Review: New England Ropes Equinox Climbing Rope, 60m x 10.2mm

The New England Ropes Equinox
at Lake Tahoe

The New England Ropes Equinox 10.2mm is quite sexy. We got a 10.2mm by 60m, which is perfect for long days at a sport crag. I find the rich blue, white, and black color pattern striking. It definitely looks great as you tie your figure eight and start up a pitch. It's got a dry coating, and at $144 bucks, it's one of the cheapest ropes on the market.

Unfortunately, the praise for this climbing rope stops here. This thing is a nightmare to use. It is apparently sentient enough to tie itself in knots and to take pleasure in your attempts to untangle it. Flaking this rope can take 5-10 minutes.

This rope has the unmatched ability to turn a short single pitch rappel into a 45 minute ordeal. Even the most careful rope management results in long, knotted coils getting stuck halfway down the pitch. You will finding yourself cursing at it under your breath every visit to the crag. Maybe mine is defective? I've never had these problems with any other rope.

The tangled mess is especially noticeable when you tie it to another rope to rappel down a long pitch. The other rope coils nicely on your personal anchor, then unfurls perfectly down the pitch. With the Equinox, you yell "rope!", throw it 5 feet, and it somehow twists itself into a Klemheist in mid-air. We've taken to calling it "The Flying Spaghetti Monster." Seriously. It's a mess.

The New England Ropes Equinox is the cheapest rope you're likely to find. It's going for $144 on Amazon, which by my account, is a bargain. It may not be convenient, but it's definitely safe. If I were you, I would save up a little more money and get a BlueWater Pulse 9.9mm. The 70m is currently on sale for $188 on Amazon (Click "70m").

If you're willing to go a little higher, the Mammut Tusk 9.8mm is one of my favorite ropes of all time. It's dry coated like the Equinox, and it is one of the best performing ropes I've ever used. It's got a bipattern, which is great for rappelling. I'll definitely review that soon. You can buy it on Amazon for $219 (click 60m).

Be safe.

by Ariel Castro
Rugged Innovations