What climbing line do you prefer, and why?

pdqdl · Sep 20, 2008

We need to get some more rope for one of my climbers. Arborplex is out of consideration [too hard, too stiff, not as strong but pretty tough, the price is right], and he has been using True Blue [softer rope with good handling, strong, reasonably durable]. I used Stable Braid [outstanding strength and durability], a few years ago with fine results too.

I suggested getting some opinions on AS just to get some ideas on which of the newer ropes we should consider.

What do you guys like best, and why?
Which lines do you hate the worst, and why?

knudeNoggin · Sep 20, 2008

These sorts of Which rope ... ? threads can produce a lot of seemingly
contradictory responses, unless a little more information is provided which
can make replies more helpful.
--what ropes have you used (your domain for comparison),
--what climbing system(s) ... used
--how much do you weigh (lard butts vs. liteweights)
--how long (climbing hours (months/years)) do you use your rope

... and, what other considerations?

With fuller information in reply, when Sue claims to favor A over B, etc..,
Hans's prior favoring of B won't seem contradictory if he's not tried A,
but in comparing to C & D & E. Or if Sue, a liteweight, likes the feel of
X and finds Y too klunky, but Hans, a lardbutt, thinks Y is just right!
What does Goldilocks use? Big Bear doesn't care!

Citing tensile strength in a climbing line begs the question: How does that
matter, at all? --one could say that they're all equally strong, never breaking
during climbing, right? Or is the intent to retire a line to some load-bearing
duty?

*kN*

ps: Don't forget the all-important fashion question: What COLOR(s) ... ?!

Nailsbeats · Sep 20, 2008

Simple and to the point, True Blue, have tried some others and keep comming back. I love that stuff.

oldirty · Sep 20, 2008

Nailsbeats said:
Simple and to the point, True Blue, have tried some others and keep comming back. I love that stuff.

me too. i like how it actually fattens up a little after some use. good for big hands.

Slvrmple72 · Sep 20, 2008

Thinkin about going with something different too! Been using Arbormaster but like the idea of using a smaller dia. line.

murphy4trees · Sep 21, 2008

Sorry to burst your bubble...
True Blue is excellent for lowering line... very durable and has enough stretch to reduce the effects of shock loading... It's a great lowering line... I used to climb on it....15 years ago though... I would never climb on it today...

Far to dynamic for footlocking and it won't splice... too heavy and thick..

If you want to climb like the best, you've got to use the right gear... That means using a spliced eye line with biner(s) and an advanced friction hitch, such as the french prussic, and a slack tending micro pulley.... Anything else and you are working way harder than you have to..

I use Blaze, velocity, and the fly for climbing line... all of them are excellent climbing lines... There is some newer lines out there, but I have so much of the above mentioned lines around, I haven't gotten around to trying anything else.

Nailsbeats · Sep 21, 2008

Yes, True Blue will put hair on your chest, that's for sure. The new trend is for these super small lines, never tried them, but when I grab onto True Blue it's all there.

buffalo bill · Sep 21, 2008

.Depends on what climbing method you use. I use a petzl shunt instead of a friction hitch so I climb on 11mm static kernmantle. It is thin but you get used to it. Some say I am used to holding thin things but hey,I don't care!
It has no stretch, fits all my asecnders, lasts forever and is cheap as chips!

buffalo bill · Sep 21, 2008

Stable braid is too heavy. The thinner lines are much lighter, especially if your carrying more rope in taller trees

Chuck Diesel · Sep 21, 2008

I like to use safety blue w/ a micro pulley.

D Mc · Sep 21, 2008

The best rope will depend on your climbing style and techniques. If your primary work is accomplished with a Blake's hitch, tail tied or split tail, the heavier lines are designed for that. If the climber either uses or wants to branch out to the more advanced methods and equipment, such as 8 mm Prusik cord used in combination with hitch climbers or micropulleys, then the smaller lines (11 mm) are much more appropriate.

Having used both, I can guarantee that Murph was correct in the fact that they (the smaller diameter ropes) require less energy to accomplish the same job.

Dave

ropensaddle · Sep 21, 2008

All these ropes are great compared to steel core manila. I
however have come to enjoy a steel cable better than any
climb line. A crane ride is the way to go!

Treetom · Sep 21, 2008

I started on True Blue many years back. That is some heavy ****, but easy to grip. Currently I'm trying some Black Max. Bailey's had a good price, including a free rope bag, and the weight is much less than many 1/2" ropes. The light weight makes it much easier to work with, i.e. pulling it through a slack tender with one hand.

JS Landscaping · Sep 21, 2008

I personally just switched to Poison Ivy climbing line....love the way it feels, responds well to my blakes hitch with my prussic minding pulley set up...Feels very stable climbing on, cant think of any complaints yet....Still have my other climbing line, Samsons Blue Streak which is still in great shape and will be kept for a back up, or secondary line if need be for whatever reason...check out the poision ivy, or poision hi-vy if you need a brighter looking rope. Definatly Highly recomend it

Moestavrn · Sep 21, 2008

I used all 1/2inch Hi Vee my first 3 years, and decided to try the new stuff from New England Ropes, Tachyon. Its been about 5 months, and I love it. At first it sucked because it was so rediculously slick, it hurt my hands. Now its broken in and at 150ft 11.5mm, its still lighter than the 120ft of 1/2inch. I use it with a 30inch Ice Tail and micro pulley and love it. Sherill sells it as "Lava" but its acually called Tachyon. It has had zero stretch in it since day one, and is just an awesome rope. For someone of my size, just 5ft 10" and 130lbs, the less weight to carry around the better. So I highly praise Tachyon, as long as you can put up with it being a little slippery at the beggining. It also doesn't milk, like poison ivy does. I have never used a line that milks, but it seems like itd be a pain in the ass. With Tachyon to, you can get both ends Eye spliced if you wanted to, I personally don't like either end to be eye spliced, but it would be a cool option if thats what your into.

Jlarnard · Sep 21, 2008

I am true blue through and through.
But I have tried this forestry pro at less than 1/2 the price, and it
is great rope. Longevity has yet to be tested.

limbwalker54 · Sep 21, 2008

Well....I'm still on my 1/2" HiVee with my taughtline......yeah....old fashioned I know.....

Perhaps I'll try the Tachyon based upon the review.

pdqdl · Sep 22, 2008

Thanks guys!

For those of you who inquired, my climber is about 170 pounds, and is mostly old-school, using a Blakes friction hitch. He is not particularly drawn to fancy techniques or new equipment. I suspect he would benefit from a slack tending pulley, but I doubt if he would be interested.

I will be showing him your opinions, and we will check out the ropes that you are recommending. When we make a choice, we will let you know what ropes we picked.

Is there anyone else with any suggestions or comments ?

booboo · Sep 22, 2008

I'm admittedly old school, climbing on a Blake's. I learned on Arborplex, Safety Blue, and Hi-Vee. Of them, my favorite is still Safety Blue, which has a better hand feel than the others when it's broken in. Hi-Vee is stiffer when broken in and Arborplex sucks for climbing on but makes a good natural crotch rigging line. I'm on XTC right now (thought I'd try something different) but it seems to have a lot of wax in it and hasn't broken in all that well, plus it seems to have an unnerving tendency to let the hitch roll out so I'll probably be going back to Safety Blue for my next climbing line.

My .02

:cheers:

Mr.Roehler · Sep 22, 2008

Neopro. I have been climbing on it for a little while and have fallen in love. It gives the feel and the toughness of a 16 strand so it can be natural crotched without worrying about the load distribution. It's an 11mm rope but it's a 16 strand so it is light as well.

What climbing line do you prefer, and why?

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