UKC

Looking for a pair of double ropes that are suitable for gritstone climbing. CBA pulling 30m of slack through at the top of each route, and tying on half way is becoming a PITA.

I figure 30m is the perfect length ( millstone belays) and as close to 9 mm as possible so they last.

In the unlikely event anyone knows where to find such a thing then let me know.

Failing that, I'll perhaps just buy a 60m and then cut it and my virtually unused 60m ice rope and then have two pairs.  But again, I'm looking for a hefty, yet cheap, rope.... not one of those modern 8mm horrors.

And to preempt the two obvious replies:

No I don't want to climb on a single rope.

No I don't want both strands the same colour

Thanks

In reply to TheGeneralist:

You can get ropes that change colour / pattern halfway, Edelrid Tommy Caldwell Eco Dry CT or Mammut various Duodess are the only ones I know of. I guess you could get a 60m one of those and chop it?

In reply to TheGeneralist:

Why not fold a 60m triple rated two-colour rope in half and tie into the middle with a bowline on the bight? Save chopping your fancy new rope, and keep the option of using it on longer pitches...

In reply to TheGeneralist:

Sgurr sell half ropes in 30m lengths, but not always in stock. 

My current grit ropes are 35m Edelweiss spirit 8.8 triples. A mate picked up a pair of 70m from the sale bin at CWIF which we chopped….60 quid each for the pair it cost us.

In reply to TheGeneralist:

Edelrid certainly sell some of their ropes in shorter lengths.  I use Apus in 40m as all rounders, and it looks like they do several models in 30m.

The issue might be finding a shop that imports these niche lengths?

In reply to TheGeneralist:

Get a bright yellow 60m rope, cut it in half, go out into a cattle field and drag one half around until it's a nice brown colour.

In reply to TheGeneralist:

In “the old days” the standard system was for a team of two to own a 150ft double rope between them (even for gritstone), and each climber would carry one of the (“No.3”) 9mm half ropes up to the crag. Quite heavy, with gear (though we used much less gear then, pre-Friends), but we got used to it. On days doing very easy routes we would just use a single 120ft No.4 11mm, or even just a single No.3, 9mm.

In reply to TheGeneralist:

30m is indeed the perfect grit length, but it's worth noting that it's not at Millstone and a select few other grit crags. 30m doesn't quite get to the top of Great North Road (HVS 5a) and importantly, many of the routes require going back to the fence posts for belays.

In reply to TheGeneralist:

Needlesports sell 30m ropes, we use them a lot for short seacliffs and in The County 

https://www.needlesports.com/Catalogue/Climbing/Rock-Trad-Climbing/Climbing...

In reply to TheGeneralist:

Tendon also sells 30m & 40m half/twins, in thicker sizes up to 8.5mm (plus thicker triple rated ones, obviously) in various colours. Though finding the short ones in stock in the UK might be a bit difficult.

In reply to perambulator:

they look good, but are singles. Don't fancy lugging quite so much extra weight and paying so much. A half/ double version of that would be perfect. Wouldn't even have to chop it. ( Which would also make it shit loads safer for those occasions where we might try to lower off the upper moves of something like Great North Road 🥵

In reply to Dr Toph:

Yep, as above good option. Just not keen on the weight/ cost. Though I'd imagine some modern triples are nearly as light as old 9 mils, so it's really just the cost that's a worry. 

In reply to midgen:

Good suggestion, I'll check in a few weeks again

Bargain!

In reply to TheGeneralist:

I bought a couple of 30 metre ropes from Go Outdoors. I only use them in The Peak. At this length, to me, the quality issues of feel weight and suppleness don’t matter so much. They’re not dry treated.They’re just robust and much lighter than 2 x 50 or 60’s

In reply to TheGeneralist:

30m will be cutting it quite fine in many places - including Millstone where you may want a significant amount of rope to construct a belay.

My gritstone ropes are a pair of Mammut 40m, but they were cut down from 50 at some point.

