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Climbing, Adventure, Gear & Choss
Roca Rope Review (& Giveaway!)
A couple years back, I got my first 80m rope, which I thought would be ideal for climbing at Indian Creek. That one was a 9.2, which turned out to be a little too skinny for my tastes down there, and it didn’t hold up that well on the abrasive sandstone. Fast forward to this summer, and I was ready to try again, as I left the Outdoor Retailer show with a brand new Roca 9.4 80m rope, and started putting it to the test.
The first thing my friends noticed was the lavender color, which they said had an immediate calming effect on them. In fact, they were concerned they wouldn’t be able to climb hard using this cord, but thankfully that didn’t prove to be the case.
In all seriousness, this is a great rope. It feels thicker than other 9.4’s, but the handling is great, and there wasn’t any break in period. It also came kink free, which is always a joy. My last 80m was a nightmare of kinkage from the start, and I was concerned this would be a problem with all longer cords, but this rope has put my fears to rest. Also, the sheath wasn’t overly slick like it is on some new ropes. In fact, I’d have to say one of the best things about the Roca 9.4 was how it was “ready to go” from day one.
I’ve since logged numerous pitches on it, and it’s quickly become my favorite workhorse, saving the skinnier cords for redpoints and going light. It also seems to be holding up well, with little sign of wear on the sheath.
As these ropes are relatively new to the US market (they are based in Spain), right now Fixe is running a great deal on them, with a 9.9 60m for $103.60 and a 9.4 70m for $155.
And if that isn’t good enough for you, as part of this review WE ARE GIVING ONE AWAY!!! That’s right, all you have to do is leave a comment telling us what you would do with a new rope and you’ll be entered into a random drawing, picked in two weeks, to walk away with a brand new 70m 9.9 Roca rope.
Good luck!
Contest closes on 10/11/13, one entry per person, contest is only open to residents of the United States. By entering this contest you agree to share your email with SplitterChoss.com and Fixe Hardware, from whom you may receive exclusive discounts, news, and new product information via email in the future. Winner will be chosen by random drawing through the Splitter Choss super computer. Folks affiliated with Splitter Choss aren’t allowed to enter, more fine print, etc, etc, etc.
69 Responses to Roca Rope Review (& Giveaway!)
Bulldog Creek Dog Walk (IV WI 4+)
Hayden Carpenter and Tom Bohanon recently repeated an obscure ice climb on the south side of Mt Sopris. Given a brief mention in Jack Robert’s ice guide, Bulldog Creek Walk is described as being 100 meters of WI 4. What they found was seven pitches of ice in a remote setting that makes for one […]
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I have the same story. Purchased an 80m for my first trip to Indian Creek. Was really great to have down there, but got thoroughly thrashed. Thanks for the review as I’ve been looking to get another 80!
Oh man…WIth a new rope I would retire my 2 old beat up flat spotted hunks of junk I am currently using.
And tell everyone what a great website this is 🙂
I would project the shit out of Rumney, which I can’t do with a 50m rope which I have now.
If I won this rope, I would probably whip endlessly trying to send my buddies warm ups at Rifle and the Creek.
Any new rope is worth a try over using my buddy’s poor excuse for a safety cord. A new skinny rope would fit nicely with my new Grigri 2.
I’d retire my beat to hell 55m 10.2, and make a rug out of it!
I’d go and do something big and link up pitches, which I can’t do well with my 50.
Oooo, with a new 70m rope, I think my husband and I would get a babysitter and spend a day running up and down Lumpy Ridge!
Ah, I need the rope to link up the pitches, so we can attempt a multimultimultipitch. It takes us forever to sort it out at every belay!
If I won a new rope I would probably #%?! scream because I never win anything online. Then I would walk over to my local 711 and buy a lotto ticket and promise the cashier a piece of the pie because I’m feeling lucky. I would then wait patiently everyday for it to arrive. One it gets here I will make sure to climb till my fingers bleed 😉
Well since its a longer rope then I should get on some bigger routes! I would head up to NH and tick off some classics on the walls up there!
My family would be a lot safer, if I retire my 8yr old cord…
During the week I would send the most epic first ascents in Kansas before taking weekend whippers in Colorado.
I would replace the 9.5 I’ve destroyed over the past 18 months and probably refuse to climb on the new one until I had a red point burn worthy of something so light…
Ah who am I kidding, I’d project with it and wreck it like all my other thin ropes!
I will end up ha
Ving bought less this year
I’d use it for had redpoints at my home crag of Smith Rock!
I’d continue to get after it as much as possible
All I can think of is all the soft catches my climbing partners will have with this fabulous rope. Rifle, Maple, Thompson all just waiting to get used by this rope. Think about it, just say’in.
I would be amazed that you guys would post all the way to the UK and tell everyone how awsome you are.
I would climb my first multi-pitch at Bishop’s Peak!
I would use it to help recovering drug addicts learn a new hobby. This would be the perfect rope to climb a multipitch.
I hope this isn’t insulting but I would half it and lead the crap out of Sharma’s new SenderOne gym with it!
