UKC

I'm looking at getting a new skinny triple for everything from scrambling to winter ridges to low grade multipitch trad. I'm thinking routes like the cuillin traverse, tower ridge, aonach eagach, curved ridge etc.

I currently have a 30m triple as my scrambling rope but have found myself wishing I had a couple of metres extra in some situations, but at the same time I'd rather not lug my 50m chunky single up the hill if I can help it. I have 60m halves which I generally take on harder multipitch or winter climbing too.

I know a 40m rope is needed for the abseil off the inpin and am leaning towards 40m over 50m for the weight saving, but just wondering if people find 40m enough in most cases or if its worth getting the extra length and going with a 50m? 

30m is all you need for the InnPin with the current anchor. (But NO shorter)

I was told it was a 19m abseil?

Well, using a 30 metre Iceline, through the maillot on the ab loop I was able to stand on the ground just back a little from the Base of the cliff, at the very end of the rope, without tension on the rope. I'm fairly confident that the rope length is correct. Given  all that is said (I note the an anonymous dislikes) about the length I'd needed a bit of persuading (and sent the 'persuader' down first), but it is fine. I suppose if someone redid the fixed rope at the top a bit tighter that might change things.

(Other contentious abseils: Forcan Ridge: if you use some tat it will reach, 30m doubled will get you to something flat, the start of the Aonach Eagach Ridge, if you scramble down a bit 30m will work)

I have a 35m for the Cuillin as weight is the big issue on a 2 day traverse. For mountaineering we use a 50m Beal Opera that has got us through the Slovakian Tatras and numerous other exposed ridges and Alp glaciers. It's a very light rope so maybe not ideal as a workhorse for somebody guiding every week but for a good few routes per season it was perfect for us.

On one of the Tatra routes we had to abseil off and our 50m doubled up pnly gave us 25m per drop on a very long, steep snow field. Factor that in when planning your trips.

For a bit of an all rounder, I'd chose a 50 over a 40 all day long.

Or use 6/7mm cord and with stretch you're guaranteed to reach the ground! 

50m gives you more options to run two pitches together and save time. It's not always just about the descent. 

I would definitely go 50 over 40 for technical Scottish winter ridges. You'll come up short on some of the pitches for Tower or Curved with a 40, or won't have some belay options open to you by being able to just going a little further. This can be really useful if you're trying to overtake/work around other teams. I take a skinny 60 for working both those routes with two guests in tow. Everything seems to be further than you estimate when theres snow on the ground. 

The advice about some of the abseils being doable with a 30 could well be correct for those mentioned, however ask yourself if carrying an extra 10m of rope is worth having to mess around with sketchy scrambling to get to lower anchors, using worse alternative blocks, having to rig your own tat etc. You will certainly not save any time doing any of this. Much easier to just have a 40 or 50 and know there is plenty of rope and use the standard, probably well equipped, anchor. If you have to actually bail off something big, having a 40 or 50 will make your life much easier than descending with a series of 15m abs on a 30.

For summer scrambling in Snowdonia, you can get away with a 40 for most things.

https://www.alpin-ism.com/knowledge-base/news/some-thoughts-on-rope-choice-...

Seems like most people would rather have the 50m rope over a 40m... Think I must have been being a combination of optimistic and lazy for not wanting to carry the extra half kilo for another 10m!

Summer scrambling in north wales I've always managed to get away with the 30m but have never really had to bail off anything with it, there's been a few times when I've had to faff building a belay in an awkward spot when there's a massive ledge and a bomber spike a couple of metres further up though!

I have a pair of 40m skinny triples and really rate them. Great for the peak, easy stuff in the lakes and wales. I’ve found you can usually get a good deal on an 80m triple and just chop it in half.

Using just one of them for the ridge or alpine things is great too. From looking at your logbook I think you’d find them useful for a lot of stuff. Given you already own a 50m single and 60m half’s.

I only now take my 60m half ropes on something longer/ harder when I’m worried about having to bail/ab off.

19m  retrievable abseil is a 30m rope and 10m+ of paracord 😉

But don't get the knot stuck, depending on your anchor you might be able to clove hitch a locking krab on the retrieve side but *NOT* also clip it to the descent rope at least not the last person as that can jam a rope if it bends over an edge the krab can get stuck held down by the other rope. Been in that situation twice (clearly: I didn't learn the first time!)