beal vs mammut

[layton]

I know for a fact how awesome mammut ropes are. several partners have been using the 9.1 as their main rope for several years!

 

I was wondering if anyone can attest to Beal's new unicore technology and if they can say for a fact that their ropes are lasting about the same amount of time as mammut's.

 

finally, the whole edge radius thing. Beal boasts that some of their ropes pass the edge radius cut resistance thing-a-ma-jig. Sounds nice, i always worry about my rope cutting as it scrapes across the rock on rapell, falling, or jugging. But even Beal's website states that the UIAA stopped measuring this as a valid test in 2005.

....anyway, do you think other ropes are passing this extinct test, but not advirtising it? I guess the real question is - is there way to determine what rope is less prone to getting the CHOP than another, diameter aside.

 

thank you

[billcoe]

Hola Mike: My thoughts/experience incomplete info to add to the knowledge base for what it's worth.

 

I have a Beal 9.1 Joker (that's the size we are discussing?) that looks like it will last longer than I want to lead on it. Appears to have next to zero wear after 4 years or so (bought it Jan 20th 2007). I've never had a skinny Mammut but have had good wear on their other sized ropes over many years so I can't compare Mammutt to Beal directly. HOWEVER, the caveat is that I don't record pitches on ropes and have a lot of other ropes that I rotate. Also, I don't dog routes with the Joker. It's seen a few falls for sure but don't know how many as I don't keep track of small falls like when you're clipping bolts.

 

Of all my ropes, the 9.1 is my favorite and the most used as it's the lightest fullsized #1 rope (single rope) I own and so I tend to drag it on long adventures. It gets pressed into high mileage free climbing kind of trips, Red Rocks and Yosemite. Did 25 pitches 2nd day we were in Yos with it last May. That kind of thing, I take this rope. So it's gotten a shit load of pitches in. Unfortunately, it's time to retire it from lead climbing soon based on age alone, and the price has gone up. I bought a Petzl skinny on sale for a crazy $83 at REI but before I opened it I climbed on my buddies and the handling sucks (in comparison to the Joker IMO). As does Petzl and their ropes. (google failures on red Petzl Zephyr ropes for instance) I love Beal. Good products, good people.

Unfortunately, I bought the sale rope for like $109 (back when it was new and hot and rarely went on sale), and they (online sale store) got to pick the color. Black. ...Ever see a middle mark on a black rope? Me either. I know I could do the dental floss whip stitch but am too lazy:-)

 

so, that's didn't actually answer the first part of your question.....

 

Maybe you can direct this thread and the 2nd part of your question to Beal to get a clearer answer on the cut/abrasion resistance. Most likely none of us will know that. I had some solid info exchanged back when with them on discussing middle marks. We'd all get the info then, I'd like to know the answer and suspect most of us would.

 

[layton]

thanks for the info bill!

 

i probably should just call up Beal for the other q's, but i worry when talking to reps that all i will get in answer is "our product is the 2nd coming"

[billcoe]

i probably should just call up Beal for the other q's, but i worry when talking to reps that all i will get in answer is "our product is the 2nd coming"

 

 

Is this cause you live in SLC and talk to the Black Diamond folks? LOL

[DanielHarro]

Layton-

 

Look at the Sterling Nano. Used it on the cassin and was very impressed though I did retire it after using it only on that route because it got so much abuse. I have had a few Jokes and I like the Nano better as far as handling. Made in the USA as well.

[Le Piston]

I have always liked Mammut ropes and had quite a few over the years, but my alltime favorite rope for alpine climbing was the Beal Stinger....like butter to handle and plenty durable.

[Luzak00]

Beal Joker is a fantastic rope, and lighter than a 70m Mammut Serenity.

[Dave7]

Does anyone have experience with Mammut Genesis half ropes??

[EastCoastBastard]

I've got some genesis halfs - I don't really like the way they handle - too stiff, and i find the colour combination they use difficult to differentiate in low light conditions - they seem to have fixed that though. Extremely durable, good dry treatment, still going strong after several years.

 

[markwebster]

After destroying REI's most expensive 9.9 in one year, I had sort of a knee jerk reaction and went back to thick ropes. I have the 70 meter Sterling 10.7. I definitely notice the weight at the top of a long pitch, but it's fine. I've only got 15 pitches on it, but so far I love it and expect it to last quite a while.

 

Hell, I climbed for 15 years on 11's, as did all old climbers. If all you do is short approach cragging, and you are young, there is no reason you can't handle a thick, durable rope.

 

I think, and this is just my opinion, that the trend to go ultra light is wrong when it comes to ropes and simple cragging. Why sacrifice sheath thickness when that is the thing that wears first? The rope manufacturers probably love the thin rope trend, they get to sell twice as many ropes.

 

Now, if you are doing first ascents, super hard sends, or mountaineering with long approaches, by all means get yourself some dental floss rope.

 

Flame on :-)

[skykilo]

Helium 'biners ARE the second coming. The relationship to your thread is tenuous at best.

[layton]

ok, my question has absolutely nothing to do with skinny ropes

 

it's:

1.) what rope of similar diameter is more durable: beal's unicore or mammut's teflon,

 

2.)and what's a way to tell about which rope is less likely to get the chop on an thin edge radius if the test is no longer used?