I know there are a few climbers on here – just wondering if there are any recommendations for a decent (cheap) single rope? I’m fairly new to the game, but have just started learning to lead.

Dynamic rope (obviously). Make sure that you’re buying a single rope and not one meant to be used in a pair.

Thinner ropes are lighter, but too thin can cause issues with some gear.

If you’re ever going to use it outside, get one that’s dry-treated.

One that changes the weave at its midpoint saves you hours when packing away.

For your first rope I’d probably say a 50m single, say 10mm. Something by Beal, Edlerid, Mammut or the likes.

Once you get into it you’ll want a better rope and it’ll probably be a half but a 50m single has its uses (wall duties, the odd straight route, top-roping, etc.).

Assuming you are talking about trad. Would be fine for starting of sport too I would reckon.

Cougar, if you run through about 2-3m and you then coil hand-over-hand from the ends you don’t need a mid marker in the weave and it saves hours of endless pfaff. 🙂

Saves hours? How so?
10/10.5mm, 55m +.
Not secondhand………
tlr on here sells them and will give good advice.

Hmmm. If you need to ask a question like that on here, I’d forget the leading for the time being.

Get yourself into a club and get out with some like minded individuals. Once you’re happy they’re competent, they can show you the way with kit.

There’s no point buying a single 10/11 if you aspire to leading harder trad multi pitch routes. wrong tool, wrong job. Of course you could use it for single pitch or wall duties but when you’re building a kit set, get the right kit first time.

Decide first, buy later.

That’s all 🙂

Take care though. If your asking what rope to buy for your first leads then ask yourself if you are ready for that yet. Most if not all of us have learnt to climb and lead with an experienced partner having had quite a while seconding for them. Unlike mountain biking climbing and especially leading isn’t something you can just go and do – picking it up as you go so to speak. Don’t get me wrong, adventure and risk taking even for the novice is all part of the fun but having someone there with you who is experienced is vital. By the time I was ready to buy my first rope and bits of gear for my rack I knew exactly what I needed and had been using my climbing buddies stuff for a while.

If you have all that covered sorry, I’ll shut up now…

boxelder: it all adds up as you just grab the ends, pull two lengths through and start coiling, no hunting around for the (invariably faded) middle markings. Obviously not hours at one time… 🙂

A winter climbing mate of mine showed me asking ‘ye think yev oors ta hing aboot ina whiteoot min?’

depends where your climbing as well, I’ve got a 80 meter single for single pitch sports pitches out here in France – any less would mean multi pitching… right rope for the job and all that jazz!

If you’re talking about indoor, get a cheaper 30m 10mm rope with 5ish falls and no treatment. It’ll need retiring in 2-3 years so doesn’t need to be fancy for the local wall. As said we are talking about dynamic ropes here.

For outdoor, you need to weigh up the weight, number of falls you get for your money and length. If you are mainly aiming for sport we’re talking about a single 10mm-ish rope around 60m for versatility.

Trad would need a half rope (8.5mm-ish) that you either double up for shorter routes or a pair for longer. My mates and I each bought 1 half rope so we have a pair when we climb together, although we mainly went to the peak which saw me simply doubling my half to save on faff at the top.

Dry treatments also keep the rope in better condition (they often handle better due to the teflon inside) by stopping grit/dust/gack from getting into the rope.

In terms of weave change, many ropes have a pair of black marks at the centre which is perfectly adequate.

Check out: v12outdoor, needlesports and bananafingers for deals. I like Beal and Mammut personally.

Oh, and get a different colour to your mate!

Herman – depends on the wall, but a 30m might be too short. For example, Ratho has 30m lead routes.

you just grab the ends, pull two lengths through and start coiling

That’s why I asked – if you start with both ends, you arrive at the middle……

Any dynamic rope with someone who can belay properly* at the end.

* Knows when to take, knows when to give slack, knows how to dynamically catch a fall, and knows that if you’re leading trad they should be as close to the wall as possible…

check out go outdoors, they have some cheap deals on rope at the moment

That’s why I asked – if you start with both ends, you arrive at the middle……

Eventually, and assuming there’s not a tangle halfway down.

