Hey guys just after some advise on buying my first rock climbing rope! Can anyone recommend a few good stores around melb. Like everyone else I suppose im on a tight budget so looking for something cheap but safe. thanx.
Assuming you are in Melb. Paddy Pallin, Bogong, MDs, etc. in and around hardware lane in the Melb CBD. Paddys, MDs etc. in Glenferrie Rd at Hawthorn. Wilderness shop at Box Hill on Whitehorse Rd. Re. "cheap but safe", would help to know what you are going to use it for: top-roping/sport/trad/ice/alpine? Let us know and also see: http://spelean.com.au/BW/TM/BWtechdyn.html and http://www.mec.ca/Main/articles_main.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302657231 P
If you want a great deal on a good rope, I suggest jumping onto www.chockstone.org and look on the left of the page where the link to Rock Hardware is. Steve Morris is the man and will hook you up. Free postage over $250 too. Tell him Nick sent ya!
If you are only going to use the thing for summer rock. Where it won't get wet, then don't waste money on dry core treatment or whatever it's called these days.
Dry treatment ropes last longer due to more abrasion resistance etc.....actual "dry core" ropes where only the core is treated (mainly Edeilrid?) are differant.
can get an Edelrid Sky Pilot 10.3mm (50m) for $150 at Anaconda. This was my first rope and I had no complaints and hey it's cheap.
do you work there MBK?? do you guys sell 5.10 climbing shoes?? namelt velco anasazis btw - have you been up Bogs much this year? what's she been like? any ice on the outcrops? I've spent most BC this year in the Crosscut Saw/Howitt region but I think a mid Sept dash up the big one is in order
Yes. No....not yet Yes, 14 days at Bogong. I have been skiing there, not climbing not am not sure about the ice. A mid Sept trip is always on the cards for Mr Bent Knee.... Later, Nick
Just PM me after 15th of Sept if Keen Ill be back from NZ then. with a bit of luck we'll get a great cold snap and get some nice ice for some mixed work on the outcrops. Really want to ski West peak this year too! WE're off to ski Craigieburn (among other ersorts and BC areas, have you been there? I hear it's got some nice steeps.
Juggs - Craigieburn has heeps of steeps. 2003 - a metre fell 2 weeks after this was taken. Take your climbing harness for the nutcracker.
Sounds good. Will be using for standard top-rope setups. Would a rope this thin be ok for Top roping?
Yes. Usually confirmed by looking at bit of heat sealed tape at either end of your rope. It should say 'single rope' or have a symbol denoting such (as opposed to thinner twin rope and double rope). Single rope is perfect for top-roping. Get out there!
Absolutley Fine, I top roped with it for ages. I still have it and can still top rope from it For top roping I would also reccommend you get 20m of Static Rope. This will ensure your rope, pulley/ locking carabiner can be over the 'edge' of the climb and not dragged across the rock and the biner is less likely to open the only drawback of this rope is it's 50m but as a beginner this will rarely be a problem on local crags and climbs below 20m which many classics are...........
FARK!!!! That's da sh&t OC I may be short of snow as they're not having an epic season in NZ. Yeah I heard about the nutcracker, thanks for the tip on the harness...
I would not recommend a 10.3 rope for top roping. It is too thin. On a top rope setup you will continually wear on point if you keep falling on the same spot (which is what happens when you top rope). My normal single rop is a 10.5mm which I wouldn't want to top rop on much. A dedicated top rope is a 11mm static rope.
Static?!?? where did you read that Nick? For a climbing rope, I'd think some 'dynamism' and stretch are desirable ...I haven't got a single book/source of info that recommends a static rope for climbing, including for top-rope use. For abseiling, sure that's different. There are specialty ropes out there for gym/top rope use which have firmer ends and softer middles (lessens the 'yo-yo' effect), generally 11mm thick. EDIT: for carp spelling/typing today
Cool, thanks for the advice. I think you can top rope from a static rope if your carefull enough when belaying not to let too much slack build up for obvious reasons. I think i'll save some dosh and go the Blue Water Enduro 11mm.
