New England Escalator Rope Opinions

[NewGuyMA]

Any of you folks use New England Escalator Rope? Do you like it/dislike it?

New England's brochure mentions that the rope let's you "footlock like the pros". Is this a comp footlocking rope only or do any of you use it for anything else?

 

[bonner1040]

Never used it, what are you looking to do? General use, footlock? SRT, DRT?

 

[NewGuyMA]

Never used it, what are you looking to do? General use, footlock? SRT, DRT?

Was thinking SRT but I read somewhere that the rope is quite stiff and unpleasant to use. I'd hate to buy a rope that is so specialized that I can't use it for anything but competition footlocking (if that's even the case).

 

[Porkbrick]

my coworker uses it srt with the HH. he likes it, maybe he will chime in.

 

[NewGuyMA]

my coworker uses it srt with the HH. he likes it, maybe he will chime in.

If the rope is good, the HH is exactly what I was thinking of using with it.

 

[bonner1040]

I like my Poison Ivy with the HH. I have been meaning to try it with my FLY which is a superb rope and sold for a great price.

 

[MasterBlaster]

The Fly is the best climbing rope out there, PERIOD.

 

[NickfromWI]

The Fly is the best climbing rope out there, PERIOD.

No way dude. Too stretchy and has an ugly splice.


love
nick

 

[rumination]

My main complaint with Fly was that the cover picked too easily. But since the strength I guess is in the core I suppose that's a cosmetic issue. The splice is most assuredly buttugly, but if you're climbing SRT than the splice don't matter so much.

What's your favorite Nick? I'm still partial to Velocity, although I got some of that hot pink Poison Ivy and it's not bad.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I don't do the splice thing, so that doesn't bother me. Too stretchy? I haven't noticed that.

 

[NewGuyMA]

Thank-you folks for your input. Maybe I'll hold on picking up some of that rope until I have some cash that I'm looking to throw away.

 

[NewGuyMA]

**update***

Purchased some Escalator the other day. Tried it out over Adam's house. Escalator is quite stiff out of the box. Climbed with the HH in SRT and Hitch Climber in doubled rope. The HH worked so well it was like it was designed around this rope. I liked the rope in general for getting into the tree, but I think it needs to be broken in a ton more if it were to be used to work the tree. Adam may have some thoughts on this rope if he happens to chime in.

Pros:
-Is stiff as can be, stays put
-No stretch, no bounciness when climbing
-Weight is very light
-a general awesomeness that other ropes don't seem to have

Cons
-Does not knot well
-Some people might not like the stiffness

I'll post a long term update when this rope is broken in.

 

[bonner1040]

Thanks Matt.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Good reporting.

 

[NewGuyMA]

I'd give you folks more info but I'm not that smart and only climbed on it once so far.

 

[Adam_P]

Me nooo likey.

The stuff is crazy stiff, like wire cable stiff. Like Matt said it doesn't knot well at all.. not really surprising for a static line but it's noticeably more difficult than say HTP or kernmaster. Because of how stiff it is it's difficult to coil to toss in the tree if you were trying to advance your TIP.

For straight up ascent it's great. It footlocked great and works fine with a pantin.

Matt will not find me trying to steal this rope out of his bag!

 

[bonner1040]

Do you like HTP for SRT climbing? I have always been enamored by Sterling products.

 

[NewGuyMA]

Me nooo likey.

The stuff is crazy stiff, like wire cable stiff. Like Matt said it doesn't knot well at all.. not really surprising for a static line but it's noticeably more difficult than say HTP or kernmaster. Because of how stiff it is it's difficult to coil to toss in the tree if you were trying to advance your TIP.

For straight up ascent it's great. It footlocked great and works fine with a pantin.

Matt will not find me trying to steal this rope out of his bag!

Escalator is awesome.

lalalalala, I can't hear you Adam.

 

[Adam_P]

Nick I have some HTP at the house that I'll use for an access line. I use imori for SRT and DRT so I don't have to have tons of different ropes on the truck.

My HTP is 10mm and I don't think I'd like working all day on a rope that thin.