Gear Review: NEW Petzl Ropes!

Recently I received one of Petzl’s new ropes to check out.  For the 2014 season, Petzl introduced a completely new line of ropes of varying lengths and thicknesses.  As a general rule of thumb, Petzl’s new products tend to be well thought out, high quality products designed for durability and success.  The new rope line does not disappoint. 

For the past month I have used the Volta while rock climbing in the Salt Lake City and Moab areas.  It is a 9.2 mm rope designed for hard redpoints and light and fast alpine adventures.  As a bonus it can be used as a single, half, or twin rope.  The rope feels especially supple and it is noticeable different from the old line of ropes in that way.  It feeds from a belay device quite easily when belaying a leader and the suppleness also shines during those cruxy clips.  I primarily use a gri gri 2 when belaying and I was moderately concerned about lowering climbers (especially heavier climbers) with a rope this thin.  However, I didn’t notice any increased difficulty when lowering a climber but I would still advise people to wear a belay glove for added safety.    I have taken several lead falls on the Volta and the catch is quite soft but not overly stretchy considering the soft and dynamic feel to the rope.  I don’t have a good sense of durability having only used it for about a month but so far there are no signs of wear.   Overall, I am quite impressed with the new ropes and excited to use it on my future adventures!

All Petzl ropes are finished with the duratec dry treatment that helps make the rope more water and dirt resistant. All the ropes also get the UltraSonic Finish to help improve durability and avoid frayed ends.  Additionally, the EverFlex treatment is incorporated into all ropes to provide a more effective belay by improving handling.

Petzl strategically developed a complete line of ropes for every use imaginable including both single ropes and half ropes. From fat to skinny to long to short, they have covered it.  The following is a list of the ropes available and their respective diameter and length.

Dynamic Single Ropes

• ·      Volta 9.2 mm (30 m, 50 m, 60 m, 70 m, 80 m)
• ·      Arial 9.5 mm (60 m, 70 m, 80 m)
• ·      Contact 9.8 mm (60 m, 70 m, 80 m)
• ·      Mambo 10.1 mm (50 m, 60 m, 70 m)

Dynamic Half Ropes

• ·      Paso 7.7 mm (50 m, 60 m, 70 m)
• ·      Salsa 8.2 mm (50 m, 60 m)
• ·      Tango 8.5 mm (50 m, 60 m)

    For more information see Petzl's Website