As a first rope I’d pick a 10mm 60m dry treated one, something like a Mammut Galaxy. I started lead climbing with a mate outdoors with no proper training, just a basic rope and a set of nuts. I’d climbed in scouts and could tie knots, but hadn’t led before, and it’s really not that complicated. I was amazed that the climbing club at uni made such a big deal of it as it had all seemed fairly obvious to me.

I was amazed that the climbing club at uni made such a big deal of it as it had all seemed fairly obvious to me.

Indeed, i learned to climb years ago with a few crabs, slings and a crap rope. Mostly diff v.diff mountain routes.

Remember most people are killed on the abseil out of there 🙄

Thanks guys – I’ve been indoor climbing for about a month or two now and had one session at Portland, i’ve so far been relying on other’s kit and just wanted to start building a collection of my own really.
I already have a harness, chalk bag, belay device and suitable carabiner – the only reason why I ask is that I’m not sure I trust my mate’s rope too much! Can never be too careful and all that 😛

A James – Member

Take care though. If your asking what rope to buy for your first leads then ask yourself if you are ready for that yet. Most if not all of us have learnt to climb and lead with an experienced partner having had quite a while seconding for them. Unlike mountain biking climbing and especially leading isn’t something you can just go and do – picking it up as you go so to speak. Don’t get me wrong, adventure and risk taking even for the novice is all part of the fun but having someone there with you who is experienced is vital. By the time I was ready to buy my first rope and bits of gear for my rack I knew exactly what I needed and had been using my climbing buddies stuff for a while.

If you have all that covered sorry, I’ll shut up now…

I’m climbing with some experienced guys (at least they *seem* to know what they’re doing), i’ve been seconding and top roping for a while and really enjoying it – I just want my own rope 🙂

As above, I’d go for the 10mm. Personally, I’d probably buy a 60m as anything less will be pretty much useless if you go climbing in France, Switzerland, Italy etc etc. I’m not sure dry ropes are that big a deal for just rock climbing, I’ve only found dry ropes useful winter climbing and in the Alps, for obvious reasons. If there’s not much price difference then I suppose it’s worth having.
I always mark the middle, much easier for quick doubling on absails. 🙂

Conversely, I always use 50m ropes in France, Switzerland, Italy etc. I never feel the need to carry another 20m of rope.

I am talking about doubles ropes and alpine routes though. I can see how a 60m single might be useful.

Oh, and I would never buy a non dry treated rope. Horses for courses though, isn’t it? Depends what sort of climbing you are doing.

+1 for Gribs and flip.

My first climbs were on grit-stone with some slings, a few old nuts and a rope tied around my waist. It’s only when you’ve heaved 50m of soaking wet 11mm rope across some zig-zag horror show that you start to appreciate the point of double ropes.

But with reference to the OP – if you’re climbing with a mate wouldn’t you just want to double up with what he’s got? Climbing as a pair it makes sense for both people to have the same thing (say) a 50m x 9mm rope each.

Different colours obviously.

Glenh
On the assumption of rock sports climbing, I hardly think he’s going to be doing what you do with his first rope. 😀

Dry ropes are worthwhile as they seem to handle slighty better, seem to stay cleaner and even if you’re just cragging it’s a pain in the arse to dry a rope if you get caught in a shower mid pitch.

Why not follow in the footsteps of Joe Brown and use your mums washing line

Cougar – Member
That’s why I asked – if you start with both ends, you arrive at the middle……
Eventually, and assuming there’s not a tangle halfway

Yeah and when you arrive at the end (i.e. the MIDDLE) your rope is coiled… Wrap the ends around and pull them through a loop and you’re good to go. Alternative spend five -minutes hunting for the vague faded centre marker then start coiling. See if I care, sniff!

If your ropes are all tangled then don’t blame me coz you’ve crap rope management… 😉

OP: whatever you do don’t buy an 11mm 60m as it weighs a barstarding ton! That was a mammut galaxy iirc.

Don’t worry too much about it as once you’ve learned how to use it properly then you’ll be wanting a better one anyway. No point in trashing a good rope starting out… And as I said, you can always take it down the wall when it’s seen better days 😀

Went for this one in the end, seemed like a bit of a bargain.

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/edelrid-perfect-10mm-60m-rope-p194192