UKC

Beal Opera Dry
Mammut Serenity
Edelrid Swift

Has anyone got any experience of using these super skinny ropes as half ropes? A flick through the forums suggests that they make good skinny sport ropes but has anyone used them extensively as halves? Do they just wear out too fast?
I’m looking at getting some new ropes and like the idea of triple rated ropes - mainly for foreign trips where both halves (for longer mountain routes) and a single sport rope would be handy.

Yes. I usually take a skinny single and a half on mountain trips. Functionally it is exactly like a normal half.

Fwiw I use the mammut serenity 8.7.

Thanks. Yes I had thought of that option too. Only Im retiring my old halves. But some normal (cheaper) halves and one super skinny sport might be the new replacement. 

I've got 26 mtrs of the Mammut from this https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/climbing/ropes/the_ultimate_in_versatility_... and 26 mtrs of the Edelrid from this https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/climbing/ropes/edelrid_corbie_-_for_when_we... packed in my bag for going up to Stanage tonight. The Mammut Serenity has been used a lot over the last decade, as a half, as a single and so on. It only needed heavy cutting down a year or so ago. Until then i had just trimmed a few bits off the ends.

I've got two Beal Jokers as well - the one from the review has been very heavily used for ice climbing in Finland and winter climbing in the UK as well as some rock use too. It was starting to show age and needed trimming also but its now my main trad crag rope since the Mammut got shortened.

Basically with triple rated ropes I use them as singles on easy trad routes, sport climbing when I'm travelling and don't have much space, and scrambling, then I use them as half ropes (either with another rope for mountain routes and UK winter climbing) or just tie on to both ends for smaller crags like grit when I want half ropes on more challenging routes.

I still think they are about the most versatile ropes for the UK climber who does a bit of everything.

I'm using a pair of 50m Beal Jokers as my doubles for most UK trad these days - nice, solid and hard-wearing, and don't feel unreasonably thin when used as singles. Also got a pair of skinny doubles (60m Beal Ice Lines) but hardly ever use them when based at home.

Yes I have had Jokers. Good ropes but at 9.1 a bit chunky for extensive use as halves I feel. Plus I didn't think they were that durable (though this is understandable for a thin single).

I've got two Beal Cobra II 60m 8.6mm half ropes, but also have a single Beal Karma 50m 9.8mm that handles like a half. Sometimes use it on short climbs on it's own or with one of my Cobras to save wear. 

Same. I've owned 7 or 8 ropes now and I've found the Joker to be the least hard-wearing (and I have some well-used 8mm halves, so it's not all super-durable stuff I'm comparing to).

I would say the serenity is a great trad rope but would want something a tad thicker and harder wearing for sport.

Hi I have paired a Serenity with a Genesis 8.5 half plenty of times,  it’s great to have the flexibility on trips, a triple rated rope will be less hardwearing however in my experience.  One rope never fits all perfectly, everything is a compromise or trade off.  

Thanks for the info. I'm warming to just buying a standard pair of halves and then maybe a triple rated to pair up for those foreign trips when its not practical to carry three ropes. 

Though a pair of Serenities might be worth a look. Cheers

I use triple rated ropes as halves all the time when guiding two clients. They’re great for that job, but are heavier, thicker, and less hard wearing than normal half ropes. You really notice the weight of them at the top of long pitches. I don’t use them unless climbing as a 3.

For trad climbing as a team of two a pair of half ropes is much better option. Length and diameter will depend on what you’ll use them for, but for most folk based in England and Wales 50m long 8.5-9mms is probably best. 

One thickish half rope paired with a skinny single is a versatile option for foreign trips, but I wouldn’t choose that as my everyday set up. 

HTH

Thanks Tom, Yeah that's what I assumed. Unfortunately for foreign trips my Jokers are being retired and my girlfriend's Beal Ice Lines are too thin to be paired with a skinny single.  Always a big investment when buying new ropes.  just figuring out what to go for.

Cheers

I have just purchased a set of 50m Beal Opera Golden Dry which I intend on using as half ropes on long multi-pitch routes in the UK (Wales, Lakes), as well as a bit of ice climbing. I haven't climbed with them yet but initial impressions are they are not too "wiry" for a dry treated rope and do not feel too thin through an ATC. The reasons I went with the Beal Opera Golden Dry is it is dry treated so good for using in less than ideal conditions (including for ice) and it is triple rated as you say, so can be used for pretty much everything except bouncing up and down on a top rope. 

Interesting. That's the kind of set up I was thinking of (though at 60m for going abroad). I'll look into these also. 

Why don’t you pair one Iceline with a Joker or similar? I’ve done that a fair bit and it works well. 
 

BTW the pink simond 8.9mm is a great value skinny single. £90 for a 60m dry IIRC.