Petzl Arial 9.5
My first fall on Petzl's new rope, and what I now consider the aptly named Arial, was looooong. As I continued to test the Arial, I grew accustomed to the bungee-like catch. I also fell in love with the rope's remarkable handling.
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My first fall on Petzl’s new rope, and what I now consider the aptly named Arial, was looooong. I had tied in to the supple cord for a burn on my project and in the thick of the upper, runout business, I wilted and went flying … and flying. After finally coming to a stop, I met eyes with my belayer. “Well, now I’m halfway down the route,” I said slightly aggravated. “Just lower me.”
After my annoyance faded, however, I realized I hadn’t felt the slightest jolt. The fall was thrilling, but the impact was very soft and dynamic.
As I continued to test the Arial, I grew accustomed to the bungee-like catch. I also fell in love with the rope’s remarkable handling. Compared to Petzl’s older ropes such as the discontinued Fuse with its stiff, cable-like hand, the Arial was soft and flowed through my GriGri like a garden snake slithering through a knothole.
I was slightly startled by how fast the rope zipped through a GriGri 2 when I was lowering the leader. This was probably due in part to the rope’s Duratec dry treatment, which created a slick sheen on the new sheath. After a few weeks of climbing, however, the Arial provided a nice, controlled lower.
Perhaps the biggest downside to this excellent rope is its price. At $230 for the 60-meter, the Arial is one of the more expensive climbing ropes. But if there were ever a piece of gear to splurge on, I’d say the Petzl Arial is a worthy addition to your sport-climbing quiver.
Weight: 58 grams per meter
Impact Force: 8.8 kN
Dynamic Elongation: 32 percent
Static Elongation: 7.6 percent
Dry-treated