Sterling Evolution Aero Dry Bi-pattern Climbing Rope 92mm Review

Sterling Velocity Review

A durable climbing rope that is great for taking a lot of abuse

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Price: $244 Listing | $205.59 at Backcountry
Compare prices at ii resellers

Pros: Light for the diameter, smooth treatment

Cons: Expensive, lower performance than skinnier options

Manufacturer: Sterling Rope

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71

OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#9 of 13

• Handling - 35% vii.0

• Immovability - 25% viii.0

• Weight - 20% v.0

• Catch - xx% 8.0

Our Verdict

The Sterling Velocity is a 9.8mm rope that weighs 62 grams per meter. This puts it on the cusp of our nomenclature categories, making it light for a workhorse rope, but heavy for an all-around rope. Equally such, it fills but a certain niche. While non a lightweight choice for alpinists aiming to go fast and lite, this is a rope that has wide appeal to many other climbers, and it can take a little more than abuse than the average rope. What's the difference between it and the contest? The Velocity is a little lighter and slightly more durable, thanks to its dry coating option.

Like the Velocity merely looking for a bi-blueprint rope?
The Sterling Evolution Velocity Bi-Color has a different design on each half of the rope, making finding the middle a whole lot easier. This specialized braiding technique volition add $xl to the toll of the rope in a 60m length, but if you climb a lot of multi-routes that require y'all to rappel downwards them afterward, information technology may merely be worth the extra coin. About center markers fade over time, or the rope gets so muddied that you can no longer see them, but the bi-color gives y'all the added condom of always being able to easily identify the heart.

Compare to Similar Products

	This Production Sterling Velocity	Mammut 9.5 Crag Classic	Petzl Volta	Sterling Helix	Beal Booster III
Awards
Price	$205.59 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers	$159.95 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers	$250 List Check Price at Backcountry	$285 List	$209.99 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers
Overall Score	71	78	76	76	73
Star Rating	one ii iii iv 5	1 two 3 4 five	1 2 iii 4 5	i 2 3 four 5	ane two 3 iv v
Pros	Light for the bore, smooth treatment	Durable sheath, supple feel, soft catches, saves some weight over thicker workhorses	Light, durable, super soft and supple handle	Durable, excellent feel and handle, soft catches	Soft catches, depression bear on forcefulness rating, durable
Cons	Expensive, lower performance than skinnier options	Centre marking wears out quickly, nonetheless heavier than thinner ropes	Not durable enough for heavy duty sport climbing, a lot of stretch when seconding	Pricey	A lilliputian besides stretchy for top roping, potent
Lesser Line	A durable climbing rope that is great for taking a lot of corruption	This rope is a winner due to its superior treatment, durability, and excellent catches	The perfect light and skinny rope for climbing high above the footing	One of the best ropes you can buy, striking a perfect rest between low weight and durability	Not the best treatment simply excellent overall operation
Rating Categories	Sterling Velocity	Mammut 9.v Crag Cla...	Petzl Volta	Sterling Helix	Beal Booster 3
Treatment (35%)	7.0	eight.0	eight.0	8.0	7.0
Durability (25%)	8.0	8.0	7.0	8.0	ix.0
Weight (xx%)	5.0	six.0	8.0	half-dozen.0	v.0
Catch (20%)	8.0	nine.0	seven.0	8.0	8.0
Specs	Sterling Velocity	Mammut nine.5 Crag Cla...	Petzl Volta	Sterling Helix	Beal Booster Three
Diameter	9.8 mm	9.v mm	9.2 mm	9.5 mm	9.seven mm
Weight (chiliad/1000)	62 thousand/m	59 thou/m	55 grand/m	59 g/m	61 thousand/one thousand
Lengths Available	50m, 60m, 70m, 80m	60m, 70m, 80m	50m, 60m, 70m, 80m	40m, 50m, 60m, 70m, 80m. DryXP: 60m, 70m, 80m	60m, 70m
Dry Coating Option	Dry Glaze	Mammut Dry Handling	Duratec Dry out	DryXP	Dry Cover
Middle Mark or Bi-Pattern Selection	Bi-Pattern or middle marking	Middle mark	Center Mark	Center Mark and Bi-Color Selection	Middle mark
Certified Use	Single	Single	Single, One-half and Twin	Single	Single
UIAA Fall Rating	6	7	6	7	8
Impact Forcefulness	8.eight kN	8.eight kN	8.half dozen kN	8.9 kN	7.iii kN
Static Elongation % (in utilize)	8.vi	viii	7.5	seven.two	nine.7
Dynamic Elongation % (first fall)	26.four	33	33	31.9	38
Sheath Proportion %	35	forty	42	41	42
Calculated Weight of Sheath	22 thou/m	24 thou/m	23 m/m	24 g/m	26 g/m

Evidence full specification details Hide full specification details

Our Analysis and Exam Results

Now Known But as the Velocity
When we showtime tested this rope it was called the Evolution Velocity. Sterling has dropped "Evolution" from the proper noun, but the rope remains the same.

