UKC

I'm looking to buy a rope for mainly winter walking/ridge routes and in the future perhaps other fun things like climbing and rope swings.

I'm leaning towards the Beal Booster because its significantly stronger; double the falls, sharp edge resistance, lower impact force and easier handling. The way I see it, it trumps the Joker pretty much everywhere. The question is do I sacrifice all this to save weight (500g for 50m) and get the Joker. I don't really fancy going the half rope route, just for simplicitys sake. Is sharp edge resistance really that important? (considering a ridge might be quite sharp?). I'm not a big guy so extra weight is significant during long days on the feet.

Your opinions would be most appreciated

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: If your just after a rope for winter walking and scrambling then I'd probably save the money and weight for the moment and get a cheap 30m or 40m 1/2 or confidence rope.

I certainly wouldn't want to carry a 50m single rope on a days winter walking or scrambling

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:
You can have one of my old 8mm half ropes if you want a walking/scrambling rope. They're 60m so you could just use the best 30m of it.
You'll need to collect form Matlock or Manc.

Alex

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

PS.
I think you'll find climbing requires a different rope from rope swings.
I wouldn't use my climbing rope for a rope swing, or vice versa

In reply to A Reid:

I agree but on certain routes I want to do its abseil only escape...

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

Or could I go for a 60m Booster and cut it in half? So I would have two confidence ropes that could be tied together for abseil but the weight divided between two people?

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

Mr Bump

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: I have the joker it's an excellent rope. Personally I wouldn't get too bogged down in the test as they are far from real use/life.

If an edge is sharp enough and you manage to slide a loaded rope across it your probably toast.

I bought it for professional use and have allways used beefy 8.5 mm halfs for the sort of stuff your thinking about. apart form rope swings where i would only use someone elses rope!
.
I one met a team of 2 frech guides, 2 clients traversing the grand jorasses with one twin 50m rope each....

weight matters!

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

Interesting points Alasdair. So could you in theory double up a Joker with Fig 8s at each end and use it as a short twin? For when the rocks get jaggedy? Would solve the sharp edge problem for me I guess

In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: yes though I'd have to be very worried about sharp edges to want the extra rope flapping about. Don't think the sharp edge test even existed 5 years ago so not massively concerned or see it as a weakness of the jokers.