doubles

[Guest]

so... what's your favourite double rope and why?

[martha]

My favorite double ropes are shawns. they are awesome. I want them. I might try to steel them from him.

They are 8mm 60 m dry mammuts and come in the prettiest colors. Shawn, what did you decide they colors were called? seafoam green and what was the pink one?? hehehe.

[rendog]

I've got a pair of Beal Icefloss (8.2ish) one of the skinniest doubles you can get.

they rock. they;re so light, i hardly notice I've got a rope on my bac when I'm hiking into a climb.

the only drawback back about them is their sheath. It's pretty slippery.

[Guest]

the only drawback back about them is their sheath. It's pretty slippery.

how is this a drawback for you?

[sb]

Doubles are not needed for 99% of Welsford climbs and would be more of a pain than a benefit the few times they would be nicer. So yes a single rope as your work horse and save your doubles for ice (Parlee/Min Face/Little Salmon) and for tripping. That will greatly stretch the life of your doubles. As for doubles, if you are climbing solely ice with them, I would go with the Beal Ice Floss. However, I wanted them for trad tripping and ice, and wanted something a little beefier and went with the Mammut 8.5 Genesis. And they are super (plus got them on sale). Darrell has the Mammut 8.0 and they are nice too but a little skinny in my mind for trad. Buy only 60m and longer too.

[Guest]

ice?? who said i'd use them for ice?! i'm not crazy like the rest of you... well, not yet anyway. maybe next season.

shawn... why would a rope be fine for ice, but too skinny for trad?

[granite_grrl]

Another quick questions on doubles: I don't ice climb, I've only used them trad climbing. I was thinking of getting a set (the Mammut Gennesis maybe?), but I don't need the dry treatment if I'm going to use them for rock.

I don't think I've seen them non-dry, are there some out there where I could save a few bucks by not getting the dry treatment?

[mathieu]

BEE-LAY-ING. WHat the hell is that? Can't I just hold the ropes in my hand and just grip it hard you if you fall. Funny how 100% of respondent anwered yes to your question. Anyways I'm bored so I figured i'd shoot my mouth off for a few minutes.

I was thinking of getting a set (the Mammut Gennesis maybe?), but I don't need the dry treatment if I'm going to use them for rock.

I don't think I've seen them non-dry, are there some out there where I could save a few bucks by not getting the dry treatment?

How much do you think you are gonna save? I suggest not buying coffee for a week to ofset the cost difference. What I'm trying to say is that the price difference would be under 25$ a rope (that is what it is for a 10.5 mm rope it could be less for a skinnier rope). The dry treatment is nice if you happen to climb in wet weather and I think (you can correct me if i'm wrong but) the "dry treatment helps optimise handling, abrasion resistance, dirt resistance and life span" (from the Mammut website which could be just marketing trickery but hey i'd buy into that for 25$).

To answer the first question. I'm a big fan of the 8.5 genesis. Unfortunatly good luck finding a 60m. MEC is out and so are other stores in the Calgary area.

I sorta agree with Shawn on the 8mm being too small. My reason being is that a rock edge is more common in summer than in winter.

Oh and about the slippery sheat. I would assume you are reffering to abseiling (its a fun word to say, try it) with one of those ropes. Another thing, for those of you with Reverso's out there I would think twice about using it in autoblock with ropes smaller than 8.5mm. Petzl says its OK for 8mm but it just doesn't seem right.

Mathieu

[Guest]

Funny how 100% of respondent anwered yes to your question.

yah, somehow i think the curve is skewed...

a. only people who know how to belay with doubles are reading this thread
b. all people who cannot belay double ropes are also pathological liars...

[dcentral]

probably could have used a category like. I have never belayed with double ropes.

[Ulysse]

first it depends where you want to climb, if its in welsford get a single. there arent any climbs that warrent double ropes. If your planning on doing multipitch. what kind of ground do you want to cover? if you want to cover long routes have you considered 70m ropes. they are hard to find but worth the money. I currently have 60m 8.5 and find often that Im running out of rope (do not get 50m you will regret it after your first long climb). With 70m you could easily do a 20 pitch route as per most guidebooks in 12-14 70m pitches, saving precious time for your descents.

One option with a slightly bigger rope ie 8.5 or 9.0 versus 8.0 or 8.1 is simulclimbing. I know I feel much better simulclimbing with a 8.5 versus an 8.0. also some devices like the ropeman mk2 only works on ropes 8.5 or bigger (best device ived used durring simulclimbing).

Well have fun shopping, check out http://www.wickedgravity.com/ they have some good prices on longer ropes

[Ulysse]

I should of read the topic before my reply

[Guest]

probably could have used a category like. I have never belayed with double ropes.

i thoughti was forgetting something

[rendog]

the only drawback back about them is their sheath. It's pretty slippery.

how is this a drawback for you?

while i was wearing bulky gloves, i actually had a hard time holding a fall with them, or when a leader "took" and sat on the rope, also rapping with them was always cause for excitement!

That's not to say i ever dropped anyone, nor were they ever out of control, but there was some slippage that no matter how hard I locked off the rope, it still "slipped" through the belay device. (It was a bluewater belay device). i got rid of that one and went out and picked up an ATC, just the regular one and threw the bluewater one in the trash

I also went out and got a new belay device that i only use with those ropes. ATC-X or whatever that new one with the teeth is called. IT really helps a lot in controlling the ropes.

[The Teth]

I voted “No” on the poll, but it only took me five minutes to learn to belay lead after years of top-rope. How long would it take me to learn to belay with a double rope?

The Teth

[martha]

not long. you just have to keep it straight between which rope you are feeding out and which one you are pulling in.

it isn't hard. same concept as one rope. Don't Let go!!!

[PaulB]

I also went out and got a new belay device that i only use with those ropes. ATC-X or whatever that new one with the teeth is called. IT really helps a lot in controlling the ropes.

Another good choice is the the Petzl Reversino (NOT the Reverso). It is specifically designed for use with skinny doubles/twins.

[mathieu]

Alright here is an informal poll.

Answer Honestly

When is the last time you lead with doubles and crossed ropes around. Is your answer different for ice and rock??

A) Never, I always keep COLOR 1 to the left and COLOR 2 to the right

B) Occasionally (Once a season)

C) Once a month

D) Once a day

E) Only when the climb has ledges and wanders a great deal

F) Every frigin time I take the sharp end.

[Fred]

f) Every frigin time I take the sharp end

[mathieu]

Well since no one else is gonna anwer it, I may as well put in my answer

In general: mostly F) but I can blame E) since I rarely climb hard ice or hard rock (which tend to be straight up).

I think on straight forward ice all usually goes as plan. I've noticed that its the first clip that makes me fudge it.

On rock I would say its once a month (C)

Its odd because i've always led with doubles and its only in the pass two or three years that I'm really screwing up, complacency I guess.

[martha]

I would say B. I haven't crossed them on rock yet, one season down.

They were crossed on ice last weekend at Chutes Mo Mo, but peter told me after that he thinks he crossed them when he put me on belay. ..so.....what can you do right?