Rope Suggestion For Ice
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Hi Everyone |
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Most will tell you that single ropes are way less of a hassle. Go single in the 9mm range for your first dry rope, then get double or half and practice rope mgmt. Maybe look for a partner that has doubles already and try it out. |
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I have an edelrid 8.9 swift and its awesome. Perfect for ice. Make sure you get the pro dry version if you go that route. I don't think the big dude thing should be a problem. (Mainly because don't fall on ice in the first place...) |
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Pulling a lighter belayer off their feet would be more of concern than them being able to hold the rope. I've gone airborne more than once. |
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Sterling Fusion nano IX |
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Thanks for the input guys! I'm definitely going to go smaller. I guess I just overthought the warning on the Beal site about their smaller diameter ropes being more difficult to handle, |
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I still think doubles is the way to go on ice. Just be sure to get a set that is rated for both twin and half. I'm 6' and 190 lbs, my main ice partner last year is your size, and we used my Sterling 7.8 mm and his 8.1 mm PMI ropes and never had any issues, even caught him on a small fall. Another pro for doubles, around here most ice descents are 70 m raps, doubles facilitating that makes everything easier. |
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+1 on the Beal Opera ropes are incredible you will not be disappointed. Their Golden Dry treatment works fantastic and the ropes are single/half/twin rated. |
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If you're concerned about friction on the belay device just use two of the same type of locker (both clipped to the belay loop). I'm a lighter guy at 155, rappelling on an 8mm mammut with a pack I used two attache biners and the high friction side of my ATC guide, had to feed rope into the device. Your partner will be able to arrest any lead fall just fine. |
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A rope that small may well invert if you belay in "guide mode" (= no belay). I think Petzl has a bulletin out on that. |
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Any preference in terms of dry treatment ? Sometimes I go on multiday trips and it's tough when u have a frozen rope the next day, sterling has dry core dry sheet any preference between that and the beak opera treatment ? Or they are roughly the same ? |
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If you are climbing ice, the dry treatment is a no-brainer. I'm not much help for single ropes, but I cannot say enough good things about a pair of Mammut Twilight 7.5 ropes... SMOOTH LIKE BUTTER. |
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I know it's very trendy to go as skinny a rope as you can. |
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I don't think that skinny ropes are any less safe in practical application, but they definitely wear out quicker. |
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When I started out ice climbing I asked the same question to my friends and they told me to get a 70 m single dry rope, I'm still happy I did. Toproping ice tends to be much longer than rock and the 70 is very helpful. And if you lead multipitch routes you will often do full rope lengths as you can belay anywhere and there is no rope drag. I think any rope between 9-10 mm works well. Main source of rope damage is impaling it with sharp things so having a longer rope also makes trimming the ends less of an issue. |
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Thanks for the input everyone! Based on what I am hearing from you guys and read in the article posted by Lou Hibbard, I think I might stick with something closer to what I have now (Beal Stinger). I live in Michigan where pretty much everything is single pitch and I'm usually on WI4 (but sometimes 3, sometimes 5) so even though it would be nice to save the weight with a skinny rope I'm thinking another single in the low 9's might be the way to go. |
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I'm not sure I agree with some of the things written here so I'll throw out what I do. I weigh 250 lbs. I have a Bluewater Eliminatior 10.2mm 70M dry single for days I think we're going do a little bit of everything. Leading, toproping ice mixed or dry routes. I think I would buy 9.8 next time. |
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Bill have your friend throw two biners through their ATC and belay loop next time. It will give them all the friction they need to lower you very safely. |
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Kyle Tarry wrote:You don't want to clip 2 ropes into a single ice screw.This is a strange thing to say... ice screws are STRONG in good ice. I would say that half ropes are optimal, but there is nothing wrong with using twin ropes on ice. |
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Nick Drake wrote:Bill have your friend throw two biners through their ATC and belay loop next time. It will give them all the friction they need to lower you very safely.That works well but the lighter belayer stills get dragged around if there's nothing to anchor into. I'll have to remember your advice though. |
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Bill Kirby wrote: That works well but the lighter belayer stills get dragged around if there's nothing to anchor into. I'll have to remember your advice though.Ah yes the anchor for a belayer is a problem for sure. Guess you could bring pickets out if there are no trees around? Or just put in a super low screw for them to clove to? A partner showed me that double biner trick when we simul rappelled. It gave enough friction for me on a single strand 7.5 rope! I only weigh 155 though. |