Sterling Solid

When it comes to rock climbing, choosing the right rope is crucial for safety and performance. There are three main types of ropes used in climbing: statc, low elongation, and dynamic, each with specific characteristics designed for different pur … read more about Understanding the difference between ropes

The purpose for this testing is to try to determine the “best practices” when it comes to providing belays for firefighters who are performing escape systems training. Motivation for the testing comes from both documented c … read more about Belaying for Firefighter Escape Training: Researching Best Practices

The HollowBlock2 is specifically designed to be used as a Friction Hitch on one or two life-safety ropes, as a backup to the safety system. It should NEVER be used as the sole or primary connection point in any safety system. Its stren … read more about Retirement Guidelines for the HollowBlock 2

Selecting the right rope depends on your specific needs and intended use. Sterling offers a wide range of ropes designed for various activities, such as rock climbing, rope access, arboriculture, canyoneering, rescue operations, and indust … read more about What Rope Should I Buy?

Every piece of gear you buy has some information written on it, and probably comes with a bunch of paperwork included too. If you are like most of us, when that shiny new carabiner or beautiful new rope arrives, you tear all the packagi … read more about Goodbye NFPA 1983 (Sort Of)

H3 Tech 11 | Klementovich As part of our commitment to making the best quality life safety products, we recently received 3rd party certification for the H3 Tech11 to meet ANSI Z359.15 by UL. As part of the Fall Protection Code, ANS … read more about The H3 Tech11 is 3rd Party Certified to ANSI Z359.15

Send Ready Coil is Sterling’s new process for hanking a new dynamic rope that’s ready-to-climb, straight from the factory. No uncoiling and flaking needed. Photo taken by Will Saunders Send Ready Coil is Sterling’ … read more about What is Send Ready Coiling?

The issue It has been brought to our attention that in one instance a Sterling Lanyard was missing a sewn tack under the plastic keeper. This resulted in the appearance of a factory sewn eye, when in fact it had no load bearing capacity. W … read more about Notice to Inspect your TriTech Lanyard

Looking for the perfect gift for the rock climber in your life. Here are a few of our favorites. VR96 9.6mm Limited Edition Kenya Rope A great performing all-around indoor or outdoor rope. A thinner option to the VR9 9.8 … read more about Holiday Gift Ideas for Rock Climbers

XEROS Review Part II Rob Pizem Piz wrote an in-depth initial review after 21,100 feet of climbing over the course of 13 intense days. You can read Part 1 of his review here: Read Initial Review XEROS Review Part II: October 14th, 2 … read more about XEROS Climbing Rope Review from Rob Pizem

If you uncoil a brand new rope the wrong way, you could be stuck with a tangled mess and kinks in your rope. The factory coiling process puts a twist in the rope, which will need to be taken out as you uncoil it. This video features Sterling … read more about How to Uncoil Your New Climbing Rope

A dry dynamic climbing line is a stronger and safer than a wet rope. It’s a fact. The merits of climbing with a dry rope are many and the pitfalls few. And now the prime pitfall, the additional cost of a dry-treated rope, is a non … read more about Why Dry? - Sterling XEROS

Sterling Rope Company created XEROS, which is a new way to manufacture a UIAA Certified dry rope. The XEROS technology is not a coating applied to the rope, or a separate liquid bath treatment. It’s a new step in the manufacturing … read more about Introducing XEROS Technology

Customers call us all the time asking, “How do I wash my rope?” Our answer is pretty standard throughout the industry: It is okay to use the hot water setting on your clothes washer as it likely won’t damage the rope … read more about How to Wash Your Rope

Photo credits: Molllie Bailey Summary A quality, durable rope; the Quest 9.6 mm is a fantastic choice for climbers who ‘want it all’ without sacrificing weight or suppleness. This review was originally posted on Outdo … read more about Review of the Quest 9.6mm

Rob Pizem Sterling Athlete Initial Thoughts: The new XEROS felt firm, malleable and precise out of the bag. Easy to feed through belay devices (ATC and GriGri) Easy to clip, fingers slid smoothly over the rope No cosmetic flaws … read more about XEROS Climbing Rope Gear Review

I absolutely love the Sprint, and it has become my go-to training rope. I’ve never climbed with a rope this thick before, and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to clip. The weight of the rope almost made it easier. It& … read more about Gear Review for the Sprint Gym Lead Rope

The Sterling Helix Small but Mighty Usually, that term is reserved for a cocktail party and snickering amongst friends but in this case, that phrase is exactly what we want to hear. The modern paradigm of climbing ropes has become &l … read more about Review of the Helix 9.5 mm

Ten Sleep RJ Griffis @pabloaguilar-esplanada It has been brought to our attention that it is possible that a small number of Sterling accessory cord spools, from a recent time period, may contain a splice using transparent heat shrin … read more about NOTICE TO INSPECT: 6-8mm Accessory Cord Spools

