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Rope Recommendations?

Original Post
David Baddeley · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 30

It's getting to the stage when I should start thinking about replacing my first rope (which has, at a guess, another ~6 months life in it at current usage), and would appreciate any suggestions. The rope I'm replacing is a mammut infinity 9.5 dry, which I bought as do-everything rope a few years ago when I wasn't sure exactly what I would end up spending most of my time on. Current usage is ~5-10% alpine, 20% sport, 35% toprope, and 25% trad, and I get out every second weekend if I'm lucky. I like the weight and dry treatment of the current rope, which make it tolerable for alpine and long approaches, but am somewhat worried that the rope is a little on the thin side for extensive sport and toprope climbing. I'm a reasonably conservative climber, and don't tend to take significant lead falls, but often climb with people who are even more gumbyish than me, so there's often a fair bit of top-rope dogging.

The options I'm considering are:
- replace with the a new version of the same rope
- get a fatter rope and suffer on long approaches and alpine
- get 2 half ropes (good for alpine and trad, but not for sport & toprope)
- get a fat rope and a half rope and continue to use the current rope as a second half rope for trad

Ideally I'd get both a fatter rope and 2 half ropes, but I'm not sure the budget will stretch that far.

I'd appreciate any recommendations,
many thanks,
David

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0

The first rope I got from a friend was a bluewater 10.5 than I got an exposed core from a rap on a tree so I ended up replacing it with a 9.8 sterling.

I do climb alot more often on it but the sheath has taken alot of damage so I don't expect it to last half the time the last one did. The reduced weight is really nice though so I am planing on getting probably a 10 next time in hopes that it fares better. I do probably 50 sport / 50 trad on it but alot of that has been on a 500ft slab wall so some of the wear could just be that.

doligo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 264

Get the same or similar rope and a tagline (could be a super skinny half or twin rope if you want more versatility), and use the current rope for top roping.

J. Serpico · · Saratoga County, NY · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 140

Retire old rope to top rope, buy similar rope. This assumes you want to continue on a single rope option.

Personally, I found ropes depend on the use. For top roping and slabs, I like my 10.5mm, though I wish it was 10.0 to 10.2. For trad, I like 8-8.5mm doubles. For ice I kind of prefer a thinner single (9.5ish) or twins. For canyons a static poly rope, if not technora.

But if I had just one rope, it would be a 9.6ish dry single.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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