poison ivy

[Greenhorn]

I've tried to keep it in friction savers but lately using been natural crotches and it seems the rope has gotten nasty in a hurry. Doesnt feel round and is almost a little burned feeling.

Does that sound right for this rope. Before I had blue streak and I couldnt wear the stuff out. I really dont have a use for a rope that you cant occasionally run over some bark etc.

[Skwerl]

Blue Streak rocks. You'd be hard pressed to find a more durable arbo rope. A few years ago I went through several of the 'hot' new skinny ropes before going back to Blue Streak. Don't mess with perfection.
;)

[top hopper]

Poison Ivy is over rated. It milks a ton, and is always twisting below the hitch.

Of the smaller than 1/2" lines, I think Blaze is the best.

[MasterBlaster]

Blue Streak rocks. You'd be hard pressed to find a more durable arbo rope. A few years ago I went through several of the 'hot' new skinny ropes before going back to Blue Streak. Don't mess with perfection.
;)


I just got a hank of ArborMaster's BRW, is that one any different from the Blue Streak? It's seems a tad "skinny."

[Skwerl]

Same rope, different color. They have a 'gold streak' also.

[Wagnaw]

Poison Ivy will glaze pretty easy for a while when run natural crotch. That's been my only problem with it though, and after a while it stops glazing and starts being the best rope EVER.

I just bought some Blaze the other day because my Ivy was getting a little worn and I wanted a 200ft rope. I wish I had stuck with the Ivy.

[rumination]

Of the skinny lines Velocity is the most abrasion resistant that I have tried. I've done quite a bit of natural crotch climbing on Velocity and seems to hold up pretty well to it. Much better than my Blaze, that's for sure.

[top hopper]

I'll agree with that Leon.

Velocity is very durable, and holds up well to natural crotching.

[NickfromWI]

Though I am a big fan and advocate of 11mm lines, I typically steer people away from them when I hear they only climb in natural crotches. Half inch ropes just fare so much better when it comes to durability.

Now keep your hands off my Blaze!

love
nick

[top hopper]

For true 1/2" dia. lines, you just cant beat the Yale XTC line. Blue streak is good yes, but XTC is vastly superior.

[lumberjack]

Hahaha vastly superior.

Grape is way better than strawberry jelly, blondes are better than brunettes, and Bow Ties certainly beat Blue Ovals any day.

[Frans]

never could understand a rope colored the same color as foliage when I am working with chain saws and hand saws....

Give me Blaze any day or any other bright colored rope...

[rumination]

I agree Frans. That's why I use Velocity Hot.

[top hopper]

Hahaha vastly superior.

Grape is way better than strawberry jelly, blondes are better than brunettes, and Bow Ties certainly beat Blue Ovals any day.



Just stating my opinion based on my experience.

Ya prick! :D :P

[sotc]

im with ya top, i like xtc and safety blue, but havent tried the smaller lines

[Blinky]

Poison Ivy will glaze pretty easy for a while when run natural crotch. That's been my only problem with it though, and after a while it stops glazing and starts being the best rope EVER.

[...]

That's been my experience too. It goes past the glazing stage and gets fuzzy then stays that way for a long time. My favorite rope is a 90' section of old, well worn Poison Hi-vy.

I gotta say though, PI sucks for natural crotches because of the rope drag. Velocity or a tight jacket rope like Blue Streak slide a lot better over bark.

[brendonv]

I use velocity in natural crotch. Holds up just as well as my old blue streak.

[pantheraba]

Grape is way better than strawberry jelly, blondes are better than brunettes, and Bow Ties certainly beat Blue Ovals any day.

Dang, Carl, I totally agree so you must be right...how'd you get so smart????:lol:

You just can't resist sometimes, I know.

Oh, on topic....I use my PI all the time (when I climb..a few times a month)...but with a leather cambium saver, almost never natural crotch. The PI does great for me.

[OTGBOSTON]

I like the bluestreak alot, still have 150' with a splice thats a tag line now. I've been experimenting with the 11 mm lines, I like the tachyon best as compared to the velocity and fly...

[Greenhorn]

So everybody's got "an old hank of blue streak" - that cracks me up.

I've got some XTC fire that will be my next line.

Also have taken a step back to yellow tenex for my hitch cord and I love it, just got to remember not to burn out on it!

[pantheraba]

Yellow tenex - Knut - is what I use with my PI...works very well. The tenex is good stuff.

[treesandsurf]

Haha, that is funny. I've got a 120' hank of blue streak... great rope.

