ropes

[kevbone]

Do you prefer double colored ropes which are pricey or a black mark marking the center? Does the black mark rub off? Is it woven in?

[stevetimetravlr]

I like the dual colored ropes that change pattern at the midpoint like the Mammut Duodess. Much easier to find the midpoint in the dark or wierd conditions. Although the midpoint black mark is good also, it gets faint with age, and sometimes is tough to find or distinguish.

[Dave A.]

What he said. I've been using the black mark, but my next rope will be bi-color in spite of the price.

[kevbone]

What he said. I've been using the black mark, but my next rope will be bi-color in spite of the price.

 

That is what I thought until I saw the $300 price tag.

[boadman]

Do you prefer double colored ropes which are pricey or a black mark marking the center? Does the black mark rub off? Is it woven in?

 

I only find a middle marking necessary on big multi-pitch days where I might be doing multiple raps. I have one fancy bi-pattern rope, and another single color phatty that I use for cragging.

[Crillz]

I think knowing the middle of the rope is pretty handy.

 

I have a mammut that "had" a black middle mark. I've had that rope for 3ish years and you'd never be able to find the black mark without starting with both ends and tracing to the middle. Every couple of weeks I have to tie thread around the middle of the rope now.

 

I also use a bi-color rope. The middle will always be known unless the rope length changes.

 

Maybe go el-cheapo and buy the cheapest/best rope you can get. Buy a rope marker and do it yourself. When it fades, remark it. I'm not sure what the overall consensus is on this now, but it seams to go both ways whether it's good or bad.

[G-spotter]

Just mark it yourself with cat pee.

[kevbone]

I think knowing the middle of the rope is pretty handy.

 

I have a mammut that "had" a black middle mark. I've had that rope for 3ish years and you'd never be able to find the black mark without starting with both ends and tracing to the middle. Every couple of weeks I have to tie thread around the middle of the rope now.

 

I also use a bi-color rope. The middle will always be known unless the rope length changes.

 

Maybe go el-cheapo and buy the cheapest/best rope you can get. Buy a rope marker and do it yourself. When it fades, remark it. I'm not sure what the overall consensus is on this now, but it seams to go both ways whether it's good or bad.

 

All good advice. I had to choose from a Mammut one color 70m or a Maxim bi-color 70m. Both same price.

 

Mammut are the best ropes IMO. I dont know that much about Maxim. At the end of the day, want a bi-colored rope.

[Coldfinger]

Here's the thing: with a bi-color rope you still have to find where the pattern changes which IS NOT nearly as easy as a good black mark, especially on a bright rope.

 

This is another reason I like bright ropes like the Sterling Nano and Beal Stinger.

 

And oh, I like the Sharpie and also mark 10 meter marks.

[Bronco]

Next time you're on the couch, get a needle and some bright colored thread and mark the middle with a one inch swath of thread. Mine has held up for several years.

[Wallstein]

Pretty much all of the middle marks have worn off my ropes and I can't manage to bust the sharpie out.

 

So my quick solution has been to mark the middle with lots of chalk. Its pretty easy to re-apply whenever it starts to fade and lasts longer than you would think.

 

This is also just a good trick when you don't have any middle mark and you are about to do numerous half rope rappels.

[kevbone]

Here's the thing: with a bi-color rope you still have to find where the pattern changes which IS NOT nearly as easy as a good black mark

 

 

I totally disagree. To me....finding the pattern change is way easier than finding black mark.

[Teh Phuzzy]

Next time you're on the couch, get a needle and some bright colored thread and mark the middle with a one inch swath of thread. Mine has held up for several years.

 

I like this idea. I have a Mammut and love it, but finding the middle is tricky sometimes. The black mark they put on it wears off pretty quickly.

 

Does this ever get in the way when belaying or using on a dbl rope rap?

[Lodestone]

Here's the thing: with a bi-color rope you still have to find where the pattern changes which IS NOT nearly as easy as a good black mark, especially on a bright rope.

 

This is another reason I like bright ropes like the Sterling Nano and Beal Stinger.

 

And oh, I like the Sharpie and also mark 10 meter marks.

 

 

I disagree, finding the pattern change has always been easier for me than finding the center mark; particularly when ropes get older. Also, using a Sharpie to mark your rope is not a good idea. There are some pretty nasty solvents in these markers which can damage the mantle.

 

 

Chad

 

 

[stevetimetravlr]

I think its important if you buy a duodess rope, to get it in contrasting colors and with the most extreme pattern change you can find. My friend has one that is all dark colors and minor pattern change, and rapping off in the dark can be difficult to distinguish the change.

[Bronco]

Does this ever get in the way when belaying or using on a dbl rope rap?

 

Nope but, I've had some partners look at it kinda funny. It's not pretty but it is effective. I wonder if a guy could find some reflective thread, that would be sweet -

[genepires]

Next time you're on the couch, get a needle and some bright colored thread and mark the middle with a one inch swath of thread. Mine has held up for several years.

 

do you put the needle through the core or just the sheath? How about a small description of what works?

or a photo?

Edited March 30, 2011 by genepires

[layton]

i love the thread idea! metolius ropes do this, although my has rubbed off.

 

I though maybe some fishing supply store would have something useful. maybe a fussy lure, tie a big knot in the middle to wedge it inside the core, do it a few times? shit even fur off of a brightly colored stuffed animal? may be worth a shopping trip to the fishing store, or the arts and crafts store (Michaels comes to mind). My next rest day has never purpose.

 

problem I see with the bi-weave is that one side inevitable stretches out longer than the other side. do you think this is true? I don't know since I've never owned one.

[JosephH]

The Metolius guys just hand sewed the prototypes of those middle markers for awhile before they went into production and I believe it was stuff from a fly fishing place. I use them and also love this 9.9 'Glider' rope:

 

 

from here at decent prices:

 

http://bit.ly/fCG6L8

[Lodestone]

 

problem I see with the bi-weave is that one side inevitable stretches out longer than the other side. do you think this is true?

 

 

Haven't had this problem with the three bi-pattern ropes I've owned.

 

 

Chad

[BigSky]

Give me a middle mark and keep the bicolor.

[Bronco]

Next time you're on the couch, get a needle and some bright colored thread and mark the middle with a one inch swath of thread. Mine has held up for several years.

 

do you put the needle through the core or just the sheath? How about a small description of what works?

or a photo?

 

I just weaved in and out of the sheath. I made about 20 laps around the rope to create a 1" wide "mark". Oh yeah, don't cut the core with your needle or YOU WILL ALL DIE. ::

[layton]

i emailed metolius and they basically said putting thread through the rope would just pull out very quickly and they don't recommend it. Pretty much my expected response, didn't wanna argue, and they had a point. However, i'm sure something could be rigged to keep that thread in there.

[JosephH]

I understand Metolius can't [legally] recommend you alter one of their products (maybe you'd sew the middle marker through the 1/3 point instead of the midpoint), but I know hand-sewing some thread through the rope a couple of times with closely spaced passes is both how they prototyped it and how they do it in production.

[Coldfinger]

Here's the thing: with a bi-color rope you still have to find where the pattern changes which IS NOT nearly as easy as a good black mark

 

 

I totally disagree. To me....finding the pattern change is way easier than finding black mark.

 

I did say BRIGHT ROPE, my hunter orange wonder hurts the eyeball but you can see the mark in the dark.