skinny rope(s) recommendations

Aaron Martinuzzi wrote:Has anybody climbed with the Edelweiss Performance (9.2mm, 53 g/m, 8.2 kN impact)? I'm shopping for/buying a thin 70m and can't decide between it and the Sterling Nano. Edelweiss pros - It's $32 dollars cheaper, and my current Edelweiss rope has handled well and stood up to several years of use and is still in decent shape. Nano pros - holds 6 UIAA falls to the Performance's 5, and I've only read/heard good things about it from people who own it. Anyone have any strong impressions (neg/pos) on these or any other ~9.2mm cords?

I bought the 70M Edelweiss Performance for a trip to Scotland where I knew I'd have long raps, but didn't have luggage space for my doubles. It has since become my main go-to rope for all of my climbing. The performance is great. Seems durable, with good handling. I highly recommend this rope . After 6 months and regular use, it is starting to fuzz slightly, but is still in 95% condition.

UPDATE 2012: I retired the PErformance 9.1 in March of 2012, shaved down to a 62M by this time. Almost 4 years of dedicated service. good rope.

Aaron Martinuzzi wrote: Nano pros - holds 6 UIAA falls to the Performance's 5, and I've only read/heard good things about it from people who own it. Anyone have any strong impressions (neg/pos) on these or any other ~9.2mm cords?

Not only does it hold 6 falls, but sterling only reports the lowest number of falls held, while most other companies report an Avg. I've gotten to use the nano several times on ice this season and it handles very well.

Mammut Infinity 9.5 is a great rope. I couldn't be happier with it. Super light and super dry. It's gotten me through ice, trad, and I'm sure its good for sport as well.

I have recently purchased a pair of bluewater ice floss 7.7 mm lines. I would highly recommend them. They are a joy to clip, feel very light underfoot, and the pair will hold 12 falls. I use them primarily on long multipitch routes where double rope raps are required to get off. Absolutely love those ropes...A little more expensive but they hold 12 falls vs the average 6 falls of most othere single skinny chords.

I am looking for a LIGHT single rope for one use only - a rappel line for 2-4 people on the traverse of N. Maroon Peak to Maroon Peak (picture a middle-aged, finicky-kneed, cranky-backed intermediate climber wanting to minimize weight). Since I have not used the twin-rope technique, I'd prefer to stick to a single rope. I received the following recommendation, if paired with a DMM Bugette for smaller diameter ropes (7.5 - 9.5mm):

Blue Water Ice Floss twin ($107 at MGear.com): Diameter: 7.7mm Grams Per Meter: 38; Impact Force: 9.2; UIAA Falls Held: 12; Static Elongation: 9.3%; Dynamic Elongation: 31.6%; Sheath Slippage: -8mm.

Obviously designed as a twin rope, but would it be safe to use for a single rappel line for one trip? The person who recommended it said yes. If not, any other suggestions? $180 for another option seems a lot to pay for such a limited use, but will pay that if safety is indeed an issue. Not intending to use for any multi-pitch climbing, by the way.

Should be OK if you're careful to avoid sharp edges. Note that the falls-held rating is for the rope used as a twin i.e. both strands. OTOH, if you're rappelling, you'll be using 2 strands. If you only want to rappel and don't have any plans to ever lead with it, you might look at something like: bentgate.com/ropesstatic.html.

The Toad wrote: Aaron, check out the new england glider 9.9x70m. I love mine, light, handles great,and they wear very well. I just bought my second and the first one saw action three days a week for 15 months, and I am just now hanging it up. No real "fuzzies", it's just seen enough falls to be time. As far as thin ropes go its a real work horse, and the 9.9 feels like a 9.5, handles like a 10.2. Steve

ditto the glider. It even seems thinner than my buddies 9.6. Can't speak to the wear so much because it sits in the closet due to the 70m length most of the time, but I am very happy with it on the 20 or so pitches its seen.

quick question for the folks who have the glider, i bought one a few weeks ago and it is a total cable. it is so stiff that you can hold a 3 foot piece of it straight upin the air. when it is in a pile on the ground, the pile stands about 3 feet high, like a bunch of springs. also, it twists and kinks like a complete sumbich. i saw a guy about a month ago climbing with one, and his looked really supple, and he really liked it. is mine abnormal? god i hope it gets better.