Rope diameter: how much does it matter to you?

I guess when talking about rope diameters it's really about weight and toughness. Some people like a rope in the low 9.Xmm range, others seem quite happy with a 10.Xmm. Doubles seem to be heavier than even a thicker single, though some extra benefits are had in certain situations. I'm starting to realize that at the level I'm climbing at, and my size, the extra weight of a thicker rope doesn't really seem important.

How much does rope diameter matter to you, and why?

Development rope: 10-10.5 and cheap.

Hardman redpoint day or alpine: 9.2 - 9.5

the obvious considerations are durablity weight and cost.

When I am pushing on hard 11's I would rather have my light 9.7 or 9.5. Pulling up to make a clip with my 10.3 while pumped is not fun.

The 10.3 is great for easy leads that my friends will be top roping as well.

I like a light cord as much as the next guy, but I imagine that 99% of climbers aren't going to fail to get up the pitch because of rope diameter (or, more correctly, rope WEIGHT).

I mostly care for alpine climbing or anything with a super long approach. Current backcountry rope of choice is the Beal Opera 8.5mm which cuts out about 2 lbs of pack weight compared to most of my ropes.

Another for skinny rope (8.9 mm) only for the back country when so much is already in the pack.

Matters when I fix and jug...skinny ropes make me skeered.

As a noober-doober, I went with a 10.1 for my first, especially since I'll be using it mostly on quartz monzonite. Figure I'll make plenty of mistakes and a more durable rope is better, especially since I will lack alpine skills for some time yet, so weight isn't an issue. When that time comes, I'll go with a much lighter rope I'm sure, and to perhaps go with a 70m instead of 60m.

Ropes of any weight are heavy, how am I supposed to hitchhike with this?!

>10 mm for TR.
9.8 for an everyday rope, I like the feel of this diameter.
9.2 or so for Alpine and I have been thinking of chopping the rope to 50 meters as well.

The really thin ropes do seem to damage easier, but I try to never put myself in a position where I weight the rope in the backcountry.

It matters to me a lot because it blows to be 100' out, pumped as hell, and then have to pull up an elephant to clip with. My main climbing rope is a 9.1, my multipitch rope is a 9.4. I whip on my 9.1 all the time, the critical point is you just need to get a thin rope that is really durable as most are not. That said, the hardest route I have ever redpointed was on a well-used 10.3mm, so it's not absolutely required to have a thin rope, it's just nice.

As for cragging: I stopped making a distinction between “development” ropes and red point cords a dozen years ago. Never made much sense unless I were willing to drag up TWO ropes for those days I thought I would actually, after a burn or two, send a project. (One to hang draws or plug gear and rehearse, another to send? C’mon…)

And I don’t much buy into the whole wear ‘n’ tear thing, how 10+ ropes are supposedly longer lasting than skinny ropes and what. After all, we're talking about the difference between about ONE millimeter of nylon! For me, weight savings (since I roll with an 80 meter) and ease of use with a GriGri 2 (since that’s nearly always what I belay with at the crags) are the prime considerations.

For 10 years running that meant either a Beal Joker (9.1mm) or an Edelweiss Performance (9.2mm). Both with equal joy. The last two years I’ve switched to the Beal Stinger (9.4mm), and have found this to be about the single best compromise between not too thick (it GLIDES through a GG2/almost never snags or shorts me, feels super light to clip) and not too thin (doesn’t give you the crazy soft, endless fall elasticity of the Joker AND it’s much MUCH easier to winch back up to your last piece of pro after a big fall).

So now I pretty much use that 9.4 for ALL cragging adventures. All. I don’t do any top ropping proper with it—so I can't say for that kind of abuse. But these cords DO see more than their fair share of hang dogging, and in the words of my friends, I fall like a sack of rocks. Even so, I don't really notice they fare any worse for ware than any of the raggy 10.2s my GF or my other friends often use. (But again, I use what I consider really high end, high quality ropes.)

