Review: Mammut Tusk 9.8mm Climbing Rope

Review: Mammut Tusk 9.8mm Climbing Rope

The Mammut Tusk 9.8mm rope is a classic workhorse rope from one of the most trusted names in climbing. Mammut has been around for over 50 years and has been the leader in climbing ropes for as long as we can remember. Their reputation goes a long way, but how good are their ropes?

Mammut Tusk 9.8mm getting ready for some action.

We got our hands on Mammut's Tusk 9.8mm climbing rope and it took it out for an afternoon of abuse. The Tusk is a 70m single pattern dynamic climbing rope. Designed as a sport and gym rope, the rope has a moderate amount of stretch and is rated to withstand significant falls. Unlike standard dry treated ropes that only have a treated sheath, Mammut's SuperDry technology is a coating for both the sheath and the core, keeping your rope cleaner and drier than the average rope. 

The following triptych named "Joe Didn't Die":

The rope performed admirably in our testing. Like most new ropes, it has a slippery, waxy feel to it that makes it feel like you're driving a new car. It doesn't kink or knot out of the bag. In fact, it is an absolute pleasure to flake, maintain, and use. It folds and coils neatly and doesn't knot up when you're belaying. 

The Hot:

The Mammut Tusk Climbing Rope - 9.8mm is a beast. It's burly rope made for taking a bunch of abuse and still keeping you safe. At RI, we love products that are designed to take abuse. The Tusk feels substantial in your hand. It feels like it'll take a few whips. We like that.

The Not:

We don't have much bad to say about this rope. The price is what you would expect from an industry-leading brand, but for almost $250, we really would love a bipattern on the sheath. Rope manufacturers realize this is a "premium" feature and have been using it as an upsell for long enough. 

The Bottom Line:

The Mammut Tusk Climbing Rope - 9.8mm ($239.95 for the 70 meter version on Amazon) is a workhorse rope. It's not light, but neither is a Ford F-150. The Tusk is strong, high-performance, and durable. There are ropes from lesser manufacturers with similar stats and a lower price, but Mammut is one of the most trusted names in rock climbing and alpinism. They've been the leading name in ropes for decades with good reason. The price is on the higher side, but if you can afford it, we highly suggest you pony up. Mammut makes superior ropes, and the Tusk is a sturdy, well-built rope that will last you for years and keep you safe through many a whipper.

Be safe,

Ariel M. Castro

Rugged Innovations

Review: Sterling Evolution Velocity BiColor 9.8mm 70m Climbing Rope

Review: Sterling Evolution Velocity BiColor 9.8mm 70m Climbing Rope

Sterling Ropes Evolution
Velocity BiColor 9.8mm 70m

Today we review the Sterling Evolution Velocity BiColor 9.8mm 70m rope. This is one of the best ropes we've ever laid our dusty mitts on. I'm excited to write about our experiences with it because it has been a delight so far.

Caustic Cock 5.11b
Red Rock Canyon

We've had this green monster since Christmas and it's already visited Donner, Red Rock Canyon, Owens River Gorge, the Buttermilks, and more. One of the first things you notice is that it's incredibly easy to flake. It's really wonderful if you're cragging around at a place like ORG with a bunch of different areas and you end up having to flake and coil your rope every 25 minutes. Some days I feel like flaking the rope gets my arms more tired than climbing itself. The Sterling Rope Evolution Velocity 9.8mm Rope is about as easy a flake as you are realistically going to get with any rope. We've probably put a vertical mile or two on it already and it's still the easiest cleanup of any rope we've used. 

To say this rope is loud is the understatement of the century. It's bright neon lime green and visually pops! I love how loud it is. It's not just an aesthetic improvement -- it also has a great deal of contrast with natural rock and dirt colors. This is great when you're trying to find your ends, pull your rope out of a crack as you rappel, and keep track of where your rope is relative to the wall. The bright color is a nice convenience. And as a child of the 80s, the rope's jazzy neon flavor speaks to me on a mitochondrial level. We're connected, man. 

Getting started at Cannibal Crag

Another detail I love: the bicolor. Lordy lordy, the bicolor. Mark my words -- I am never getting a single color rope again. The middle marker on all our single color ropes wears out in the first 3 months, in my experience. Rappelling with a bicolor rope is so nice. Bicolor is such a small detail but a big quality of life improvement. 

A couple of downsides, though.. All that glitters. First of all, at upwards of $300, the Sterling Evolution Velocity is a heck of an investment. You could load the van and drive to WV for a week at the New for that much. If you want quality, you better start saving. The loud color isn't for everyone. Fortunately, the Sterling Rope Evolution Velocity 9.8mm Rope ($304.38 with Free Shipping on Amazon) comes in 11 different flavors and either 60m or 70m. The 60m version is around $40 cheaper if you're hard up for scratch.

Bottom Line: 

The Sterling Evolution Velocity BiColor 9.8mm 70m Dry Climbing Rope, in addition to having the longest product name ever, is one of the best ropes I've ever used. It flakes like a dream. It's about as light as you can expect seventy meters of anything to be. It feels smooth and solid. It plays nice with both tube and mechanical belay devices. The bicolor pattern makes rapping as easy as a dream. At 300 bucks, it's pricey, though. This is the Lamborghini of climbing ropes. Fast, light, sexy, and high performance. We love it.

Go hard,
Ariel Castro
Rugged Innovations

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