arbor plex ok climbing rope?

H

hammer0419

I need to buy my first climbing line. I see Arbor Plex as affordable but seems to be fairly good? Any and All help on my first line? Thanks
 
You may want to accumulate a few more opinions / recommendations / reasons.
A description of the climbing style / technique that you are going to start with would be useful for intelligent responses.
I have several different climbing lines.
I started w/ ½” ArborMaster 16-strand Blue-Streak, using some older style systems: closed loop, then eye-eye w/ Distel, then Anchor Bridge Rope system, etc.

The Blue Streak was a good starting point for me; I still have the rope.
 
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hammer0419 said:
I need to buy my first climbing line. I see Arbor Plex as affordable but seems to be fairly good? Any and All help on my first line? Thanks
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I agree with the others here, there are better lines for your purpose. The Samson Arbormaster sixteen strand is a great rope for doubled rope technique. Also, you would do well to take a look at some 24 strand double braids. You can use those for doubled rope or single rope techniques. You need to think about your climbing style and the system you use as a whole when you consider which rope to get.
 
I started with Arbor-Plex, and it works... Not going back ever...never. The price is nice, but pay more and you can do more. If you are going to be using an eye to eye, or anything really, I would invest in a nicer rope.
I am using Yale Imori 12mm http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=4&item=1721
and New England Tachyon 11.5mm http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=4&item=1720

You can't get a spliced eye in the end of arbor-plex, but a sewn eye is possible. If you will be using a hitch climber pulley, I recommend a spliced eye as it is more compact and has a lower profile.

Basically, you can climb a tree with Arbor-plex... you can also climb a tree with old hemp line. Are there smoother, more capable, less horrible options out there? Definitely!

Whatever you decide, buy it from Treestuff.com and use the code ONLINE for 7% off. http://www.treestuff.com/store/start.asp?category_id=2 :bailando:
 
Yeah, I'd at least go with something 16 strand. Safety Blue or something. They run pretty well with a closed or open system so they should work well with your existing climbing system while still allowing you to move to a more advanced system at some point. When I train new climbers they start on a closed system, move to a split tail, and eventually a hitch climber/e2e. A 16 strand rope seems to handle them all fairly well. Eventually you'll want to run 24 strand though, and like most of us, will likely never look back.
 
Hammer, Arborplex is the first braided climbing rope that was developed for arborists about 30 years ago. While it was a great improvement over three strand, as the others have said, there is better climbing ropes available. Climbing techniques and technology have made incredible advances in the last 10 years. Use that to your advantage.
 
The Arbormaster BRW was my first climbing line and it's still a great line. It doesn't get much better for doubled rope technique. When I started to get into SRT I got a Yale "Arrowfrog" double braid line from TreeStuff. Same as Poison Ivy. The thing about 24 strand lines is they're multi-functional. You can use it for DdRT or SRT.
 
I realize you said you already ordered, but I'll add a +1 to what everybody else said. Learned to climb on Arbor Plex, but once I tried something else I never looked back. I'm sure when it was introduced Arbor Plex was a big improvement over 3 strand manilla, but beyond that, it's garbage! Stiff, shiny, waxy. I'm always amazed it's still around and being sold. I agree that almost any of the 16 strands would be a great place to start. While I'm a Samson guy and not a New England guy, good choice on the Ultra Vee. It'll do everything you need it to do and more and will work well with several different climbing systems, as you learn and advance.
 
I know this is likely to be redundant, but...

I started out on the arborplex. The pro and con is it is not the most efficient rope to use. This meant that it held me back, but is also meant I had to take my time to learn. It also forced me to figure out how the components of my system interacted, a lesson that serves well every day as I try new things or try to do things in a different way.

After a month or so of climbing I moved over to a 16 strand. Same thing here, pros, cons and more learning. I currently climb on a 24 strand double braid (cherry bomb) and am migrating to a new rope as my needs have evolved.

The bottom line is try several, see how they suit your style and needs, then give it a full work out. Be willing to try others when you can if not seek such opportunities. Eventually, like many folks I've met here, you may end up with several ropes for varying purposes.

Focus on a few things to be excellent, but maintain a broad view to anticipate future needs!
 
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