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Strings (Read 107232 times)

TobyD

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#200 Re: Strings
January 26, 2019, 07:07:10 am
Any recommendations on Single ropes? I’m looking to buy an 80m one for sport climbing abroad mainly I guess.

I’m no wad so doesn’t need to be the lightest in the world (or maybe that means it should!) but am looking to use it on high 7s/low 8s. Have a Petzl Ariel that I really rate. Might be a little heavy as an 80? Will last forever though.. how about the Volta?

Other option was I was considering a Simond... almost tempted by a 100m skinny one as you can just keep chopping forever!

Any other thoughts/recommendations?

Money not too much of an issue. Guess I’d maybe rather a good hard wearing rope for more dollar over a cheaper one that doesn’t last.

Cheers all

I'd probably go for the simond. I've used the 80m 9.5 a lot and it's great. Heard many recommendations for the 8.9. Even if they're not quite as good as a sterling etc they're less than half the price of top flight ropes, but they seem fine to me.

Adam Lincoln

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#201 Re: Strings
January 26, 2019, 10:47:40 am
The Simond ropes are as good as I've used. Cheap, handle well, and seem to last. Price lends itself to getting longer so you can chop ends and still have a decent length.

Muenchener

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#202 Re: Strings
January 26, 2019, 01:05:50 pm
I'm contemplating getting the Simond 100 metre for Kalmynos in the spring. Not sure I can entirely justify it though, by current 80 metre Mammut is getting a bit shabby but still has some life left in it.

cheque

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#203 Re: Strings
February 20, 2019, 10:57:28 am

Paul B

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#204 Re: Strings
April 01, 2019, 01:04:16 pm
Has anyone replaced a skinny half rope recently? Ours are looking tired. One is a 7.5mm Mammut Twilight and the other a ~8mm Edellrid offering (which I've hated from day 1).

What are people's experience of using skinny halfs? I have to say that with only the Mammut clipped I'm very conscious of how much stretch potential there is when close to ledges etc.

A slightly punterish question I suppose but can anyone confirm the Prussik diameter for use on such ropes (Google suggests 60-80% of the rope dia.)? As my half rope dia. has reduced, I haven't (to my knowledge) changed these (they're also looking ruined).

jwi

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#205 Re: Strings
April 01, 2019, 01:18:04 pm
I always found the idea of skinny halfs terrifying. OK when used as twins, but on a single strand.... shudder... I rather get 50m and slightly fatter than 60m and skinny.

Paul B

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#206 Re: Strings
April 01, 2019, 01:22:06 pm
I'm pretty light which helps me feel a little less terrified.

I'm not going back to 50m now, I'll just end up going off the end of my ropes  :worms:.

T_B

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#207 Re: Strings
April 01, 2019, 02:36:16 pm
Prussiking a 7.5mm rope... rather you than me! I'd rather be lowered into the sea. Apart from the scenario of falling off some overhanging sea cliff trav where you can see all of the rope and it not rubbing against anything, I can't think of any instance where I would dare prussik up a sub 8mm rope. I used to climb on Beal Icelines (8.1mm) and have witnessed how easily a brand new one can cut through #shudder

Paul B

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#208 Re: Strings
April 01, 2019, 02:46:50 pm
The only time I've had to Prussik was mercifully both strands and it was my stupidity/laziness that lead to it.

I  tend to get Nat to carry the Micro-traxion when we're climbing steep stuff near(er) her limit in case she ends up in space (again: see stretch!). There were times last week (Riglos) when I could've easily ended up in space and I was opting not to use the ropes as twins. Lowering wouldn't have worked.

(Plus T_B, you're literally twice my size.)

T_B

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#209 Re: Strings
April 01, 2019, 02:55:22 pm
I'm not sure I understand? Why were you climbing on one half rope?

Paul B

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#210 Re: Strings
April 01, 2019, 03:15:12 pm
I wasn't but on pitches that weaved I was clipping alternate ropes. Sometimes these were a 'reasonable'* distance apart

* - reasonable as defined by the (re)bolter

Perhaps easier to discuss on FB to avoid diluting the thread?

cheque

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#211 Re: Strings
May 09, 2019, 10:54:20 am
A bit niche but just I got a 30m single for £33. I'll use it for doing grit trad mileage with my other half who can't belay with two ropes yet but it could obviously do good service at the climbing wall or on the many Pennine lime routes that are <15m tall probably best to tie a knot in the end though.

The free postage says 3-5 working days but mine's turned up in less than 36 hours.  :thumbsup: Not sure if it's web only or not.

Yossarian

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#212 Re: Strings
May 09, 2019, 11:51:29 am
Thanks for this - I was looking for exactly the same thing, for simple early grit excursions with my 8-year-old...

