When you’ve belayed an extended pitch, the sensation when your chief yells down from above, ‘How a lot rope left?’
You look down on the pile at your toes and suppose, “No thought.” Is that 20 toes? 45? Guessing incorrect may drive you right into a sketchy, uncomfortable transition to an episode of unplanned simul-climbing.
In one of many largest “Why didn’t we consider that?” gear concepts in complete reminiscence, Arkansas-based Lacaida added size markings to its climbing ropes.
Right here’s the way it works: Ranging from the center mark, a collection of “METER XX” markings counts down towards the tip, going each methods. Marks seem each meter till the fifth meter out from the center. Then 5 meters from every finish, every meter is as soon as once more marked.
Fairly easy, proper? From this logic, it doesn’t take lengthy to seek out the subsequent meter marker. Do some tough math if it’s essential to convert to toes, and inform your associate how a lot farther they’ll run it out.
Three Metered Ropes can be found in lengths from 40 m to 80 m. Low inventory is the rule. As I write this, solely a number of items of every stay within the stockroom.
The Lincoln is a 9.9mm, UIAA Dry rope with a dry-treated sheath and core. The Fern has the identical dry remedy and slims down a bit to 9.6 mm. And the 9.9mm Fitzgerald has a dry core however no dry remedy on the sheath and solely is available in a 70m size and shorter. It’s the finances possibility at $249 MSRP for a 70m.
Lacaida additionally sells common, unmarked climbing ropes and (fairly cool) rope tarps. The Graphic Tarps rejoice southeastern U.S. crags like Horseshoe Canyon, Sam’s Throne, and Stone Fort.
Lacaida is a veteran-owned, Latino-owned firm. (It takes its title from la caída, Spanish for “the autumn.”) Examine all of it out on the firm’s web site — and by no means brief rope your chief once more.
