First gym rope suggestions

Hey, im looking to buy my first gym rope to get into lead, and my gym requires a 35m rope. I’m a little confused by all the different types, mainly the dynamic and static ones. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!

mammut 9.5 dynamic gym classic 40m is what I use and it works fine. If you are leading you must use a dynamic rope.

Hi Charlie, welcome.

Do you know what kind of belay device you're using or going to use? Depending on the device it may work *better* with different rope thicknesses. Most ropes around 9.5mm work just fine with the common ones.

As Connor said, you need a dynamic rope. If you fall on a static rope, you're in for a bad time.

If you're using a rope in the gym it's pretty much the ideal circumstances. Minimal dirt/grime, perfect weather. You won't need any of the outdoors-y features like dry treatment, etc., but it may be something you'd consider if you wanted to take the rope out with you.

J L wrote:

Hi Charlie, welcome.

Do you know what kind of belay device you're using or going to use? Depending on the device it may work *better* with different rope thicknesses. Most ropes around 9.5mm work just fine with the common ones.

As Connor said, you need a dynamic rope. If you fall on a static rope, you're in for a bad time.

If you're using a rope in the gym it's pretty much the ideal circumstances. Minimal dirt/grime, perfect weather. You won't need any of the outdoors-y features like dry treatment, etc., but it may be something you'd consider if you wanted to take the rope out with you.

Thanks for the welcome! 

As of outdoor climbing, i don’t think it is happening anytime soon, so i’m not too worried about conditions and length as long as it’s 35 or higher. i plan on using a grigri3, but i’m the first among my group of friends to use a grigri, so i’m not too sure how it will go. may switch back to atc.

Side of the grigri will tell you what rope widths are ideal.

Honestly, best bet just go to an actual climbing store (not just some generic sporting goods store) and tell them you want a 35m+ indoor gym rope, and then buy the cheapest one they recommend.

If you plan on going to other gyms, check with them as well as to length required. A rope right at 35m may work for your current gym but could be slightly short elsewhere. I offer this up based on personal experience. Have fun and be safe. (Oh, and even in the gym I always close the system by tying a knot in the loose end of the rope… a good habit pattern, IMHO.)

I just bought an Edelweiss Flashlight II 10MMX40M. Great price for 40M rope.

Allen Sanderson wrote:

I just bought an Edelweiss Flashlight II 10MMX40M. Great price for 40M rope.

heard they have crazy durability issues.

As others have said, dynamic is an absolute requirement.  Gri Gri works fine with anything from 9-10.5mm (Petzl says "compatible with 8.5 to 11 mm dynamic single ropes and optimized for those 8.9 to 10.5 mm"). All common belay devices intended for sport/lead climbing will work fine with ropes 9-10mm.  Don't worry too much about rope diameter differences, but I'd lean towards something closer to a 10mm, generally that suggests a more durable rope.  While 35m is the minimum in your gym, I would still suggest a 60m rope.  Ropes wear out primarily at the ends, and so you can chop off the worn ends of a longer rope and get more lifespan out of it.  Also, if you decide to start climbing outside, a 60m rope is generally considered a standard length.  If you only have a 35 or 40m rope, you may find it dangerous to climb outside.  

To add to what James just said, and what I said farther above... my gym rope is 50m and 9.8mm, obviously dynamic, but no special treatments. It will work in any gym that I will ever use around here and I also can use it at a few of the local crags that have very short routes (don't have to drag out the 70m for a 15m sport route). Again, don't forget to "close the system" with a knot regardless. Yeah, it's overly long for my primary gym (35m would work), but I like that I can use it elsewhere--and as James said, I can chop the ends when they get worn (remeasure it!).