Climbing Ropes

Millet Silver Triaxiale 9.8

Millet Silver Triaxiale 9.8 climbing rope is reviewed by Rock and Ice, the climbing magazine.

January 29, 2010 Jeff Jackson

$260 for 60 m | www.milletusa.com | 4½ Stars

I go through ropes like shit through a goose—last year I trashed three thin, lightweight ropes in four months—so when I heard that Millet had a model dedicated to longevity and durability, I was eager to test it. I picked up the Silver Triaxiale 9.8 mm in January and put it through the paces—fixing, jugging, toproping, and leading, and four months later the rope is still in great shape. The Triaxiale technology includes a beefier sheath (in contrast to a thinner sheath sometimes used to create smaller-diameter ropes), a stabilized diameter that Millet says won’t fatten up over time and a unique braided core that adds extra safety. According to Millet, if your rope cuts over an edge, a single braid can support body weight. Subjectively, the six-fall Silver Triaxiale handles well, snakes smoothly through biners and delivers a nice, soft catch (maximum impact force of 8.5 kN; about average for its diameter). At 63 grams per meter, it’s one gram, give or take, heavier or lighter than any rope of equal diameter. The only drawback is the price tag, which is $50 more, on average, than comparable diameter ropes from other companies. Given the fact that this cord has hung in there for months after others kicked the bucket, however, I’d happily bite down and shell out the extra ducats for a rope that lasts.