Amity climbing Johnny Lat (5.12c) Adam Pawlikiewicz @adamonthago I love trying really freaking hard. I love digging deep, tapping the last reserves, and emptying the tank as I push my limits physically and mentally on the rock. I pur … read more about Under-fueling: The Ultimate Sandbag

This holiday season, it's more important than ever to give the gift of the outdoors. And what's better than shiny new climbing gear? We've collected an assortment of gift ideas at a wide range of prices to suit your needs. From stocking … read more about Gift Ideas for the Climber in Your Life

We put together the following recommendations to help answer some of your questions about your ropes and equipment regarding the novel Corona virus, COVID-19 and other contaminates. Sterling has conducted testing on two disinfectant cle … read more about Cleaning and Disinfecting your Climbing Equipment

Sterling Canyoneering Ambassador Josh Allen A few years ago when I was introduced to the sport of canyoneering, I didn’t pay much attention to the size or type of ropes we used. I was completely ignorant to what I was doing an … read more about Sterling Canyoneering Ropes: “Better than Gold”

As the Technical Advisor here at Sterling, I handle a lot of customer service questions. One that I receive quite often is: Hey, I just measured my rope and it’s only 58 meters (188.5’). What’s up with that? My … read more about How Long is My Climbing Rope?

It has been brought to our attention that it is possible that recently a very small number of the Sterling 30 ft. Web Wheels may contain a taped splice. Specific part numbers are: Item Description WB254MS04009 1" Tubular Mil-Spe … read more about Technical Notice: Sterling 30 ft Web Wheels

Matt Hunt, Work Market Sales Manager at Sterling walks us through the WorkPro Series of Static ropes for the rescue world. The 3/8" Diameter is good for backcountry rescue, the 7/16" is a good general all-around rescue rope, and the 1/2 … read more about WorkPro Series Ropes for Rescue Industry

So, you may be wondering, "When was my rope born? How can I tell, so I know when to retire it?" We're here to help you solve the mystery. Every single rope that comes out of our factory has a lot number on the end label- the little yell … read more about How Do I Read Sterling Lot Numbers?

Overview – This training was held for Sterling staff with the purpose of familiarizing all in attendance with the standards, practices, tools, regulations, and lingo of rescue personnel subject to NFPA compliance. It was taught by … read more about Training Report: NFPA Operations Level Rescue Training

Liz, Sterling's Marketing Director hosts Sterling's R&D Process Engineer, Chuck Weber to talk about the UIAA Certified dry climbing ropes we have, labeled DryXP. Find out what DryXP is, and why it's a critical safety measure when you're … read more about Between Two Hanks, Episode 5: DryXP

Leslie Timms is a professional climbing guide with PCGI and owner/head guide of On the Rocks Climbing Guides in Ontario, Canada. Ensure that you are properly prepared for your venture into outdoor top roping and purchase the appropri … read more about Outdoor Top Rope Essentials

Leslie Timms a professional climbing guide Ontario, Canada DONT BE THE NEGLIGENT NEWBY! Educate yourself on the necessary skills and ethics that will make your transition from gym climber to outdoor climber a breeze. Knowledge is … read more about Tips for a Smooth Transition from Gym To Crag

Liz is back and hosting Matt Hunt, Sterling's Work Market Manager. Matt recently came back from his trip to the International Technical Rescue Symposium. Watch the video to see what reports were interesting and what it means for the technica … read more about Between Two Hanks, Episode 3: ITRS Report

Looking for the perfect gift to give the arborist in your life this holiday season? Look no further! Our Arbor Sales manager Dave Vavro walks through some great options to fit a range of budgets. Keep scrolling down for videos and gift … read more about Holiday Shopping Guide for the Tree People in Your Life

In this video, Liz talks to Alex from our Climb and Outdoor Sales team about great gift ideas under $50 for the climber in your life. Scroll down for Part II where they talk about ropes! Shop Gift Ideas for Climbers in the $10-$50 Ra … read more about Between Two Hanks, Episode 1: Holiday Gifts for Climbers

The most inventive and compact multi-functional kit available. Used for edge restraint, load release, litter rigging and haul systems. Related Stories Under-fueling: The Ultimate Sandbag I love trying really frea … read more about Sterling Bound Loop Prusiks in Rescue Litter Rigging

I hope you can appreciate that we are not at liberty to disclose too much technical detail given the heavy R&D investment we’ve made and the proprietary nature of the entire process. I suspect you’d get a similar respons … read more about What Goes Into the DryXP UIAA Water Repellent Treatment

As an AMGA-Certified Rock Guide I demand a lot from my ropes. I need my ropes to be durable, versatile, lightweight and reliable. Working as a full-time guide for Colorado Mountain School, I operate in many different environments and te … read more about Guide Review: The NanoIX Gets Put to the Test

Sterling Athletes can be some of our harshest critics, and we love them for that. They are an integral part of our product development process and without them, we wouldn't be making the best ropes in the business. Here what they have t … read more about Sterling Athletes Rave About DryXP

What goes into the best Shannon Johnson Check out our NEW Climbing Rope video! Hear from top Sterling Athletes Angela Hawse and Kevin Jorgeson about their input, putting ropes to the test and why they stick with Sterling Rope Company … read more about Sterling Climbing Ropes:

3-sigma testing, determines the minimum break strength (mbs) of our ropes Sterling Rope uses 3-sigma testing, also known as the three-sigma rule, to evaluate and determine the minimum break strength (mbs) of our ropes. Three-sigma is … read more about What is 3-Sigma?