I'm with Romfrantic. In *theory* you can get away with using a static for top-roping but I wouldn't recommend it. The likely nature of the climbing (i.e. dogging harder climbs) combined with the need to set much beefier anchor means that this is not the best option, particularly if you are at the less experienced end of the spectrum. All that with bells if you plan to use a Gri Gri. And statics are stiffer and harder to give a smooth belay on, at least when new. However, if you asolutely must use static you can make the rig safer by putting a screamer into the anchor. Oh, and I agree with using a length of static rope, a round sling or similar to get your anchor point out over the edge, use doubled back lockers etc., etc. Climbing is dangerous disclaimer, blah, blah, blah. Paul
ROM, gyms use a semi static rope which has a lot less stretch in it than a dynamic rope. The rockclimbing guiding that the company I work for use static ropes for top roping...I understand that lots of groups will use static for the setup and dynamic for the actual climbing rope though.
Yes, I know that - those are the 'specialty' ropes I meant...still, they're different from the purely 'static' ropes. Is that just this particular company's practice/policy, or is it that industry guidelines/standards have been revised for top-rope set-ups by guiding companies? I don't know the answer to this, just curious to know...is just that I have not heard of static ropes being widely recommended as top-rope climbing ropes...but maybe practices have changed?
Not sure mate. I dont really do much work with them and so really am not sure about policy etc... I am probably wrong...I just dont top rope at all and I thought that was the gear we used....? Nick
...I understand that lots of groups will use static for the setup and dynamic for the actual climbing rope though. [/QB][/QUOTE] This is what I believe normal practice to be. For my first climbs more experienced climbers than I used this set-up. I still Top Rope short routes above 21 or so before leading them if I have not seen the climb before. Whereas MBK and Rom are probably not top ropers being more advanced than me. I still am and have had no problems with this setup at all
The reason I thought our climbing dudes used static is because I was the one who spent a few hours measuring and chopping ropes. I never saw dynamic ropes at all. Of course this means they might use them.....perhaps I was just jumping the gun! Having only setup a few topropes when I was learning and maybe one or two since, I am by no means any quotable referance on the matter! -Rock On-
This is what I believe normal practice to be. For my first climbs more experienced climbers than I used this set-up. I still Top Rope short routes above 21 or so before leading them if I have not seen the climb before. Whereas MBK and Rom are probably not top ropers being more advanced than me. I still am and have had no problems with this setup at all [/QB][/QUOTE] Each to his own. I used to co-own an outdoor rec training and guiding Co. (RTO as well). We always used dynamics for climbing - all climbing. Used statics for canyons, absquealing and rescue. Oh, and I used to instruct vertical and cave rescue in the SES and was V3 vertical rescue rated with the NSW State Rescue Board. I've also logged to odd bit of time climbing on crags, walls and mtns here and there. Statics for top roping is much cheaper but reduces your safety margin, unless (and this may well be the case for these groups) you can guarantee that your anchor is bomber and redundant. It's ultimately a risk management decision for the individual or organization concerned. Paul
Since we often go to Werribee Gorge, all the anchors are pretty sound so maybe thats why they use static....
QUOTE] Each to his own. I used to co-own an outdoor rec training and guiding Co. (RTO as well). We always used dynamics for climbing - all climbing. Used statics for canyons, absquealing and rescue. Oh, and I used to instruct vertical and cave rescue in the SES and was V3 vertical rescue rated with the NSW State Rescue Board. I've also logged to odd bit of time climbing on crags, walls and mtns here and there. Statics for top roping is much cheaper but reduces your safety margin, unless (and this may well be the case for these groups) you can guarantee that your anchor is bomber and redundant. It's ultimately a risk management decision for the individual or organization concerned. Paul [/QB][/QUOTE] Precisely, I wasn't advocating my methods as the only way, but I do know they are not incorrect. It's simply finding a balace and what levels of safety and convenience you desire. Freedom of the Hills would be a great book to buy and use as a resource of different methods
Mr BK, How do you rate Werribee Gorge? any good for top-roping? I actually live in Werribee and I wouldnt have an idea where it is? I presume on the way to the yoo yangs?
