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Stone0826
Jan 6, 2013, 6:53 PM
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I bought a edelweiss element 70m bipattern dry rope about 2yrs ago. My rope seems unnaturally stiff and it has small bends in it. When passing through a belay device it handles like a sheath covered braided rope. I understand that this rope is a 1 over 1 sheath braid and they tend to be stiffer but I didn't think it would be this bad. I coil, wash, store, and protect from edges properly and do everything necessary to keep it in good shape. I never hang store it or store it coiled, I flake it when needed, and wash it properly. I don't lead climb with it and its maybe had 50'ish climbs "due to its handling features". I was conversing with a local climbing shop employee and he said he would retire it. I would just hate to pay $200 for a hand full of climbs. I've wrote the company and I'm waiting for a response. I was planing on buying a pair of there extrem doubles but now I'm a bit skeptical of the companies products. Any insight on this issue would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
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bearbreeder
Jan 6, 2013, 7:39 PM
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was it this way when new?
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Stone0826
Jan 6, 2013, 7:47 PM
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Not near as bad as it is now, it's a pain to lower in a grigri but feeds pretty smooth.
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bearbreeder
Jan 6, 2013, 7:58 PM
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some ropes get stiffer with time ... mammut being one of them as well
ive found that stiff ropes generally dont get any softer ...
if you want a known "soft" rope ... a lot of beals are well known to stay decently soft ...
i generally buy the cheapest "soft" rope i can find for general use
im also a firm believer in not spending $$$$ on a rope ... because as you found out they can stiffen up, or youll destroy em anyways with enough use
if it still feeds through a gri gri smoothly, i would be fine leading on it
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Stone0826
Jan 6, 2013, 8:02 PM
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Awesome, thanks for the comments, I think I might go hit hit up sand rock next week and just use the crap out of it. Maybe not using it as much as others is what's wrong with it?
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bearbreeder
Jan 6, 2013, 8:09 PM
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possibly ... you know the history of the rope ... its never been exposed to chemicals, its been store properly, and hasnt taken any lead falls
if theres nothing obviously wrong with the rope other than a bit of stiffness then id be fine using it ...
now dead spots, or spots that wont feed through .. id be more wary ...
but a rope that has been used for TRing 50 times and stored properly, id be fine
i just use my ropes till they die ... with me it takes about a 6 mo - year ...
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Stone0826
Jan 6, 2013, 8:12 PM
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It's funny you said mammut too, I've heard a lot of good things about their ropes & that was gonna be my next buy. I might just stick with bluewater ropes, there's nothing wrong with them, they're decently priced, and they handle well. I just figured I would branch out and try some new stuff.
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bearbreeder
Jan 6, 2013, 8:23 PM
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for thinner ropes mammuts are the ones to buy for abrasion resistance ... their 9.5mm infinity is excellent for multi and the smaller sizes feed easier naturally where a bit of stiffness isnt as much an issue ... for 9.8mm+ mammuts are quite stiff IMO, i can just get a new tusk to feed through my smart, and the galaxy gets very stiff after a year or so
handling is an extremely variable thing that depends on the brand, sizing and particular rope ...
as you can see below i owned 5 mammuts (2 8mm, 2 9.5mm, 10mm) last summer and 2 tendon 10.2mm
and the tendon, despite being the thicker rope handled better than the 9.5/10mm mammuts ...
generally the ropes with the "softer" catches handle better IME ... known ropes with "harder" catches such as maxim and some mammuts tend to be quite stiff
course you can always buy from REI or backcountry and call it a day ... as they dont give a damn if you return it 
(This post was edited by bearbreeder on Jan 6, 2013, 8:27 PM)
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Stone0826
Jan 6, 2013, 8:49 PM
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I appreciate the detailed responses and opinions, it's good to get good feedback other than "you're gonna die"
And here it comes.....
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socalclimber
Jan 7, 2013, 2:51 AM
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I've owned just about every rope around. Edelweiss are great, but the do have a tendency to be stiff. But they are burly as hell. I had a couple of stratos I loved, beat the shit out of, and they lasted me almost 4 years.
Of all the ropes I have owned, the Sterling's are the best (my opinion). For my guide ropes, I am currently running New England. I just bought a 654 foot spool of the stuff and it is excellent.
Your mileage may vary.
(This post was edited by socalclimber on Jan 7, 2013, 3:03 AM)
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socalclimber
Jan 7, 2013, 3:08 AM
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dan2see wrote: bearbreeder wrote: ... [image]http://i45.tinypic.com/2rqhh0n.jpg [/image] Of all the items on display, which one is BB's most expensive climbing gear?
The car, because that's what get's him to the crag...
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bearbreeder
Jan 7, 2013, 4:33 AM
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and thus the most important ...
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healyje
Jan 7, 2013, 6:13 AM
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I actually only like heavier sheathed ropes with the Mammut Supersafe, Tusk, Tendon 9.8, and NE Maxim Glider 9.9 all with handling characteristics roughly in the ballpark with one another.
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Stone0826
Jan 9, 2013, 3:31 AM
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So how exactly would i "wreck" a rope by top roping? I protect it from drag and edges and I don't drag people up the rock... So I'm a bit confused at how proper technique and setup would hurt a rope. I'm sure companies would make a rope that could withstand 50+ TR climbs.... Just saying. And I understand the point of it passing through the anchor and doubling back to the belayer & causing a hard angle in the rope could cause kinks or bends, but wouldn't all that happen on a lead fall and putting more pressure on the core and more likely hinder the ropes performance? Idk maybe you know something I don't.
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) 
