A Rope Engineer’s Guide: Which dynamic rope is right for you?

Selecting the right climbing rope can feel overwhelming—especially with so many lengths, diameters, treatments, and constructions to choose from. To help break it down, Sterling Rope engineer Bradley Smith walks through the five most important things to consider when choosing a rock climbing rope.

We’ve summarized the core takeaways below, but if you want the full walkthrough (with visuals), be sure to watch the video.

Climbing ropes come in several standard lengths, each suited for different environments.

• 40m ropes: Great for gym climbing or shorter routes.
• 60–70m ropes: The most common and versatile choice for outdoor cragging.
• 80m ropes: Ideal for specific long outdoor routes or big wall situations.

TIP: If you’re unsure, a 60m or 70m rope will cover most climbing areas but be sure to check your local area or guidebook to make sure you have enough rope for your route!

The diameter of your rope affects how durable, lightweight, and compact it will be.

• Thicker ropes (e.g., 9.8mm Velocity): More durable and ideal for frequent use—top-roping, projecting, and routes where you expect lots of falls.
• Thinner ropes (e.g., 8.9mm Nano): Ultralight for long approaches or alpine routes, but not as durable as thicker options.
• Balanced middle ground (e.g., 9.4mm Ion): A versatile option for both cragging and longer multi-pitch days.

TIP: Make sure the diameter of your rope is compatible with all your gear, especially your belay device!

Rope treatments help protect against water, dirt, and abrasion.

• Non-dry ropes: Great value for indoor climbing or dry outdoor conditions.
• Sterling XEROS certified dry ropes: Designed for wet, icy, cold, or muddy environments. This treatment also helps keep the rope from freezing—critical in alpine or winter settings.

TIP: Wet ropes are heavy, weaker, and less stretchy. Choose a dry treatment if you climb outside often or in unpredictable weather.

Finding the rope’s midpoint is essential for safe rappelling and multi-pitch climbing.

• Middle mark ropes: A clearly marked center point—simple and effective all 60-80m lengths from Sterling come with a middle mark from the factory.
• Bi-color or bi-pattern ropes: The weave or the color in the pattern changes at the midpoint. This makes the middle incredibly easy to identify, even in low-light or dirty conditions.

TIP: If you do a lot of multi-pitch climbing, a bi-color rope can make life much easier.

Rope feel is surprisingly personal. Sterling ropes come in both firm and supple constructions:

• Firmer constructions (Velocity, Ion, Nano): Crisp handling, great for sport and trad climbing.

• More supple constructions (Quest, Aero): Smooth, flexible, and easy to manage—preferred by many for all-day climbing.

TIP: Well, this isn’t really a tip. There’s no “right” choice here. It’s all about what feels good in your hands.

This email gives you the essentials, but Bradley covers even more tips, demos, and visuals in the full video. If you're deciding between a few rope models, the video is definitely worth a watch.