Maxim rope cut through! wtf...

My Maxim rope got cut through to the core on its 5th use. I bought the Maxim Alex Honnold Signature Bi-Pattern Glider 9.9mm x 70m Dry Rope in December 2020.

While I was getting blindly lowered by my belayer (the route wanders around a corner to the left), I came to a platform roof feature. As I continued to lower I dropped down below it. As my feet lost footing below the roof, I let out a "yip" and so my belayer abruptly stopped lowering me. As he did so, the momentum caused me and my rope to drag horizontally across the roof about 3 feet. In doing so, it cut all the way through to the core of my rope roughly 4 feet above my figure-eight knot. I weigh 130 pounds...

I've never ever seen a rope cut, let alone a brand new rope! I've seen the outside layer fray, but NEVER break. I reached out to Maxim and got no response...

Holy shit 

I’m glad your safe 

That’s all I got .... 

I Weigh 200 wonder if I would be dead 

It's pretty normal for ropes to abrade/cut when exposed to sharp edges and loaded.  Rescue systems are a bit different from recreational climbing but the same physics apply.  Check out this video:

  youtu.be/-43yf8SDs4M

What you described happening, a rope under tension dragging three feet across a sharp edge at the same point, causes that in any brand rope. Ropes are fragile. I've learned the hard way too, with new ropes. It doesn't matter if the rope is new or not.  That's why Maxim didn't answer. It was user error.  Luckily the cut is near the end, so you can cut it off and still have decent length.  Don't forget to make a new middle mark. My experiences were with other brands.  I've never used a Maxim rope.

Yeah not Maxim's fault imo.  I have done this to three ropes.   If you've never done it it's easy to think ropes are invincible.  

I've gotten a better eye on routes to avoid lowering on (two of mine were from lazy lowering instead of rappelling) 

Sorry about your rope! 

Mike Zamzow wrote:

My brother core shot the honnold rope his third time out or something, doesn’t even know how he did it. 

this is why honnold doesn’t even use one 

petzl logic wrote:

this is why honnold doesn’t even use one 

No he doesn’t because he is insane and mentally mis wired 

Cat scan confirmed  

I had a maxim rope and loved it. I’ve had a rope get core shot like that from a similar scenario. It is user error and it probably won’t happen to you again, at least not for a long time. Now you have a long 60 m rope

Thanks for your responses! I agree it's most likely user error, it just didn't seem like that "crazy" of a scenario to damage the rope. However it taught me a really good lesson that 1) ropes are not invincible and 2) its better to rap than be lowered, esp when it's blind from your belayer! Luckily I got this thru REI so gonna return it... glad to hear most of y'all haven't had the same issue with Maxim before

Mike Zamzow wrote:

My brother core shot the honnold rope his third time out or something, doesn’t even know how he did it. 

yeeeeah gonna do a diff rope next time. yikes!

I guided for a company that used these ropes. Three of the eight we were using were core shot within a week of using them. Now they use Mammut. I’ve always hated maxim, never had a good experience with their ropes, sport, trad, TR, or in the gym. Glad others can enjoy them. 

Kira Harland wrote:

Thanks for your responses! I agree it's most likely user error, it just didn't seem like that "crazy" of a scenario to damage the rope. However it taught me a really good lesson that 1) ropes are not invincible and 2) its better to rap than be lowered, esp when it's blind from your belayer! Luckily I got this thru REI so gonna return it... glad to hear most of y'all haven't had the same issue with Maxim before

I think your #2 is a little off. Occasionally this may be true, but it’s become almost unanimous that on single pitch routes it’s generally better/safer to be lowered than rap. Another lesson might be to be conscious of how you/the rope may shift while being lowered, and aware of sharp edges. 

Kira Harland wrote:

Luckily I got this thru REI so gonna return it...

Really? There’s so few routes in the Bay Area that even need a 70m. 

Kira Harland wrote:

I agree it's most likely user error, it just didn't seem like that "crazy" of a scenario to damage the rope. However it taught me a really good lesson that 1) ropes are not invincible and 2) its better to rap than be lowered, esp when it's blind from your belayer! Luckily I got this thru REI so gonna return it... 

This is despicable.

You core shot your rope through your own carelessness.

Show some integrity and a minimal sense of responsibility.

Furthermore, the rope is fine, just trim few feet off and when you use it in the future, remember to watch out for sharp edges.

Frankly it's a cheap lesson before you do something even more reckless and end up seriously injured.

Kira Harland wrote:

Luckily I got this thru REI so gonna return it... glad to hear most of y'all haven't had the same issue with Maxim before

This seems super lame. The rope at 68 or whatever meters will still cover 99% or so of your use cases, if not all use cases. If you return to REI you get 100 bucks back and the rope goes straight in the trash.

If youre perturbed by the rope so much, at least sell it on here so someone can use it. 

Kira Harland wrote:

Thanks for your responses! I agree it's most likely user error, it just didn't seem like that "crazy" of a scenario to damage the rope. However it taught me a really good lesson that 1) ropes are not invincible and 2) its better to rap than be lowered, esp when it's blind from your belayer! Luckily I got this thru REI so gonna return it... glad to hear most of y'all haven't had the same issue with Maxim before

I don't think REI will take returns on climbing gear.

I will pile on too, not the rope, it was you.

Kira Harland wrote:

Luckily I got this thru REI so gonna return it... glad to hear most of y'all haven't had the same issue with Maxim before

This is poor behavior. Their return policy is no questions so that if you get some bum gear, or it just doesn’t work out you can get your money back or swap it for the right item. Taking advantage of their return policy is going to ruin it for those of us who take responsibility for our actions and don’t return things because we broke them. 

Could someone post the thread where that dude shredded his backpack going up epinephrine and REI  basically said “fuck no” on taking return.

Yeah, +1 for the lameness.

This most likely doesn't have anything to do with the specific rope either. I mean you can sure get a different brand next time, and it'll most likely won't happen because you've identified that as a potential issue and will likely manage to avoid it from now on. And yes, rappelling in those times is certainly a good idea.

At REI any returned climbing equipment is made unusable and thrown in the trash. Returned ropes get cut into 4' lengths. 

This is why the best ropes are the cheapest ropes. Ive ruined a brand new static rope the first time out, right in the fn middle! It was lightly touching the rock, so lightly that I couldnt even see it when I looked up at it. Needless to say, it hasn't happened again. Probably put up close to 15-20 routes with my current static, but ive had 7 rope protectors with me at all times since getting it. 

Learn how to care for your rope. Im guessing you could have either A) clipped into a draw as you lowered, so you wouldn't swing around at all, or B) not been swinging around at all and just lowered straight down, or C) pushed yourself away from the wall at the point of concern so your rope wasn't touching the razor blade. If you truly could do nothing, which is not likely, then go back up with a hammer and file down this edge that's going to destroy everyone's rope that gets on the route. But, id say with 99% ccertainty, it was just you not knowing how to be safe while lowering. Swinging around like Peter Pan in a Broadway show when lowering will always cost you in some way. Dont be Peter Pan.

I had a core shot in the second pitch that rope was ever on. It happens with sharp edges.

Also managed to kick a rope with a crampon right through the middle at my second kick ice climbing 2 seasons ago. 

Shit happens.