First Rope?

Im looking at buying my first rope and have been doing a fair amount of research. My question is does anyone have experience with this Mammut Supernova 10mm rope ($115). I found a great deal on it but cant find the info i am looking for. Will this be a good rope for me to start on doing top roping and some sport. I want some versatile and will last against New England granite. I have also been looking at the edelweiss element 11 10.2 rope($170). What do you all recommend for me?

backcountry.com/mammut-supe…

http://www.backcountry.com/edelweiss-element-ii-10.2mm-climbing-rope

I would recommend not getting a New England (Maxim) rope. I´ve had two of them and both turned out not very durable at all.

Sterling is great. But really, your first rope will get beat up top roping. So i´d recomend getting whatever is cheap and around 10mm or greater.

Good climbing!

Thats what Ive been reading about New England ropes. I've pretty much crossed them off my list

i've had great experiences with the durability of Mammut and Edelweiss. Mammut is typically a bit more pricey but you get what you pay for. I've found their ropes to have a great feel in addition to the durability. That's not to say that Edelweiss ropes are rigid cables. They handle pretty well too.

That said, you're probably going to be fine with pretty much any rope you get as your first rope as long as it's >10mm. If you stick with climbing and get into leading, you'll most likely be looking for a skinnier rope before you'd wear out any rope you get.

Mammut are very durable. They have a stiff sheath that resists wear quite well.

Sterling have a very supple sheath. In thicker diameters they handle a little nicer and catch a little softer. While Sterling are not short-lived ropes, I would suspect the Mammut will last a little longer.

But really, any 10mm to 10.5mm 60m rope will do anything you could want, and last quite a while. Much more important than the rope is how you treat it. Don't let it run over edges while top-roping or rapelling, don't take sport falls on the same spot, and rappel or walk around instead of lowering off when it's convenient.

Get a 10.2 Sterling Marathon the extra thick sheath will keep it going after everything else goes into the bin.

Well, I'd have to ask whether you intend on taking this rope into multi pitch climbs or anything in the mountains or in winter too.

You may or may not want something with a dry treatment, or in a length longer than 60M, or even in 9.8mm depending.

I wouldn't go much heavier than 10mm tho, since you like sport.

Check fall rating and impact forces, generally the cheaper ropes don't have as nice a catch or last as long, so you may want to find a higher end rope on sale.

the supernova will work fine ... i know many climbers who use it ... and other ropes just fine

if yr a newb ... get a 9.8-10.3 mm rope ... 70m if possible for certain routes, if not a 60m on sale ...

and make sure it works in yr belay device if yr using an assisted locking one

no need for dry unless yr doing ice or alpine ... itll wear out quickly anyways ... and no need for bi-pattern weaves

and make sure it is CHEAP .... cause youll destroy it

any decent brand will do

I will be using this for single pitch routes in summer. I would like to get into ice climbing but not for a few years. Will i even notice much of a difference in impact force. They both get pretty good reviews. What would you buy? The cheaper rope would leave me more money to buy some other essential gear.
The mammut supernova 10mm ($115)) 6-7 uiaa falls, impact force 9.4 kN,66 g/m
The edelweiss element 10.2mm ($169) 11 uiaa falls , 7.9 kN impact force , 66 g/m

NHtrailblazer wrote:I will be using this for single pitch routes in summer. I would like to get into ice climbing but not for a few years. Will i even notice much of a difference in impact force. They both get pretty good reviews. What would you buy? The cheaper rope would leave me more money to buy some other essential gear. The mammut supernova 10mm ($115)) 6-7 uiaa falls, impact force 9.4 kN,66 g/m The edelweiss element 10.2mm ($169) 11 uiaa falls , 7.9 kN impact force , 66 g/m

my mammut infinity which is considered quite a decent sport climbing rope has an impact force of 9.1 kn vs 9.2 kn for the super nova

chances are your first rope will die through abrasion ...especially if you top rope a decent amount like most newbs do ...

get what will allow you to get other essential gear ... shiny expensive gear is one of the bigger mistakes i see newbs making when first starting out ... whats the point of a $200 rope that will be used for single pitch moderates and top roping, or that $150 dead bird harness, $170 TC pros, etc ... they wont make you better climbers at that point

spend the money on the gear you needs or the courses to learn, or gas to the crag

my main rope is an 85$ tendon 10mm thats seen well over 300+ pitches by now

for more about ropes read this on steph davis blog ...

highinfatuation.com/blog/st…

I'd go with the cheaper rope for your first one. I think a beefy 10.5 is a better choice, as it will last longer. Sure, there are disadvantages to a thicker rope, but toproping and lowering put wear on a rope quickly, and a burly rope gives you more safety margin.

I'd also suggest that you not worry about impact forces, number of falls, etc. You can send your head swimming with the numbers, and unnecessarily clutter your mind with (over)analysis.

I have done most of my climbing in NH, and my first rope was the Mammut Supernova, I got it for around $120 just like it is right now. It's lasted me through many top-ropes at Pawtuckaway, and leading at Rumney, as well as some other crags. I've also used it for some ice.

There is only a section or two that have become fuzzy due to poor usage, the rest of the rope is in great condition after almost 2 years of me using it. Well worth the money I would say.

Sterling Evolution Velocity 9.8 70m Dry. Nuff said.

NHtrailblazer wrote:Im looking at buying my first rope and have been doing a fair amount of research. My question is does anyone have experience with this Mammut Supernova 10mm rope ($115). I found a great deal on it but cant find the info i am looking for. Will this be a good rope for me to start on doing top roping and some sport. I want some versatile and will last against New England granite. I have also been looking at the edelweiss element 11 10.2 rope($170). What do you all recommend for me?

I have had experience with both of those ropes. Both are geat and will hold up reasonably well top roping.
If you are willing to spend a few $ more I highly recomend the 10.5mm edelwiess sharp, I have several and use them for into to climbing classes and they get nothing but toproped they last a good 3-4 seasons wroth of abuse being used an average of 7-8 times a month for full day worth of climbing outside on limestone to granite.
Also you can get Blue water eliminaters 10.2mm on sale for around $130, they are a solid rope as well.

I just picked up this for my first rope.

ebay.com/itm/Edelweiss-Ally…

It handles great and the price can't be beat. It pigtailed a little bit the first couple times I took it out, but that went away quick.

I have the Edelweiss Ally and for the price you can't beat it. Handles reasonably well...still sort of stiff but I haven't used it all that much yet (less than a couple dozen pitches.)

I don't have the Supernova, but I do have the Infinity and the Supersafe. I love the way Mammut ropes handle. The two that I own also have been exceptionally durable.

Wow!!! Jeff that is a great deal!!! I think I might go with that one.

Jeff Thomas wrote:I just picked up this for my first rope. ebay.com/itm/Edelweiss-Ally… It handles great and the price can't be beat. It pigtailed a little bit the first couple times I took it out, but that went away quick.

Nice find, that pretty cheap for a rope...

after more looking at the edelweiss ally 10.3 onsale for $85 i noticed it was manufactured in 2009. is that something i should be concerned about?