Rock and Ice

I had given the Magnetron five stars, but after nearly a year of use in all conditions, I found that the magnetic lock can jam shut when it gets gritty or freezes. For that reason, which isn't small, I deducted two stars to give it three out of a possible five...." go to full review

The Slimline Elite would be an excellent choice for big-wall rats and grade IV tradsters. Go with the 10.8mm size if you want the extra bulk and security for jugging; use the 10.3mm when weight is more important, e.g. on long day routes where the second may be jugging for speed. Options include 60- or 70-meter lengths, and Blue Water's proven Double Dry treatment...." go to full review

I tested this rope on routes both trad and sport, long and short. The 9.2mm is a hair too slim to work comfortably with a Grigri (try the new Fader’s SUM, reviewed above), especially for sport-wanking dog-a-thons, but is a godsend for trad climbing. I took this rope up on Idyllwild, California’s, The Vampire (5.11a). This daunting line, with its route-finding nebulousness, holdless traverses and long runouts, demands a light, smooth-feeding cord. The Performance was just that, and, when used..." go to full review

I go through ropes like shit through a goose—last year I trashed three thin, lightweight ropes in four months—so when I heard that Millet had a model dedicated to longevity and durability, I was eager to test it. I picked up the Silver Triaxiale 9.8 mm in January and put it through the paces—fixing, jugging, toproping, and leading, and four months later the rope is still in great shape. The Triaxiale technology includes a beefier sheath (in contrast to a thinner sheath sometimes used to..." go to full review

The Tusk has been a consistent and steady performer. Its 9.8 mm diameter is about as thin as I’m comfortable with for all of my falling and hang-dogging. The rope’s medium rigidity makes it just average at clipping to carabiners; yet also seems to yield a fluffy-soft catch.
Lap Coiling rope-packaging machine means no factory kinks in cord.
SuperDry treatment: A coating to both sheath and core, this gives a smooth feed and added protection. A bit slippery at first.
Comes in..." go to full review

I took numerous whippers on the way to eventually redpointing the new line and haven’t noticed any unusual signs of wear on the rope. It’s worth noting, however, that Mammut touts the Serenity as a specialty rope “designed to favor weight-savings over durability … i.e. redpoint attempts or super-light alpine ascents.” If you’re looking for a dog-a-thon workhorse, pick up a heavier, larger-diameter rope. But for those times when you need a little edge, whether in the high mountains or on a..." go to full review

The Climax doesn’t seem prone to kinking (at all), thanks to Mammut’s Lap Coiled technology that packages ropes sans tangles. Knots tie and untie well. It handles well through a Grigri and clips easily to biners. Plus, I think it gives a pretty soft catch.
The Climax isn’t the lightest rope around, weighing 64 grams/meter, nor is it the sexiest. But it’s just what I want in a partner: cheap and resilient enough to put up with me and my never-ending failures.go to full review

The Joker has multiple-personality disorder. This 9.1mm lead cord is the first-ever rope certified for single, half or twin use. At 53 grams per meter, it's also the lightest-weight single rope made, just nudging out the BlueWater Dominator and Mammut Revelation, both 9.2mm single ropes that check in at 55 grams per meter. The 4.2-ounce savings on a 60-meter cord aren't really appreciable, but this multitasking superlight rope does streamline vertical life. You can string up the..." go to full review

Trad, multi-pitch and big-wall climbers will find the Grigri 2 fits on a rack better than its predecessor. My only critique of the device is that when you rappel and the cam is rotated out of the housing, you can inadvertently get the rope caught in a notch between the device's frame and cam...." go to full review

[Review written for the original GriGri]
There are nearly 50 different belay devices on the market, and fewer than five qualify as “auto-locking.” It says quite a bit about a Petzl Grigi that today, 18 years after its introduction to the market, it is still the gold standard for auto-locking devices. The combination of its ease of use, and effectiveness for catching falls and holding hangdogging partners, makes the Grigri the preferred device for single-pitch cragging.go to full review