RobK

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#213 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 10:53:05 am
In the market for a new 60m sport rope. I was bought a Mammut Infinity for Christmas but it has deteriorated rapidly. Had some back and forth with Mammut and the retailer who won't replace it but that's beside the point. After using a friend's Petzl Volta the other day I was mightily impressed so am willing to spend more if it means getting the extra quality. Seeing as it will be my main UK rope predominantly used on 20-25m routes I was wondering if the Arial might give me a little more durability as weight would be less of an issue. Unfortunately I can't find it in stock anywhere in the UK and the places that have it in stock in Europe seem to be having shipping issues at the minute. Any other recommendations of something similar? Or is the general opinion that it's not really worth it and just to get the popular Simond option?

shark

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#214 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 11:14:07 am
If looking at pricier ropes I was really impressed with the Sterling Nano. Thin and handles well. Takes loads of abuse. Bit like me

abarro81

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#215 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 11:29:08 am
If you're mostly into redpointing and shorter routes then I wouldn't bother with a very thin rope, especially if you like steep things where you might bounce up if you fall off. Hauling around on a 9mm is a lot more of a pain in the asshands than on a slightly thicker rope.

bigironhorse

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#216 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 11:59:37 am
In the market for a new 60m sport rope. I was bought a Mammut Infinity for Christmas but it has deteriorated rapidly. Had some back and forth with Mammut and the retailer who won't replace it but that's beside the point. After using a friend's Petzl Volta the other day I was mightily impressed so am willing to spend more if it means getting the extra quality. Seeing as it will be my main UK rope predominantly used on 20-25m routes I was wondering if the Arial might give me a little more durability as weight would be less of an issue. Unfortunately I can't find it in stock anywhere in the UK and the places that have it in stock in Europe seem to be having shipping issues at the minute. Any other recommendations of something similar? Or is the general opinion that it's not really worth it and just to get the popular Simond option?

Destroying a rope in 6 months, that is quite impressive! What were you doing with it?

RobK

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#217 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 12:00:26 pm
If you're mostly into redpointing and shorter routes then I wouldn't bother with a very thin rope, especially if you like steep things where you might bounce up if you fall off. Hauling around on a 9mm is a lot more of a pain in the asshands than on a slightly thicker rope.

Good point, thanks. Having never really climbed on a skinny rope hadn't thought of this as an issue. Another reason, other than durability, for sticking to something a little thicker for my main UK rope I guess.

abarro81

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#218 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 12:10:53 pm
Yeah, I usually use a 9.5-9.8 in the UK (cornices, tor, working things at Malham or Kilnsey etc.) then bust out the 9-9.2mm for long onsights or for RP attempts on long things at Malham/Kilnsey.  This is partly a way of not wearing out the thin rope, but it's definitely also because it's nicer to work things on a thick rope (unless they're v long) and I don't find the weight/drag an issue on short things anyway.

Andy F

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#219 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 12:14:56 pm
If looking at pricier ropes I was really impressed with the Sterling Nano. Thin and handles well. Takes loads of abuse. Bit like me

Thin and handles well  ;)

RobK

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#220 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 01:41:27 pm
Destroying a rope in 6 months, that is quite impressive! What were you doing with it?

Nothing, that's the problem! Had one go up putting the draws in Seventh Aardvark at Malham back in January. Back on the ground my belayer noticed that the rope had significantly furred up. Thought it might be a rogue draw but checked and nothing wrong. Used another rope for the rest of the day which was totally fine. Sent the rope back to the retailer who forwarded it on to Mammut. They said there was nothing wrong and it was safe. I agree that it was safe, for now, but the level of deterioration for literally one attempt on a route was not OK! I've used the rope for 4 or 5 sessions since lockdown has eased and it has just got worse. No word yet from the retailer but time to cut my losses.

shark

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#221 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 02:15:56 pm
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose

If the Infinity is that orange length of cack then if my experience is anything to go by then it will wear out really quick unless they've improved them in the last couple of years. This was especially disappointing given how well the Revelation lasts which is not intended as a workhorse rope. Mammut and the shop manager refused to accept the way my Infinity wore after 3 days on a sport rip was anything other than my fault about 4 years ago. I wanted my money back but only could get a goodwill replacement which also wore out quick. Others had similar experiences. I hope they have improved the durability since.

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#222 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 02:59:45 pm
What do people think of Beal ropes these days? I changed from a 10.3 Beal which was an absolute workhorse to a Mammut Revelation Dry 9.2mm and I'm having the exact same issues. Had to chop the ends off after a week in Spain in when the core came through the shealth and have been wary of it since. After reading this thread seems it may be an issue with working shorter routes more.

RobK

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#223 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 03:22:42 pm
What do people think of Beal ropes these days? I changed from a 10.3 Beal which was an absolute workhorse to a Mammut Revelation Dry 9.2mm and I'm having the exact same issues. Had to chop the ends off after a week in Spain in when the core came through the shealth and have been wary of it since. After reading this thread seems it may be an issue with working shorter routes more.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose

If the Infinity is that orange length of cack then if my experience is anything to go by then it will wear out really quick unless they've improved them in the last couple of years. This was especially disappointing given how well the Revelation lasts which is not intended as a workhorse rope. Mammut and the shop manager refused to accept the way my Infinity wore after 3 days on a sport rip was anything other than my fault about 4 years ago. I wanted my money back but only could get a goodwill replacement which also wore out quick. Others had similar experiences. I hope they have improved the durability since.

Interesting. Nearly everyone I have told about the issue seems to have an account (either personal or of a friend) of something similar happening with a Mammut rope. Telling, perhaps? Or maybe just unsubstantiated anecdotal evidence.

Paul B

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#224 Re: Strings
June 16, 2020, 04:37:29 pm
What do people think of Beal ropes these days?

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