it's not overly heavy to lug up to a crag.

Henry

In reply to AJM:


FYI a GriGri mk.2 stops it fine, even when brand new.

In reply to whenry:

Yes, I like Edelrid ropes, Mammut always feel a bit less supple to me but they tend to wear better. The Simond one from Decathlon at 8.9 mm is good value at £109.99. If I bought that would you promise not to take the piss it's bright pink!

Al

In reply to GridNorth:
With thinner single ropes I prefer a Unicore construction. Beal do a 9.1 and a 9.4. Rock and Run had some good deals recently.

In reply to Fraser:

I've got a mk1 unfortunately, but thanks.

In reply to whenry:
You have had a much more positive experience with your edelrid anniversary than me.

Worn out after 2 weeks, 88 routes!

Wear and tear say the retailer. That's edelrid and rack and ruin off my shopping list.

To the Op, I have been using a short beal zenith as a wall rope the winter and it has been wearing very well.

In reply to GridNorth:

I've been doing some research. The Simond rope is really good value, 109.00, but I believe it's made by Cousin and I have seem some reports that suggest they are a bit below par.

Al

In reply to GridNorth:

I'd be very interesting in seeing the sources which say this.

In reply to Fraser:
https://www.mountainproject.com/v/dont-buy-petzl-dragonfly-half-ropes/107600355__2

I wouldn't attach too much significance to it, it's just one persons opinion. If it's UIAA approved it should be OK. I'm still considering getting one. I've got it down to the Simond Edge, Mammut Revelation and Beal Joker. The Edge definitely has it on price but with an item so important I don't mind paying more.

Do you have experience of this rope. How does it compare to the other two I mentioned weight, handling etc.

Al

In reply to AJM:

9mm ropes are still ok with original grigri...

in fact that is the combo I prefer.

In reply to HeMa:

Really? I've been fine with a Revelation, but I had to use it on a Joker very occasionally and that felt a bit interesting - definitely felt like I was having to use a lot more force to control it when lowering etc. My current 80m isn't 80m long any more but was a 9.4 which was great with it.

In reply to AJM:

Of course officially orig. GriGri is only good for 10.2mm or something. That is because when they came out, no thinner single ropes existed.

Like said, the orig. grigri works just fine with 8.7mm Serenity (new, dry treated) and have also used it with 9mm Millet and also 9.1mm Joker (dry treated). That is if you use it correctly, but then again GriGri is and never was automatic belay device, rahter assited brakin'.

In reply to GridNorth:

Thanks for the link. (I'd seen it on a google search but hadn't clicked as it didn't seem immediately relevant.) Havnig said that, it is a 4 year old thread, and one person's opinion, albeit backed up by others who were complaining about Petzl ropes in general.

I bought the 100m version of the Simond rope a few months ago and although haven't yet given it much use, it's impressed me so far. It handles and clips very nicely, catches are soft enough and it seems to be durable, as far as it's possible to tell at the moment. I don't have any qualms about using it or recommending it. Indeed I prefer it to my unicore Joker, which I find too soft when clipping and is also way less durable. I'd not buy another Joker for sure.

My 9.5mm Edelrid has impressed me a lot though and at shorter walls is my 'go to' rope. For taller venues like Ratho, it's the Simond all the way.

In reply to GridNorth:

We have a 80m Edelweiss Performance Unicore. So far its done 2 trips to Kaly and 1 to France.

Neither of us are hard climbers but its had a fair amount of use for both leading, top roping and some multipitch and its holding up very well.

Its pretty light and handles very well.

In reply to GridNorth:

Thanks everyone. I decided to go with a rope that has a good reputation and has been reviewed many times, the Beal Joker. In the past I have bought Mammut and Edelrid but I have to say I find the Mammut's a little stiff to handle, but they do wear well.

In reply to Fraser: Personally I like a rope that is soft to handle and the Unicore construction persuaded me . I got a good deal because I had accumulated a loyalty bonus from previous purchases. I don't do Redpointing so it should last me for a while and apart from your one negative comment which does not apply to me as stated above, I've never heard anything bad about them.

Al

In reply to GridNorth:

Can't go wrong with a Joker.

In reply to GridNorth:


All fair points. I too bought the Joker for the construction and from my experience, most Beals are pretty soft. It's only disappointed me in terms of its durability, but I suppose it does have a sales disclaimer to that effect IIRC and I do a lot of redpointing, so it'll be getting a fair bit of abuse. Also, I've maybe become accustomed to a slightly stiffer rope with the Edelrid, so the 'clipping feel' with that has probably made me expect something similar when using a Joker; the Simond is, at least for now, similar to the Edelrid. Horses for courses, as ever, but the Simond seems to strike an ideal balance for my requirements.