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I bought a 9.5 dynamic rope on sale and was hoping to lead with it. Can anyone tell me what the minimum diametre for dynamic shoukd be for leading? Thank you ☺
The documentation that came with the rope will give you all the info you need, climbing ropes are rated as either “single” “half” or “twin ropes”, as long as it is rated as a “single rope” it will be ok to use, depending on what you are used to using it is worth being aware that shiney new slim ropes will be slicker than older or wider diameter ones.
I use a 9.4m rope for lead ascents. Main issue I have found is belaying. Some devices, like a marmot smart belay, will slip when catching a fall and a grigri doesn’t really grab unless the brake side is held below the device (as it should be with proper belaying technique) the advantage with a grigri is paying out rope is easy and the grigri never bites when giving rope. Tube devices have worked perfectly.
Thats great info cheers ☺. Whats a tube device?
A Black Diamond ATC is an example of a tube device
Also be careful of wear from drag on edges, skinny ropes ain’t as durable.
Hi Jerome,
I have a couple of single 9.2 mm ropes that I use. Also a 9.5, a 10, and a 10.5.
I use the 9.2 when I want something light-weight – like there’s a long hike in or I’m traveling by air etc.
It’s fine and I have no hesitations climbing with it, but it does strech more with a fall than a fatter rope and it slips through belay devices really easily. I find using two caribiners instead of one on the belay device helps a lot.
Even though the 9.2s are single ropes, I also use them as twin ropes on long climbs like Bluff Knoll or Araps as then you can do 60 m abseils and pull the rope. Also it’s useful if there are three climbers, so the leader goes up and then one rope for each other climber.
The 10.5 mm I have I use at the quarries or other places where there’s no long walk-in! Or when there are bumblies that take lots of falls…
A 9.5 is usually a pretty good compromise between weight, rope life, handling etc.