In reply to TheGeneralist:

Strange. I posted earlier, simply because it may be of historic interest to some, how we typically used ropes in the late 60s and early 70s, and it got 5 ‘dislikes'. There was no ‘agenda’ to what I was saying. I should perhaps have added the obvious: that the system was vastly inferior to that used today, primarily because of the weight of the ropes and the crap gear. I thought, at best, that it might be mildly amusing.

In reply to TheGeneralist:

Ignore it. It was a valid and interesting addition.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I enjoyed the anecdote. It made me wonder what a no.5/6/7 ropes would have been like (if the existed).

Then again I collect nuts slung on cord...

In reply to kl4543j:

As far as I can remember there were just four diameters of rope Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4. I think No 1 was about 5mm and No 2 about 7mm, No 3 was definitely 9mm and No 4 11mm. I don’t remember there being larger diameters than that. For climbing ropes, anyway.

In reply to TheGeneralist:

I'm in Sheffield and could do with a new pair of shorter ropes. If you want to go halves on a pair of 70s and cut them, let me know.

50s are ideal for Millstone though.

In reply to TheGeneralist:

I know the owners of sgurr and if you drop them an email I'm sure they'll be able to help you out.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: Some here, like me, are interested in stories and experiences which built our sport. So, ‘thank you’. On a slightly linked note, I find the Wired/Rockfax guides great but for history, the area guides are superior by far. 

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: As the youngest in a group being taken onto Dartmoor (Northern section) in late Winter for ‘adventure training’, I was honoured with carrying the No.4 Hawser to the Tor above our camp…heavier than the metal tinned compo. rations. 

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Hah! Mostly correct, Gordon, apart from the No 3; at 1.25" circ this is actually about 10mm. Simple way to remember is:-

No 1 - 5/8" - 5mm

No 2 - 7/8" - 7mm

No 3 - 10/8" - 10mm

No 4 - 11/8" - 11mm

That's why double No 3 felt quite heavy! 

In reply to TheGeneralist:

I've got 2 25m lengths of beal joker cut off the reel. Does the job perfectly for the eastern edges. Check out your independent retailer of choice. 

In reply to perambulator:

I got an orange Mammut 60 that changes pattern halfway so I could double it. Turns out that from any distance (ie as the belayer) it's impossible to tell the two apart. 

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Small mistake Gordon , this would would require everybody on here to have a sense of humour. 

In reply to TheGeneralist:

I have been climbing gritstone on these for the last 18 months and they have been excellent

https://www.sgurr.shop/products/gilmonte-gill-8-3mm-half-rope

As others have mentioned be careful with 30's as you sometimes need a bit of rope at the belay.   I found 40's a good compromise.

In reply to msjhes2:

Has anyone heard of that rope brand before? It says on the page Slovakian. Always interesting to see new manufacturers. 

For grit (and other short stuff) I have two 26 mtr bits of triple rated rope. One is the remains of the black one of these https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/climbing/ropes/edelrid_corbie_-_for_when_we... and the other the remains of the Mammut one of these: https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/climbing/ropes/the_ultimate_in_versatility_... they're great for grit, but now having linked the reviews I realise they are 11 and 14 years old, so maybe I should be in the market for a new pair as well! 🤦🏼‍♂️

To the OP, you might think you never want to climb on a single rope but if you get triple rated ropes firstly they are likely to be chunkier than dedicated half ropes. My newer winter half rope is 7.5 mm and my newish summer half rope 8.6 but feels skinnier. Secondly when you decide to run up that last slabby severe before heading home, you can do it on a single and be a bit quicker with less rope faffing. 

In reply to TheGeneralist:

I've just cut an older pair of Beal Cobras down to 2x35m for short crags - definitely the way ahead, and this must occur to lots of climbers, I would imagine - so I reckon a good bet is to post for someone who wants to share the purchase of 2x70m (on a very quick skim, I saw one such offer on this thread alone).

In reply to TheGeneralist:

https://www.dicksclimbing.com/products/petzl-9-8mm-contact-wall?variant=434...

In reply to TheGeneralist:

Or a dry treated option:

https://www.dicksclimbing.com/products/mammut-9-5-crag-dry?variant=44286053...