Velocity has become my rope of choice for sure; very little bounce, very light and has been holding up very well. Next rope purchase will definitely be more velocity! (thanks Leon!)

jp:D

[Bounce]

I think you'll find that just about every 11mm line will be less durable than a 1/2" line simply because the smaller the diameter is, the less surface area it has to distribute friction over.

I've been climbing on Arbormaster for about 7 years now, and tried out xtc last year. I gotta say, I couldn't tell the difference. Same amount of stretch, same "hand," same knotability. This makes sense since they're made out of the same fibers in the same construction. The same goes for Safety Blue. They're all 1/2" 16 strands, just in different color patterns made by different manufacturers.

[top hopper]

My next line will be Tachyon (http://www.neropes.com/CommNews.aspx?mid=5&id=45)

[Greenhorn]

I cant wait till the sticky stuff wears off my velocity, so far it only comes out for footlocking. Too much effort advancing VT with the sticky crap on there. Tenex and P. Ivy is like butter!

[top hopper]

I dont mind the coating on Velocity.

[Hollywood]

How does a rope glaze and then somehow un-glaze?

Anyway, I was thrilled with my PI at first but like tophopper said, it twists like crazy. Rarely use it natural crotch. Tachyon is next or back to Blaze.

[No_Bivy]

velocity...great rope:D

[sawinredneck]

I bought a hank of the Poison Hi-VY today. It doesn't seem to really like the VT with a slack tender at all! I was always having to pull the hitch up or drag the slack rope behind me, which seemed to defeat the purpose? Am I missing something?

[Blinky]

Give it a chance Andy. Every rope/Split-tail/knot/human body combination is different. You have to tune it.

I don't care what anybody says, PI is excellent rope. If it glazes it's seeing too much heat just like any other rope. You're a big fella so if you descend fast you're gonna smoke it pretty easily. The glaze will work out if you keep using it in natural crotches... just don't slide down it real fast.

PI will get fuzzy after a while... which I like, but because of that it won't self tend... which I also like. I prefer to climb and shuck the slack by hand. Velocity stays a lot smoother and it really is a great natural crotch rope.

[Gerhard]

Hello firends,

I climbed for 4 years with velocity ropes. Today I got a new tachyon rope.
I´ll write again when I´ve tested it.

[CurSedVoyce]

You also have to consider what friction cord you are using also Andy... Some combination's are better than others..

[Fiddler]

I have used blue streak and have nothing I can say against it. I did most of my climbing on True Blue.....took quite awhile for the stretch to come out of it, so as where I could trust it but I liked it. Using PI HI-V now and it does OK since I put it in a bag, Got really upset with it though, because of the tangles it got into before. Still looking for whatever I like better, and feel safer using.
I do find that I like tying knots in the smaller diameter lines better.

[Stumper]

P.I. is good rope...I generally prefer fat and firm like Arbormaster, but I have a hank of P.I. that gets used on taller trees. As Chip indicated-getting a good grab and easy tending with any rope and hitch cord combo can require some tuning. Add a wrap or drop one-test it on the ground. (fifty feet up is a sucky place to discover that your hitch won't catch without manually setting before loading...been there and done that.)

[Fiddler]

(fifty feet up is a sucky place to discover that your hitch won't catch without manually setting before loading...been there and done that.)

Well Said.

[sawinredneck]

Well, a couple of things we have to keep in mind, I am a fat sucker! I am a total "tard on the ropes! I am switching from aborplex, so some "friction" will take some getting used to:lol:
As for the hitch cord, you will have to ask Brian, this was an unexpected "gift" he handed off to me when he stopped by. I have no idea what it is!

Oh yeah! Justin is right! I was up about 30ft. and ready to come down. I leaned back and set off to come down. NOPE! The VT was LOCKED!! It took some doing to get where I could get it loostened up!

[MasterBlaster]

we have to keep in mind, I am a fat sucker!

That's really gonna cause you some problems a 'lil later on, down the line. :(

[sawinredneck]

That's really gonna cause you some problems a 'lil later on, down the line. :(

Ummm, like yesterday? And today when it was 80 and 77% humidity?

I'm thinking I need to start hanging out at the Y and use the membership I already have!

[Blinky]

Just climb every day. After a year you'll be a different man... yes, it hurts, but you can handle it.

[Skwerl]

New ropes typically suck for friction hitches until the waxy coating wears off a little. The cord is 3/8" New England Sta-Set. It's a double braid polyester.