Full disclosure: I used to guide and still get a good pro deal on ropes, so I pretty much replace ‘em early and often anyways. Perhaps I don't keep mine around long enough to notice wear 'n' tear difference between the sub 9.5 ropes I habitually use and a fatty.

Top Rope Hero wrote:As for cragging: I stopped making a distinction between “development” ropes and red point cords a dozen years ago. Never made much sense unless I were willing to drag up TWO ropes for those days I thought I would actually, after a burn or two, send a project. (One to hang draws or plug gear and rehearse, another to send? C’mon…)

I wouldn't bring 2 ropes just for me either but if we have a group of 4 and need 2 ropes anyways it is usually a 10.3 for anyone who wants to TR stuff and a 9.5 or 9.7 if anyone feels like sending something long where the rope weight can matter at the last clip.

Thicker ropes ( or more accurately ropes with a larger sheath weight) definately last longer all other things being equal

For folks that only lead and take up a second on top belay ... Or for areas/climbs that are steeper its not a huge deal

But for many a low angle moderates and for TRs the difference in sheath longevity is significant

That said how you treat the rope by minimizing rubbing and edges is the most important thing

As to leading ... It doesnt matter IMO until you get into the 12s if even then

Anything below you should be able to lead just fine on a ~10mm rope

;)

Mathias wrote:I guess when talking about rope diameters it's really about weight and toughness. Some people like a rope in the low 9.Xmm range, others seem quite happy with a 10.Xmm. Doubles seem to be heavier than even a thicker single, though some extra benefits are had in certain situations. I'm starting to realize that at the level I'm climbing at, and my size, the extra weight of a thicker rope doesn't really seem important. How much does rope diameter matter to you, and why?

I do prefer skinnier lines, but it's not so much about climbing with them as belaying with them. Skinnier lines just feed easier through a belay device, so it is much easier to give a good belay without short-roping your leader with a skinnier rope. I find 9.5 to 9.8 to be the best compromise between durability and easy of feeding slack.

kennoyce wrote: I do prefer skinnier lines, but it's not so much about climbing with them as belaying with them. Skinnier lines just feed easier through a belay device, so it is much easier to give a good belay without short-roping your leader with a skinnier rope. I find 9.5 to 9.8 to be the best compromise between durability and easy of feeding slack.

suppleness is just as important

theres a huge difference in suppleness between a maxim 9.9mm glider, a mammut 9.8mm tusk, a sterling 10.1mm marathon and a tendon 10.2mm ambition

the latter 2, although "thicker" than the maxim and mammut, feed quite easily through assisted locking devices ... the mammut and maxim feed like crap especially once they get a bit stiff, forcing folks to use the "fast feed" method constantly

for tube devices i actually find feeding with a stiffer rope easier ... in which case the mammut and maxims feed just fine

for tubes, especially for beginners, ~10mm is optimal as it allows for a better grip than skinny ropes

;)

It matters to me on Rock. I have 10.2mm because I figure it's easier to catch my fat ass with a 10.2. I'm kinda a punk when it comes to lead falls so I feel a thicker rope is stronger.

It don't matter on ice. I use 9.1mm cause I figure if I fall the diameter is the least of my worries. The first time I felt the weight of the rope on a steep route was on ice. I thought a skinny rope would help this. Plus long approaches give me the gas face so I like light ropes and aluminum screws.

Thanks for the replies.

I got a 9.3mm a while back after loaning my first rope (a 60m 9.8mm) to my S.O. because she needed a rope and I'd come to see the value in a 70m. It was going cheap in a store, so I figured I'd get it. I like it for packing weight and it feels great to belay with, but I don't much like top roping or cragging with it because I feel like I'm beating it up in situations where a more durable but heavier rope would work just fine. So I ordered a 10.2mm 70m a few days ago for doing such things. I'm sure the 9.3 will still get used for longer approaches on multipitch routes etc. I might not get such a skinny rope when this one needs replacing though.