:?: What ropes do you use?

Before we get any witty comments (!), I'm on about manufacturer and not static/ dynamic for this and that.

I use Mammut for my static rope and Edelrid for dynamic as these are the only two I am aware of. What other manufacturers are out there? What is the quality like?

Beal speleo-something or other. 10.5mm bit stiff but very hard wearing. But will get mammut replacement as I get deal through work.

Dynamic - whatever deal I can get.

Don't forget about Lanex - it's cheap as chips. I recall doshing out only £40 for 50m x 12mm (bit chunky and has practically no dynamic characteristics but reassuring on longer pitches); next time I'd get 10.5mm though.

Erm dont know really - whatevers stacked in the club shed.

I find the rope characteristics in caving far less important that those in climbing. Durabiltiy is the main quality. You probably gets what you pay for.

Climbing ropes are a whole different kettle of fish , twin 8.5's for trad. 10.5 for sport, single 9's 11mil top ropes.
You need to decide what your requirements are then look for a deal. Read reviews and speak to the 'lads' in the shop. Some ropes handle really poorly, kink, tangle etc. others are a dream and behave themselves impecably. Others furr up on the second trip out, others remain silky smooth over the coarsest grit stone.

The phrase "how long is a piece of string" springs to mind.

Just being under a year into caving, I'd never bought any rope - I just used what my caving buddies brought with them and never really thought about what brand it was, etc. But when I did Jingling Pot direct, I remarked to my mate that it was the smoothest abseil I'd ever done, that there wasn't the slightest bit of jerkiness. He said, "Yeah, it's nice rope that Lanex stuff."

So if I was ever going to buy my own rope, I'd take a long hard look at the Lanex. I think the particular stuff we used for Jingling was 10mm.

Over the years I've used a number of different ropes - started on whatever the club had in the stores, did try a piece of Bluewater once which seemed ok.
Over the last year or two I've used Marlow and Edelrid mainly (9, 10,10.5mm) also used Lanex and it did seem good (although it was quite new and most ropes are good when new)

Neil B said:

So if I was ever going to buy my own rope, I'd take a long hard look at the Lanex. I think the particular stuff we used for Jingling was 10mm.

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My club bought a large amount of Lanex (cause it was cheap!) for a Berger trip the year before last. We were told not to cut lengths long to compensate for shrinkage (i.e. cut say 33m and mark as 30m) as it was pre-shrunk. Now it appears all the bits we cut are shorter than they were before - so it does bloody shrink!

Be warned!

yea ive heard other people say that ropes which say they dont shrink actually do.

...as it was pre-shrunk. Now it appears all the bits we cut are shorter than they were before - so it does bloody shrink!

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I know someone who had the same trouble, having bought preshrunk only to find it shrinking.. not best pleased! :evil:

Apparently it was the last of the nonshrunk stuff that got put out as being preshrunk or so this guy was told.. someone must have made a big cockup by the sounds of it.
I do believe that preshrunk does now mean preshrunk so I might consider buying some next time I need rope!

After reading the posts in reply to my question, contacted Lanex to enquire about rope prices. For those interested, or considering buying Lanex rope for themselves or their club, here is their reply and address of their UK partner:

Thank you for your e-mail and thank you very much for your interest in Lanex products. We would like to inform you that we have partner in United Kingdom. Therefore in case of interest in Lanex products you can contact directly company:

HB Climbing
24 Llandegai Industrial Estate
Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 4YH
tel.: +441248370813
mailtoost@hb.wales.com


Thank you very much
Best regards

__________________________
Ivana Josefusova
Customer Service Department, SBU Ropes
LANEX a.s.
Hlucinska 1/96
747 23 Bolatice
Czech Republic
tel.: +420-553-751 271
fax: +420-553-654 130

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You can have a look at their Static rope size selection here http://www.lanex.cz/en/staticka/sortiment/staticka.php?outdoor=1, or their climbing rope (Dynamic) here http://www.lanex.cz/en/dynamicka/sortiment/alteam.php

I took the plunge and got myself some Lanex 10.5mm semistatic from www.berniescafe.co.uk. Got over 150m at a good price, only 90p p/m. Planning to use it this weekend.

If you use a Petzl Stop, you might want to consider using a braking crab if you're on new ropes - they can be a bit slippy to start with!