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Gym Rope Advice

Original Post
Saki · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 0

Hey all,
I'd like a little advice on picking a rope. I have done a lot of climbing on top rope at the gym and solidly climb 11b's, but I have never gotten into leading. So now I feel its time to get my first rope and get started. Initially I was looking at getting a 60m rope, but then decided that since I don't get outside much I would be better off getting a lighter, shorter gym rope so I don't have to haul around an extra 30m with me. I have narrowed it down to two ropes:

Sterling Slim Gym 10.1mm 30m or
Sterling Evolution Velocity 9.8mm 35m

So my question is this: would I be better off going with the thicker 10.1mm 30m rope, or the thinner 9.8mm 35m rope? I was told that a 35m rope would be good as it would allow me to trim the ends without making it too short, but I have also been told that the thicker rope will be more durable overall. Unfortunately Sterling only has that one rope in a 35m length, so its one or the other. Any thought?

Also is it silly to get a short gym rope as my first rope? I have friends who's ropes I could borrow for climbing trips, and I thought it would be nice to not have to haul around the extra 4lbs with me
Thanks!

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492

How far would you be hauling that extra 4 lbs? If it's from the parking lot to the gym, I'd say just bite the bullet and get a normal 60m rope. You'll enjoy having your own rope when you go outside. Friends may be friends, but borrowing someone else's rope is just a touch sketchy.

OTOH maybe you have 6 blocks to walk to the bus/train/water taxi/whatever then a half mile after that to get to the gym. In that case, yea, get the shorter rope.

As for durability and which diameter is better, my first reaction is that 9.8 and 10.1 mm are not significantly different. Check the g/meter specs (and % sheath if you can find it) on each rope. Those are the things that matter more than nominal diameter.

Mike P · · Saint Louis · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 71

We use a 35m Sterling Velocity 9.8 as our gym rope. Very happy with it.

One factor that might be relevant: What do you belay with? A 9.8mm is easier to pass through a grigri than a 10.1mm.

Bill Czajkowski · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 20

Get the 9.8. The bigger one isn't of any value in the gym. The Velocity is a nice handling rope; I've been through a couple in the gym and have also purchased them for my kids. They hold up well.

Also, a full length rope in the gym is a pain in the ass. Get two ropes when you can.

Petsfed 00 · · Snohomish, WA · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 989
Bill Czajkowski wrote:Get the 9.8. The bigger one isn't of any value in the gym. The Velocity is a nice handling rope; I've been through a couple in the gym and have also purchased them for my kids. They hold up well. Also, a full length rope in the gym is a pain in the ass. Get two ropes when you can.
Emphasis mine. Strongly disagree. Your gym lead rope should get absolutely thrashed. If it doesn't, you should either a) not be leading in the gym or b) take up knitting.
You're not sending your super-sick proj.
You're not fighting 60 meters of rope drag as you struggle to make the final clip on this, the alpine radness that will secure your legacy and sponsorships for all eternity.
You're leading a route in the gym and, unless its your warmup, you should be falling off of it most of the time. Thus, while the ability to chop off the dog-spot without killing the rope (advantage 35m rope) is nice, ultimately you don't want a rope that gets wrecked after one single session of power-dogging (advantage 30m rope). Consider the extra weight of those 3mm as training for when you have to clip a draw to a bolt, before you clip a rope to a draw.
Ryan Nevius · · Perchtoldsdorf, AT · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 1,837

Get a 60-70m. Your friends will thank you, it will last you longer, and it's really not a pain to "haul" around a gym.

Cor · · Sandbagging since 1989 · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 1,445

PM sent Saki

Max Forbes · · Colorado · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 108

Sterling Evolution Velocity 9.8mm 35m, if you ever plan on climbing outside, go with a full 60m.

Allen Sanderson · · On the road to perdition · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 1,203

The new gyn in SLC will require a 40m rope. So much for those short gym ropes. Just get a real rope as a new outside climber you do not want borrow a friend's rope if and when you decide to climb outside.

PatCleary · · Boston, MA · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 0

Another vote for the 35m 9.8, especially if you can afford a 60 in the future. The 10.1 may last longer, but I like the handling and clipping of thinner ropes.

David Gibbs · · Ottawa, ON · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 2

Does the gym you intend to climb at have a minimum thickness rule? I've lead at a couple gyms where they specified 10mm or thicker for a gym lead rope allowed in that gym.

If you're thinking to do this a fair bit, but don't want to haul around a whole 60m rope all the time, it can be worth it to buy a 60m and chop it into 2 30m ropes. Generally cheaper than buying a 30m, trashing it, then buying another.

Saki · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 0

I don't think there is a minimum thickness rule there... not from what they told me when I asked them about ropes anyway.

Saki · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 0

I just called up the gym and they told me I need a 35m. So I'm going to go with the 9.8 velocity. Thanks for all your help!

Magpie79 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 0

I would get a 70m rope and cut it in half. When you have whipped too many times on one half, make a rug with it and use the second half.

Bill Czajkowski · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 20
Brian Scoggins wrote: Emphasis mine. Strongly disagree. Your gym lead rope should get absolutely thrashed. If it doesn't, you should either a) not be leading in the gym or b) take up knitting. You're not sending your super-sick proj. You're not fighting 60 meters of rope drag as you struggle to make the final clip on this, the alpine radness that will secure your legacy and sponsorships for all eternity. You're leading a route in the gym and, unless its your warmup, you should be falling off of it most of the time. Thus, while the ability to chop off the dog-spot without killing the rope (advantage 35m rope) is nice, ultimately you don't want a rope that gets wrecked after one single session of power-dogging (advantage 30m rope). Consider the extra weight of those 3mm as training for when you have to clip a draw to a bolt, before you clip a rope to a draw.
Steel biners, plastic holds, low fall factors, and generally smooth features in the gym just don't cause wear like outside does. Ropes in the gym generally peter out due to sheath slippage as opposed to damage. This size difference just doesn't matter.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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