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Petzl 9.8mm Contact Blue
  • Petzl 9.8mm Contact Blue
  • Petzl 9.8mm Contact Blue
  • Petzl 9.8mm Contact Green
  • Petzl 9.8mm Contact Green

9.8mm Contact 60m

Rating

My vote: None ( 4.2 avg )

Description

Versatile rope for climbers looking to progress:
- balance between weight, durability and handling of the rope
- diameter offers maximum versatility and an introduction to thinner ropes
Greater longevity and ease of use:
- UltraSonic Finish: the core and the sheath are bonded together at the rope ends by an ultrasonic process called UltraSonic Finish; gives greater durability and avoids frayed ends
- ClimbReady coil: specific coil makes the rope ready for use; helps the user avoid initial uncoiling mistakes and increases longevity
More effective belaying:
- diameter facilitates belay device usage
- Middle Mark: indicates the middle of the rope to facilitate maneuvers
- EverFlex treatment: special thermal treatment stabilizes the core strands and improves consistency; offers excellent grip and consistent handling over time

Retail price

US$ 239.95

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Weight 60.0 g/m
7.936 lbs / 3600 g
Diameter (millimeters) 9.8 mm
Length (meters) 60 m
Rope Type

Type

There are 3 types of dynamic ropes that are used by climbers. They are known as Single, Half (Double), and Twin. The type of rope preferred varies by climbing style, location, and region.


Single

By far, the most common type of rope. Great for indoors and out. In the US, it is the most common sport and big wall and are also used for trad cragging. The handling is simple and the diameter options are quite varied.

Half (Double)

The best cure for a meandering route, only one of the ropes will clip into each piece of protection so a mindful climber can can reduce rope drag considerably. You can also rappel twice the distance, it’s easier to safely protect traverse pitches and there is a smaller chance that both ropes would become damaged (by rockfall, crampons, etc).

Twin

Both ropes must be clipped through each piece of protection. This is the lightest style of (two) ropes. They excel for rappels, going twice the distance vs a single rope, but do not have the ability to mitigate rope drag even though there are two ropes.

It is unlikely both ropes will be damaged at once, and is why many alpine, ice and mixed climbers choose twin and/or half ropes.


Learn More

Every rope type and when to use them
Single  
UIAA Falls (Single / Half / Twin)

UIAA Falls

This refers to the number of UIAA falls a rope has been tested to be able to withstand without breaking. The UIAA fall is a complicated test that is designed to create a uniform standard for strength in ropes, and is not generally reflective of real-world climbing situations. The test involves dropping a weight tied to the rope in such a way that it will see the highest amount of force a real-world situation could generate. The UIAA requires that Single and Half ropes must pass this test without breaking at least 5 times, while twin ropes must withstand 12 falls. In practice, it can likely be concluded that ropes that have higher than this standard number of falls will be stronger and put up with more abuse.


It is important to note that any rope that is UIAA or EN certified is considered safe to climb on, regardless of the number of UIAA falls it is rated for.

7 falls  /  -  /  -
Dynamic Elongation (Single / Half / Twin)

Dynamic Elongation

This refers to the amount of stretch measured during the dynamic testing (or drop test) used when certifying ropes. Higher stretch will absorb more force and result in a softer catch but increases chances of groundfall at the beginning of a climb. The EN and UIAA require a stretch of at least 10% and no more than 40% for dynamic ropes. Single and Half ropes are tested individually and Twin ropes are tested as a pair.

35.0 % /  - /  -
Static Elongation (Single / Half / Twin)

Static Elongation

This refers to the amount of stretch measured during the static test used when certifying ropes. Most climbers will notice the difference in static elongation when climbing in a top rope situation, where higher stretch will make for a springier belay and could result in a ground fall when climbing closer to the ground. The EN and UIAA require a stretch of no more than 10% for Single and Twin ropes and no more than 12% for Half ropes. Single and Half ropes are tested individually and Twin ropes are tested as a pair.

9.0 % /  - /  -
Impact Force (Single / Half / Twin)

Impact Force

Impact force is the amount of force in kN that is measured at the testing mass during the UIAA dynamic drop rope test. When the weight is dropped, the force measured must be at or below 12kN for Single and Twin ropes and 8kN for Half ropes. The real world application of this test is determining that the rope can dissipate and absorb the appropriate amount of force from the fall as it would be felt by the climber. The variables used in the test set a situation that is well beyond anything climbers encounter, and shouldn't be considered realistic to actual climbing situations.


In reality forces of this magnitude would result in severe injury as this test is designed to test the limits of the rope and not the comfort of the climber.

8.40 kN /  - /  -
Dry Treatment

Dry Treatment

When a rope is dry treated, it has had a coating applied to its core fibers, its sheath fibers, or both. The purpose of this coating is to reduce the amount of water the rope can absorb when in wet or icy conditions. Wet ropes are heavier, handle and belay differently, and have been tested to be weaker than dry ropes. Many climbers prefer dry treated ropes for very dusty or dirty environments, as they are more resistant to uptake of dirt and can stay cleaner longer.


Learn More

Benefits of Dry vs Non-Dry ropes
None ­
Sheath Proportion (%) 41.0 %
Sheath Slippage (mm) ­
Type of Middle Mark Marking
Rope End Marker None
Certification CE, EN, UIAA
RFID / NFC Option

RFID and NCF

This technology can be helpful if you are a gym or professional business where you'd like to track the usage and age of your ropes.

RFID is how items are uniquely identified using radio waves (Radio Frequency Identification). It's for 1-way communication from 10cm to 100m away depending on the frequency. Example: Airport Baggage.

NFC is a subset of RFID that is restrained to close proximity communication typically less than 10cm (Near Field Communication). NFC chips can operate a 2-way signal to exchange information. Example: Apple Pay.

None

No reviews yet.

Blister Gear Review no rating given just a review

The new Petzl Contact 9.8 is a smooth handling and durable workhorse rope for everyday use on everything from top-roping to redpoint attempts.

There are better specialty ropes out there—both on the thicker and thinner ends of the spectrum—but the Petzl Contact 9.8 walks a nice line, providing much of the durability of a thicker rope along with the smooth handling of a thinner line.

Climbing Gear Review no rating given just a review

With a complete overhaul of their rope line, Petzl is focusing on striking a perfect balance between durability, minimal weight, and overall feel, and the Contact is right on the money. Testers found this rope “unusually resistant” to the rope-ruining sand and dirt of the Moab and Indian Creek desert areas, and one said, “My ropes usually get absolutely wrecked in the desert, but after a full week of towers, cracks, and bolt-clipping, the Contact still looked like new.” That’s thanks to the DuraTec dry treatment, which not only protects the cord from absorbing water, but it also repels dirt, which can be the real rope killer. Our testers climbed on it for five months; it never kinked or coiled, and “it might as well have just come out of the package.” A great feature we never got to test: UltraSonic Finish welds the core and the sheath together at the rope ends only, to prevent
fraying in the spot where it’s most common. A super-great feature we did get to test: ClimbReady Coil means the rope is coiled and ready to go in the packaging. Open it, flake it, and climb—no more new-rope excitement cut short by annoying tangled messes.

Petzl Dynamic Ropes

A long but informative video, talks about all the features of Petzl Dynamic ropes in details.

Making a Backpack Coil
Watch a tour of Petzl's facilities as they explain all the testing involved

Warning: This video is dubbed in English. If you're getting antsy, skip to section 7:40-8:15 for one of the most interesting parts, where they show a hardware specific camera inspection.