We've given the 9.8mm Sterling Velocity our Summit Pick for a Workhorse Rope honor. Even though belay devices similar the GriGri are supposed to exist able to handle up to 10mm ropes, that thickness doesn't usually feed well or smoothly through them in our opinion, and once you've gone "skinny" information technology's hard to go back. For new climbers, though, in that location is still some benefit to a thicker rope — they are easier to hold on to when arresting a fall, and they'll last longer, especially as y'all larn about minimizing sheath damage from rough edges or poor belaying stances.

Functioning Comparing

The Wards climbing in Ten Sleep on the Sterling Velocity. This 9.viii mm is a swell accommodating rope, and is an splendid selection for those that want a durable rope for a variety of styles.

Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Treatment

For a "thicker" rope, the Velocity handles well. It is smooth and clips easily.

The sheath is tightly woven, and this allows it to slide through belay devices and over crude rock surfaces with ease. When compared to some of the other thick ropes we've tested over the years, this rope is a dream to handle. However, compared to thinner ropes in general, this line feels a fiddling more cumbersome to feed out slack apace or clip lighting fast.

This 9.8 mm line handles well and is not as well thick for using with a GriGri ii.

Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

As a minor side note, this rope comes manufacturing plant drum coiled, which, if not uncoiled properly from the kickoff, tin become a major nightmare to untangle. And if improperly flaked, the rope can be actress kinky for the first couple of days. Some ropes come already flaked out in a butterfly ringlet, which is much easier to unwind initially. Nosotros didn't dock any points for this, but it is worth mentioning the slight inconvenience of a drum coil.

It pays to accept the time to uncoil your rope initially and then that it doesn't kink up permanently.

Credit: Cam McKenzie Band

Catch

This rope is rated to an 8.8 kN touch force, with 8.6% static elongation and 26.four% dynamic elongation. We liked the combination of a soft-enough catch just non too spongy for top roping feel, and gave this rope an 8/10 for catch.

Rating the catch of a rope is one of the most subjective endeavors nosotros've taken on, as there are so many factors that determine how "soft" a fall is beyond the stats of the rope itself. What we tin can country nigh this rope later on both our testing period (and our personal utilise of this exact model for three years), is that it won't stretch every bit much or feel as bouncy as some of the "stretchier" lines in this review. At the same time, it doesn't feel similar a noodle when top-roping either. So, if you tend to do a lot of both leading and top roping, this rope is a great choice.

Not a expert place to fall! Only when you do fall on the first bolt, a line with a shorter elongation, like this i, might preclude you from hitting the basis, or your belayer'southward head.

Credit: Cam McKenzie Band

Weight

This rope weighs 62 thou/m, and is 9.8mm in diameter. That makes it slightly lighter than the heaviest models nosotros've covered here, but significantly heavier than some of the ix.5 models in this review that weighed in around 58 g/m. The extra grams add up to most a half pound more for a 60m rope.

The diameter of a rope tin can be misleading, and what most people are actually looking for when they search for a small-scale bore rope is something that is lightweight. Non all ropes of the aforementioned bore are created equal, and then we recommend looking more closely at the weight of a rope instead of the bore.

When y'all're lugging your gear an hour or more upward the trail, a few less ounces is always welcome. This rope is lite for the bore, and won't weigh you down as well much.

Credit: Scott Band

Durability

This rope impressed during our testing and also during our personal use, and we've given it a thumbs up for immovability.

This rope has a tightly woven sheath that makes up 35% of the weight of the rope. This is actually a depression number compared to some of the other ropes in this review, which can be upwards of 42%. However, it's hard to compare these numbers in ropes of different weights and thicknesses against one another. To get a improve idea, we likewise calculated the weight of the sheath at 22 yard/k, which places it near the heart of the pack. Our ain experience tells us that this rope is quite durable, runs smoothly over rough rock, and resists abrasion fairly. The thicker diameter lends life to this rope, and it can take a fair amount of difficult use before needing to be retired.

Value

Whether yous are shopping for a standard weave or a bi-pattern, this rope rings in as one of the more than expensive lines in our review. Considering its immovability and versatility, it is a great line for those looking for a workhorse rope or who don't want to buy multiple lines. For those on a tight budget, there are likely improve choices that tin can still offer many years and pitches of utilise, but at slightly more affordable prices.

Conclusion

After closely comparison all the ropes in our exam group, we came away feeling that the Sterling Velocity was the i we were most probable to take out on projecting days or when taking beginner friends climbing. It can perform well for any bailiwick and could exist the trusty selection for a climber who doesn't want or need a quiver of ropes.

— Cam McKenzie Band

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Source: https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/climbing/climbing-rope/sterling-velocity

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