im having trouble picking a new 16 strand line

[voxac30dude]

i cant decide between 16 strand arbormaster black/white/red or yale xtc 16 strand. i do alot of natural crotching. what would you recomend me?

 

[tree md]

Safety Blue is my favorite 16 strand rope. Been climbing on it for years. At 7700# tensile, it makes a good light to medium rigging line after I retire one from climbing. I do everything with this rope, make lanyards, rope bridges, you name it. I mostly climb on Poison Ivy now but still keep a Safety Blue climbing rope around for muddy conditions or when I'm in a sappy pine or something like that.

It's pretty affordable too.

 

[fishercat]

as for me...................

I'd get the Arbormaster.

 

[Jimmychips]

Arbormaster Black white and red

 

[KingArbor]

Gona have to put my vote in for the arbormaster.. use it in nothing but natural crotches and it holds up really well day after day.

 

[voxac30dude]

how does 24 strand double braids hold up in natural crotching? will 16's last longer then 24's?

 

[TreeWhitelock]

rope

I've used a lot of different rope to find the right one for certain tasks. the arbormaster 16 strand is great rope for natural crotches.

 

[voxac30dude]

how does Yale XTC compare to Arbormaster?

 

[TreeWhitelock]

well really it comes down to the indiviuals preference.so in my opinion the xtc is good rope also but its wll is 610 lbs and the arbormaster wll is 810 lbs. so theres a statistic viewof it. but i have a 150 ft hank of arbormaster b, r, w used for climbing natural crotches and with a tautline hitch for 3 years!(works well with a prusik too) then finally just barely nicked it with my handsaw. and started to use it as a lowerin/ pull rope and still use it today. has never snapped at the small cut or anywhere else. just a good peice of rope!!

 

[Bermie]

I've been on XTC Plus since 2003...on my third hank...first one is now a lightweight lowering rope.
Up at 60-70' it can get a bit heavy...but it wears very well, I'm usually over natural forks, only use a friction safer on the odd occasion.
I've rec climbed twice on Tachyon, now thats some nice rope!

 

[ATH]

I have both of those, but I usually (nearly always) use friction saver. Here are my thoughts:
*Arbormaster is a little heavier (bad) and thicker (good, IMO).

*I am not sure I can say which wears better - maybe Arbormaster?

*Strength of both is more than adequate so I'm not sure that is too much of a concern in my mind.

Bottom line, if I were you, I'd probably buy the cheaper of the 2 as I don't think either is a "miss".

 

[TreeWhitelock]

10-4.:agree2:

 

[voxac30dude]

so a breaking strength of 8,000 vs 6,500 doesn't really make a difference in the life and performance of the rope as long as it breaks at a minimum 5,400lbs right?

 

[ATH]

so a breaking strength of 8,000 vs 6,500 doesn't really make a difference in the life and performance of the rope as long as it breaks at a minimum 5,400lbs right?

That is my take on it. For rigging line, you have to start paying attention to shock loading, but you are asking about climbing line, right? So both far exceed the minimum. If a 20,000lb rated rope is damaged or a 5,400lb rope is damaged neither is going to be asked to hold me - so keep a close eye on either one.