Mammut Genesis 8.5

I'm interested in learning to climb using doubles. I believe it would be a good next step in building my knowledge of climbing using more than just a single rope technique. I like the idea of having two ropes for redundancy, rescue, and long rappels.

I have a mentor to help teach my partner and I how to properly use doubles, but I would like to purchase my own set. I've settled on purchasing the Mammut Genesis 8.5mm along with the small Smart Alpine.

My question is this: On the Backcountry site there is a listing for the Genesis "Dry" 8.5mm and the Genesis "Half" 8.5mm. The only difference I see is that the "Dry" is coated sheath and core where the "Half" is a coating finish. The "Dry" is cheaper. Is there a difference in handling that is noticable? Does it work with the belay device differently?

I have had no need for a dry treated rope and do not know if the rope handling is that much of a difference. I will most likely not have a need for a "dry" rope where I climb most, but I'm interested in cheaper.

What is the low down on the differences?

backcountry.com/twin-ropes?…

> The only difference I see is that the "Dry" is coated sheath and core where the "Half" is just a coating finish.

I think you're right about that. I own two but don't remember which coating they are.

BTW, gearx has it cheaper gearx.com/mammut-8-5-genesi…

Both are dry-treated, but the more expensive model appears to be a newer model. Its "coating finish" is actually the fancier treatment, contrary to what the name might suggest.

(new, $$) Genesis "Half": Has Mammut's COATINGfinish, in which individual strands are coated with PTFE.

(older) Genesis "Dry": Has Mammut's superDRY coating; a more traditional dry treatment, but applied to both sheath and core.

Coating details on page 5:
mammut.ch/images/Mammut_Sei…

Something I always wonder about - if I order a "new" rope - how can I know if is actually new or if it has been sitting in someones inventory for a couple years and is maybe already a year old when I get it?

For half ropes, I'd recommend the Climbing Technology Alpine Up as better mousetrap than the Alpine Smart.

And I'd get the coating finish whether or not you think you need a dry rope, because this particular treatment is about more than preventing moisture aborbtion. Mammunt says:

"With Mammut’s COATINGfinishTM process, the individual rope strands are PTFE coated in order to minimise chafing and improve friction co-efficiency. Loading, e.g. through a fall, is uniformly distributed through each individual filament, thereby optimising performance. (filament = the finest element of a rope). In this way, substantially lighter ropes with the same number of falls, or ropes which can hold a substantially higher load and have the same weight can be made. In addition to better performance in standard testing, the COATINGfinishTM gives our top ropes further advantages: They have reduced rope drag, absorb less dirt and moisture, are especially easy to handle and maintain their level of performance for longer."

Thank you guys for the responses, and giving me the information I was looking for.

rgold,

I will check out the Climbing Tech device.

Regards,