5 Top Rock Climbing Ropes for Every Climber: Find Your Perfect Match Today

Looking for the best rock climbing rope based on your need? Well, you’ve come to the right place. We will share with you what suits your needs the best with these 11 top ropes that are available in the market.

Mammut has replaced their previous line of ropes to three new ones – alpha, crag, and gym–making it easier to figure out which is which. The Mammut 9.5 Crag Classic is the replacement for their previous Infinity rope, and we found out that they’re very similar in performance, but the 9.5 Crag Classic is a bit better.

Overall, it is an excellent all-rounder rope for dragging, which is why it doesn’t come up as a surprise that it is at the top of our list.

Pros

• Has great handles
•  Durable
•  Has longer life
•  Affordable

Cons:

•  It’s quite heavy
•  The middle mark wears off

The Beal Booster III is overall a great rope that costs less than other dragging ropes on the market. This has been in production for about 20 years already, but their old products aren’t worth the money.

Everyone deserves a second chance, right? They decided to take the “softer is better” approach with the Beal Booster III, which has both the highest dynamic and static elongation. This is the way to go for those trad climbers who want to minimize the force applied to their gear.

Pros

•  Durable
•  Has low impact force rating
• Has soft catches

Cons

• It’s stiff when brand new
• Stretchy when top roping

If you’re looking for a rope that could work a route and all-around heavy use, you will not go wrong with this one. The rope was created to have a really long life span. The Sterling Velocity is recommended as someone’s first climbing rope and for someone who will only own one.

Pros

•  Smooth handling
• Has durable construction
•  Light

Cons:

• Expensive
• Doesn’t perform as well as skinnier ropes.

A 9.2 mm rope is described for “elite” climbers and purposes. Due to the lightness of the rope, its longevity comes into question. The Petzl Volta breaks that stereotype, and we find this the ideal thin rope for any type of climbing.

It is built with a 42% sheath which rivals even the strongest and most durable rope we’ve tested. A few drawbacks of this product is that it seems to be fatter than a 9.2mm rope; it also doesn’t come with a bi-patterned weave which means you must make sure the middle stays marked.

This is recommendable to expert climbers as there’s an increased risk of belaying accidents due to less friction.

Pros

• Light and skinny
•  Very soft and supple
• Has a long-lasting dry coating
• The thick sheath that is durable

Cons

• Feels thicker, although not heavier, than a 9.2 mm rope
•  There’s no bi-patterned option.

This is the lightest rope in this review that ensures you’re not pulling extra weight. What is amazing about this is its durability. We’ve tried it on two different sports trips, and it lasted well until the end, with the rope still in great shape.

The Eldrid Swift Eco Dry is the only climbing rope that isn’t treated with harmful PFC dry coating. It’s Bluesign certified, and it’s made of recycled materials. 

Pros

• Light
•  Harmful PFC chemical-free
•  Versatile for guiding
•  Very durable for a thin diameter

Cons

• Dry treatment wears off fast
•  Is on the smaller side of belay devices
• It’s not ideal for a lot of hang-dogging

Why trust our review?

This was a tag-team effort between veteran climbers Andy Wellman and Cam McKenzie Ring. We first researched compared products, and finalized what we would test. Once we have the ropes, we put them into use in different locations.

We tested every characteristic of the ropes with care. After exhausting comparative testing, we think that our review should be able to give you a solid piece of information to help you choose what rope to buy. 

What we tested upon each climbing rope

• Handling
•  Durability
• Weight
•  Catch

Conclusion

Each climbing rope is different from the others so it’s important to know what type of rope you’ll need. Hopefully, this review has helped you come to a conclusion of what rope you’ll purchase for your rock climbing adventure!