Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
dubhouse
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 24, 2014 - 01:24pm PT
|
When the Sensor became available I immediately bought one. This rope has extra material woven into the sheath at the ends and middle of the rope. The result is that you can feel and sometimes even hear the middle or ends go through your belay device.
Last weekend at Joshua Tree the usefulness of this feature became quite apparent as I belayed my partner up a long route. I wasn't looking for the middle of the rope and was actually kind of surprised when I felt the middle go through my device. I immediately knew that my partner could not lower from the top which would not have been obvious had I missed seeing the middle of the rope go by.
My point is that when a rope actually tells you that it is halfway out or almost to the end you are more safe than not knowing.
-tavis
|
|
Studly
Trad climber
WA
|
|
|
Nov 24, 2014 - 01:50pm PT
|
That's what she said..
|
|
Killer K
Boulder climber
Sacramento, CA
|
|
|
Nov 24, 2014 - 02:09pm PT
|
^^^
Lol!
|
|
Roots
Mountain climber
Tustin, CA
|
|
|
Nov 24, 2014 - 02:13pm PT
|
I suppose that'll be the standard eventually, like back up cameras on cars. But for now, I keep an eye on the middle mark...hard to miss when it's creeping up the wall once it passes through my device.
|
|
zip
Trad climber
pacific beach, ca
|
|
|
Nov 24, 2014 - 02:39pm PT
|
👍😜
|
|
looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
|
|
|
Nov 24, 2014 - 03:05pm PT
|
The middle mark on my rope faded/was obscured by dirt almost immediately, so I backed it up with a bit of climber's tape, and now I never miss it. Same effect, without the premium.
|
|
August West
Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
|
|
|
Nov 24, 2014 - 04:14pm PT
|
I've thought for a long time that somebody should market a rope where you could feel that the end of the rope was coming up. Although if you get used to your own rope, you could be in trouble when you belay on somebody else's rope.
Climbing tape has some down sides. It could potentially turn into a ball of gum jamming your rappel device. Or worse, it could slip and mark a location that is not the middle.
|
|
Lorenzo
Trad climber
Oregon
|
|
|
Nov 24, 2014 - 04:15pm PT
|
I weave a couple strands of yarn or rope through the rope at the mid-mark and near the endswitha needle.
Impossible to miss. Even in the dark
|
|
JimT
climber
Munich
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2014 - 01:15am PT
|
I've thought for a long time that somebody should market a rope where you could feel that the end of the rope was coming up. Although if you get used to your own rope, you could be in trouble when you belay on somebody else's rope.
It´s called a knot. They are quite easy to learn.
|
|
BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2014 - 02:58am PT
|
Metolius have been doing that for years with their middle mark, you can feel it go through your hands and your belay device. The tassel thing makes a dimple that is pronounced when it hits your hand or your device. Nothing for the ends, but hey, we gotta pay attention sometime right?
|
|
Bill Mc Kirgan
Trad climber
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2014 - 03:10am PT
|
The string from opening a large pet food bag works great for marking the rope. I've done this with the few ropes I own and have used them for enough time to know it stays put, and doesn't damage the ropes. Plus it is cheapo.
In any case marking the center of the rope with any change in texture as well as color / contrast is very important. Sewing something in the rope sounds like a great idea.
I think because of my aging eyes those ropes with a pattern change don't work for me. I have great trouble picking out the middle from a flaked pile of rope with these. By contrast, my cheapo pet food bag strings, which come in red or white, are easy for me to spot when the rope is neatly flaked or in a pile of spaghetti.
|
|
Dingus McGee
Social climber
Where Safety trumps Leaving No Trace
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2014 - 04:40am PT
|
It´s called a knot. They are quite easy to learn.
When you feel this knot you know you are at the END AND when you see only a small coil of rope left you know you are near the END.
Get use to this situation. Life is about about taking measurements of where you are on given situations.
You want more whistles and bells. Okaysy.
|
|
climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2014 - 06:41am PT
|
Why the resistance to another simple backup system? It's ALL good. I see no downside to this.
|
|
BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2014 - 06:43am PT
|
Im all for effective middle marks, but if they help us to stop paying attention, then we're going to get lazy and just trust that they spoon fed us all we need.
|
|
climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2014 - 06:51am PT
|
then we're going to get lazy and just trust that they spoon fed us all we need.
Thats an argument that has been used against Belay devices, Camming devices, Avalanche beacons, backup cameras, many things. I don't think its valid most of the time.
Except on Gri-Gris.. heh
|
|
BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2014 - 08:11am PT
|
Still a big pile off bullsh#t. We need to learn to watch our own asses instead of padding the entire goddamn world. Little innovations help, but there has got to be a line.
After all, it would be most safe if we just sent a drone copter up our climb to take photos for us and to do the ascent for us.
We just don't want to be responsible for our own butts.
...and it still won't keep incidents from happening.
|
|
maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2014 - 08:47am PT
|
Edelrid has a rope with the touchy/feely weave at the ends as well.
Buy one.
Buddahstalin, you need to quit climbing and do something with a high fatality rate, like sitting at a desk all day.
Climb safe,
Mal
|
|
August West
Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2014 - 08:35pm PT
|
My experience out sport climbing is that most climbers don't knot the belay end. (Maybe your partners are different.) So a different feel to the end seems to me to have more upside than down.
And I also usually wove thread near the ends of the rope to mark that the end was near.
|
|
Braunini
Big Wall climber
cupertino
|
|
|
Nov 25, 2014 - 09:02pm PT
|
I guess the Mammut thing isn't a bad low cost idea, but I prefer SmartRope™.
SmartRope™ comes packaged as a set with SmartBelay™, which uses Bluetooth™ technology to communicate with your wireless earpiece (not included).
Using embedded electronic sensors, SmartRope™ provides an audible countdown every 10 feet of rope until the last 50 feet, when it counts down every foot. An audible alarm sounds when reaching the last three feet of rope, rope rate exceeds user programmed 2, 3 or 5 meters per second, or the battery in either device runs low. Optional PLB activates whenever rope has not moved for a preset period.
Buy three month data plan and get one month free!
*compatible with GoPro and Google Glass
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!