Half ropes - recommendation

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 PhilWS 19 Jun 2020

Hi All,

Having got fed up with dragging a sport single up trad routes, would like thoughts and recommendations for investment in half ropes.

Looking for bimbles in the Lakes etc. Can find some deals on 50m ropes but wondering if it's worth the extra and going for 60s.

Log book not up to date before anyone comments but climb VS / HVS trad lead. Time and commitments mean I doubt I'll ever go further than this.

Thanks

Phil

 Prof. Outdoors 19 Jun 2020
In reply to PhilWS:

Personally I think 2x 50m is the best.

Not sure how many climbs in the UK you would need 60m. Why carry the weight of the extra 20m of rope for the vast majority of the time if not needed? For brands and other comments re half ropes see link below. (Actually asks for comments on double ropes but probably means half ropes.) Never needed double rope technique in UK.

https://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/gear/which_double_ropes-720821

Pete

1
 Luke90 19 Jun 2020
In reply to Prof. Outdoors:

> (Actually asks for comments on double ropes but probably means half ropes.) Never needed double rope technique in UK.

Despite being confusing, that's not really an error. Half ropes are commonly also called double ropes. 

The ropes you're referring to, where you clip both into each piece, are normally called twins to sidestep the potential ambiguity in 'doubles'.

 Hard Hawk 19 Jun 2020
In reply to PhilWS:

I’ve been using the Beal Legends (50m), only had them a few weeks but they handle great and at a good price too

OP PhilWS 19 Jun 2020
In reply to Prof. Outdoors:

Thanks - hate it when people ask a question that's just been asked! Totally missed that post in my search - Doh!

OP PhilWS 19 Jun 2020
In reply to Hard Hawk:

Thanks!

 Mark Stevenson 19 Jun 2020
In reply to PhilWS:

For English and Welsh climbing, I'd definitely recommend 50s over 60s - in reality you're likely to run pitches together so rarely that carrying and handling the extra 10m the rest of the time is absolutely not worth it.

Even for those climbing lots in Scotland or overseas I still think 60s are rarely optimal but the tradeoffs are rather less clear cut.

You can see the other thread for my opinions on some specific ropes. 

In reply to PhilWS:

If you're looking for a real all rounder that can take a bit of a battering check out the Beal Cobra's. I have them in 60s but I use them for winter climbing mainly as the Golden Dry treatment is great. They hadly absorb any water compared to other treated ropes. This might be a plus point if you're climbing in the Lakes!

My brother and mate recently picked up a pair also having climb on mine.

I wrote a review on them here: https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/climbing/ropes/beal_cobra_ii_half_rope-1000...

 Martin Bennett 19 Jun 2020
In reply to PhilWS:

No question in my mind 2 x 50m half (double in some references) is the way to go. If you're interested in economising I'm selling one of mine. It's a Mammut Obsession 50m x 8.3mm. It's red and is 3 or 4 years old and only been used for multipitch climbing in the UK as I climb a lot abroad and use different ropes). It's suffered no falls. I can send photos - please email me on mart10ben@gmail.com if of interest.

1
OP PhilWS 23 Jun 2020
In reply to Martin McKenna - Rockfax:

Thank you.

 Toerag 23 Jun 2020
In reply to PhilWS:

I think it's hard to buy a bad rope these days.  The more important question is 'what diameter half ropes should I buy?'  Diameter is directly proportional to longevity / abrasion/cut resistance, and thin halves really don't last very long on aggressive rock.  You also have the belay security issue in that thin ropes require specific devices rated for them to hold falls properly.  I'd suggest borrowing some from friends to see what you like. My personal preference is for 8.5<->9mm halves and I bought Mammut Genesis ones because they were a good deal at the time.  Like in all gear discussions, your lead grade doesn't matter - you can wear out your rope just as fast doing diffs as on E5s.

Post edited at 10:41
 David Myatt 23 Jun 2020
In reply to Martin McKenna - Rockfax:

Hi Martin,

I was going to buy some cobras until I read in your piece about them not having middle marks. For me, that is nuts. Ended up buying their triple rated half ropes instead.

Getting back to the question, 50s are all you need on UK rock. If you need more, you’re probably off route!

David


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