I love my Mammut ropes. I have a hard time recycling them, as dependable and beloved as they are. Every so often I get the opportunity to use another brand, with friends or last winter on an AMGA ice-instructor course, and I have yet to use a cord I’d prefer to any of my Mammuts.
Mammut was one of the first brands to produce nylon, braided (kernmantle) ropes (though not the first–German company Edelrid has that distinction, back in 1953). Since then they’ve earned the rep as a top-end company for hardware, safety equipment, and recently they’ve branched out to include footwear (buying Raichle in 2003) and avalanche airbags (buying SnowPulse in 2011).
I’m lucky to work for Alpine World Ascents, a local guide company owned by a Swissy, Markus Beck. Euros are generally loyal to their countries’ brands and Markus is no exception–you can’t fault the guy because Mammut has a sterling rep for its ropes. I’ve used just about every single rope Mammut makes and I’ve paid for every one except the 9.5 Infinity ($240, 60m, bipattern or what Mammut calls “Duodess”), which I scored for guiding and testing.
For me, writing about gear is pretty simple–stick to stuff you really like and it’s easy. That’s why I don’t review junk…it’s not much use having readers listen to me bitch about gear they’ll never buy and it pisses off the manufacturers, too. I have yet to use a Mammut rope that wasn’t durable and handled well, so I thought I’d describe the quiver I have.
My all-time fave Mammut cord is the 9.2mm Revelation ($220 for a 60m; available in 60 and 70m lengths on the site, but I also own a 40m, so perhaps they offer more versions in Europe?). It’s rated for single, half, and twin usage, weighs 55g/m, and its max impact force (when used as a single) is 8.7kN. (Great article on rope jargon HERE.) The Revelation is light enough it feels like an alpine rope (great for big peaks, long days, short-roping, etc.), but it wears well enough it survives a bit of top-roping (but if that’s your thing, it’s definitely not the rope for the job), endures lowers and terrain belays, and doesn’t fuzz out or get hyper-supple or “kinky” after long use. If I had to have one Mammut rope, the Revelation would be it.
A bigger cousin is the 9.5mm Infinity. At 58g/m, it’s marginally heavier than the Revelation, but I get a warmer, fuzzier feeling having a lightweight climber or client belaying me on it, rather than the Revelation. If you’re top-roping more often, then the Infinity (or an even fatter cord like Mammut’s 9.8 Tusk or 10.0 Galaxy might be the ticket. I own the Galaxy and almost never use it–after the Revelation (and 8.9mm Serenity–see below), it feels piggish on everything but top-roping days.
Back to the Infinity–it’s a great go-to rope that does everything well. A decade ago it would’ve felt svelte and incredibly light, but with near-9.0 single ropes the rage these days, the 9.5 feels like overkill to some degree. Mammut’s 8.9mm Serenity ($250, 60m, 51g/m) reinforces this perception. If you visit the website via the link above, you’ll see the Serenity listed as an 8.7. This is a recent change and I’ve not used that rope yet (hint, hint brother and sisters). Mammut does some voodoo/magic with sheath construction and coating to make the Serenity so damn skinny. It’s rated for single, half, and twin use, with a max impact force of 8.4kN as a single. It’s definitely not a top-roping or hang-dogging cord, but you probably already know that.
The Serenity will surprise you for its sheath durability–Markus guides the Matterhorn with it and I’ve got dozens of pitches on mine (including some short-roping in Red Rocks). Sheath construction is a balance–make the sheath too supple and stretchy (to improve handling and lower impact forces) and you get wicked slippage. (Sheath slippage will result in inches, if not feet, of dangling sheath at the end of your rope, without the core inside of it. It deflates your confidence in a rope to hack a foot of material off the end. The thing feels like a wilted sock at that point. I’ve seen this done twice in the past year to the same brand of cord.) Somehow Mammut gets very, very little slippage in their ropes, while maintaining good (low) impact forces. Swiss juju, I suppose.
Anyway, there are a few thoughts on individual models. Almost all Mammut ropes are available in a variety of treatments/coatings and I’d say pony up for the expensive one, the “SuperDry” or the slightly less spendy “Coating” finish. Believe me, the SuperDry finish works way, way better in the wet (I found this out in North Conway last winter where a lesser cord froze into a snarled mess while my Mammut resisted well) than most other finishes. Worth the cash.
As for a “bipattern” or “Duodess” (Mammut’s term) rope–get it. It’s safer and more convenient. Thirty bucks in the gear shop will pay itself over and over at the crag. Sadly the Serenity isn’t available bipattern, but the Revelation, Infinity, and Galaxy are. Invest and you’ll be stoked!
There’s my two cents on Mammut’s ropes. The only other brand whose ropes interest me is Edelrid. I’m curious about a couple of their cords, particularly their 6.9mm “Flycatcher,” the world’s lightest/skinniest twin rope and their 8.7mm single rope, due out this winter. SCARPA North America (located here in Boulder) is now distributing Edelrid, so there’s my “in.” Stay tuned for some beta on Edelrid’s cool stuff. I’ve been using their “Mega Jul” belay device for a few weeks now–definitely some cool features to it.
In the meantime, though, Mammut is it for me when it comes to tying in. Their ropes work, they’re reliable, they perform well in the field, and I get great life out of them. Check ’em out the next time you’re shelling top dollar for your lifeline!