This would be the perfect rope to capture inspiring climbs with my my friend’s and my website, SoulClimbing! It would travel all over America with me on my demo tours for Teeccink Herbal Coffee! Hope to win this sick rope!
If I won I would probably uncoil wrong and spend 20 minutes dragging it back and forth through a draw to get all the twists out. Then I’d have my friend carry it to the local crag where all you need is a 60m, At that point we’d set a sweet TR on the shortest climb there and watch as everyone marveled at how much rope was left over. Then I’d sales pitch each one of them and they’d all buy Roca ropes from that day forward.
I’d spend some quality time in Boone for fall break and satisfy my climbing fix!
I would use it on my next trip with the University of Central Florida Rock Climbing Club to take new, rope-less climbers out on their first outdoor experiences, so they can have a nice transition from our gym lead ropes.. And show them what a good rope is like!
Long, hard Alpine pitches in the Tetons, where a little extra cord gives you some piece of mind on a route that hasn’t been done in five years.
Do I enter by talking here? I really need a new rope – my wife won’t leave the ground with me anymore =(
I would love to win a new rope! My beloved rope recently got some mystery oil spilled on it while stowed up in the cargo box during a roadtrip with my boyfriend, so we’re going to retire it (way too early) but now I’m ropeless 🙁 If I won a new rope, I’d take him to Snow Creek Wall in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness for a last-of-the-season multipitch slog with the mountain goats!
I’d stop worrying about our three year old 9.4 70m with a fuzzy sheath every weekend.
I would head straight back to Indian Creek with that new rope!
I’d get some more trad in at the local crag while the fall weather is coming in. It’s gorgeous out here.
I would get into top roping at my local gym. I recently got into climbing, but haven’t gotten a chance to lead climb yet due to student loans.
I would use it on multi
Then to wrastle me some squamish bears 😉
I would charge up some Las Vegas Limestone and Sandstone.
I just moved to the East Coast. I’d use a new rope to explore the crags in my area. I’ve got a huge list and not much time before I hit the road again in 14 months. Plus I just got my first “man-cave” so I would have plenty of room to store a new rope and my wife wouldn’t kill me for getting some new gear either because now she doesn’t have to look at it (or trip over it when I pile it on the floor after coming back from yet another harrowing adventure).
I would go back to squamish and do the grand wall with it.
I would head right back out to Indian Creek to hone my crack skills.
I’d be sport cragging the heck out of that thing in Arkansas!
I’d finally be able to do all those long double rope rappels on multipitch climbs 😛
I’d tie up my girlfriend
I’d get some skinny jeans to go with a new skinny rope and ride my fixie to the nearest crag. Over 40 hipster wannabes unite!
An 80m rope is enough to climb the Nose in a single long linked pitch right?
But really, I’d take it all over the South Platte. 9.9 is heaps nicer than my fatass 10.2.
I’d finally have a rope of my own and no more excuses keeping me inside every weekend.
It appears that my first attempt at posting failed. Time for try #2
I would tie in with a nice politically correct trace-eight and then, speaking the rope’s language, shout “Venga! Venga!” and send my proj.
I’m relatively new to climbing and am looking to replace my first rope (Sterling 10.2). This would be perfect for my planned trip to Red Rocks this winter.
I would go and climb in the Organ Mts… this time without ending up hanging 10 feet from the ground after an airy rappel.
Taking it to Spain for our honeymoon! Some island living on Mallorca followed by a couple of weeks in Rodellar. And yes, my wife is rad.
I’d take my family out for a weekend adventure trad climb seeing as we’d now have enough ropes for everyone! Help me support my families climbing habit. ;0)
I would climb some serious ice!
If I win this rope I would clean every highball that needs scrubbing in squamish.
I would be psyched to go climb at rifle arch and not have to climb up to the 1st bolt while belaying so that the person being lowered could untie cuz my 50m rope is just a little bit too short….
I’m hoping to be hanging on it in Joshua Tree this coming January.
With this new rope, I would build my trad skills in the Red River Gorge of Kentucky and live the adventure!
Ah will crush!
I will promptly fall off even more stuff than I do now
I’ll log some air time on my projects in Rifle until I destroy the ends and then give it the chop, which I can do several times since it’s an 80m.
With this sweet new rope we can retire the 11mm state of mind from the 70-80s.
I also would take that shiny new cord to Hyalite Canyon with me. Bring on the winner!
It’s creek season! Long pitches, bleeding gobies, tradtastic fall weather, the stoke is up!
Save it for the day when my 10 year old rope finally breaks. That will allow me to feel like I have “earned” the right to use a new rope.
To the Creek!!! With 80 meters to dispose of I’ll be scraping sky.
Think I’m too late… But I’d take it to do some multi-pitches in Northern AZ!
I would give my friend’s rope a break since he’s the only person who can afford one.
I would give this rope to a friend who needs a rope and then, here’s the surprising part, we’d go climb on it, that is provided the friend invites me to join in on the climbing.
i’d prolly go climbing.
A huge thanks to everyone who entered, the winner has been chosen by the super computer and notified via email. Stay tuned for more giveaways in the future!