Half Rope Recommendations

[ColinB]

Curious what the cc.com hivemind has to say about half ropes. Primarily for ice, but want to have something that won't instantly shred if it touches rock. What do you all climb on or avoid like the plague?

 

I'm comparing the Mammut Genesis, Mammut Phoenix, Petzl Dragonfly, Beal Iceline, and Beal Cobra.

 

Discuss.

[DPS]

I have Edelwiess 8.5 mm sharp and it seems to be a solid rope and has held up well on rock pitches.

[mattp]

I have had two pairs of 8.5 Edelweiss Sharp ropes and I will not buy another pair of them.

 

The sheath has slipped more than any rope I have owned in 40 years' climbing and they are too flexible for my taste - causing knotting and clusterfk more than a stiffer rope. In addition, I see signs of wear on these ropes much faster than other ropes in the same category (although I realize that visible wear may not exactly be an indicator of loss of strength but it just makes me uncomfortable). For my purposes, I think the prior Edelweiss Stratos was much more durable and a better rope, albeit .5 mm thicker and a little heavier.

 

I believe the Sharps are rated to hold a fall over an edge, and I think the Sharp's are a good rope if you are looking for light weight and strength and value these over other aspects of their performance.

 

I don't know the ropes you've listed, but I would say that the one completely crap rope I have owned was a Beal (the rope was soft and tied in knots all the time and the sheath showed major wear in less than five days' mountaineering and ice climbing with no falls). I've never had a Petzl rope, but Mammut ropes have generally been good and I used to think Edelweiss was a good brand and it probably still is but I was not happy with the 8.5 mm Sharp (perhaps I bought a pair of rope that werne't made for what I do and it was simply a mismatch).

 

[Maxtrax]

Count my vote for either of the Mammut ropes. I've used the Phoenixes quite a bit and can't believe their durability for the weight/diameter. For something slightly beefier one of my coworkers got the Genesis' about 1 1/2 years ago and really likes them. For pure ice I've heard the Petzl's are good and a fairly nice price point but on rock they get beat up a little fast.

[TMO]

Off topic, but the TWIN ice floss' (blue water) have been nothin' short of sweet for me.

[Calder]

I've had a pair of the Genesis for at least 4 years and have abused the shit out of them on rock and ice and they're still going strong. I love those ropes. I like them because they're not so crazy skinny that I feel super comfortable using only one as a glacier rope or for moderate ridge traverses and such.

 

I'll definitely get another set when these finally crap out on me.

[tfarr3]

I'd stay away from Beal and lean towards Mammut. I own the Icelines and aren't to pleased with em. Great for pure ice, suck for wondering rock/alpine routes. Fuzz up quicker than the rest, get soft quick, tangle easy and seems to lose the BDry treatment in a relatively short period of time.

However I've been very pleased with the Mammut ropes I've had.

[mike1]

I have Edelwiess 8.5 mm sharp and it seems to be a solid rope and has held up well on rock pitches.

got them - love them!