Back tie, also known as tieback, is a method for applying tension on an anchor in order to reduce or eliminate an undesirable leverage (moment) on that anchor. I was recently asked by Reed Thorne of Ropes that Rescue to test a particula … read more about Tie Back Testing: Which Method is Strongest?

Matt Hunt, Sterling Work Market Manager tells us about the features and benefits of the 3/8", 7/16" and 1/2" WorkPro static rope series. Ideal for rope access technicians, the WorkPro series ropes are fully-certified. R … read more about WorkPro Ropes for Industrial Safety

Choosing the right climbing rope As a Sterling Athlete Team member, I have the benefit of having as many as 12 ropes at any given time in my quiver. I know this is a luxury most don’t have, unless you are a Mountain Guide. If y … read more about How to choose the right climbing rope

Rope rescue is essentially the act of accessing a patient, usually in someplace either far above or far below an area of safety. The critical job of providing medical care and support can not begin until the patient and rescuer are both … read more about Revolutionize your Rope Rescue Equipment with the Breakout Rope Bag and BiColor Static Rope

Tree care professionals use rope in a variety of ways every day, sometimes in applications the rope manufacturer may never have even imagined or intended; and no matter how skilled, talented, experienced, or smart a climber or branch ma … read more about Arbor Rigging: Knots, Hitches and "Do Nots"

Photo credit: Hurricane Media Revac USA is a training company specializing in Tactical Rope Access. We offer customized courses that are specific to each and every client based on their skills, the objective and equipment needed. … read more about A Glimpse into Revac USA Trainings

Typical Indian Creek Splitter Indian Creek, known for its splitter cracks, has over 1,000 routes of all sizes and lengths. Problem solving for the leader includes what length of rope to carry or whether to carry a lead line and a tag … read more about Rope Choices for Climbing at Indian Creek

Why add a middle mark? At Sterling, we receive lots of questions about ways to safely and effectively mark the middle of the rope. Climbers have been using paint, dyes, sharpies, and other DIY solutions that can possibly degrade the f … read more about Frequently Asked Questions about Middle Marks

The simple answer is yes, they certainly can be. There are a couple of reasons why you want to keep your rope as dry as possible while climbing. Reason 1: Wet ropes lose their dynamic (stretchy) properties thereby decreasing the ove … read more about Are Wet and Icy Ropes Dangerous?

Bicolor and Bipattern Bumps It’s important to know where the middle of the rope is on a climbing rope, and the best way to determine the middle is to use a bicolor or bipattern rope. Sterling uses two different techniques for a … read more about Bicolor and Bipattern Bumps

Many brands and styles of quickdraws (from the rock climbing world) on the market today come with rubber or elastic doodads (keepers) that keep the carabiners oriented properly. People have sometimes taken these doodads off the quickdra … read more about Use of a Keeper on the Chain Reactor is Not Recommended

Matt Hunt from Sterling talks about the Sterling WorkPro Series of Static Ropes. The WorkPro Series comes in 3/8", 7/16" and 1/2" for use in MRS or SRS systems for all arborists. Pick the one that best suits your needs. … read more about WorkPro Ropes for Arborists

We sat down with the talent and director of the award-winning FCX Fire Escape films for a look behind the curtain at what it was like to make these videos. Sterling: Who was more of a diva on set- the EMT’s or the Firefighters?D … read more about FCX Escape Systems: Q&A With Cast and Crew of the FCX Videos

At Sterling, we design the most technical and efficient escape systems for rapid egress and self-rescue. Sterling FCX Fire Escape Systems are available in over 36 custom kit configurations and seven UL-certified Fire Escape Systems to … read more about FCX Escape Systems: Unmatched Customization. Unparalleled Performance.

Paola on the first pitch of an unknown Unnamed route in the W. Fjords Iceland is a magical land, shaped by fire and ice, with 80% of it considered "wild"; most of the interior is uninhabitable. This winter, three Chicks guides and fi … read more about Nano IX: The Ideal Rope for Ice Climbing in Iceland

Benny Lieber Adventure Photo taken by Benny Lieber Sterling has come up with a truly ingenious solution for crevasse rescue, ideal for alpine guides and climbers traveling in glaciated terrain. The Pico Crevasse Rescue Kit has advant … read more about How to: Build a Snow Anchor for the Pico Crevasse Rescue Kit

Sterling recently received General Use certification to NFPA 1983, 2017 for our AZTEK Elite system. All AZTEK Elite systems have been designated as a Mechanical Advantage Pulley System by UL and is certified to the Manufactured Systems … read more about The AZTEK System Receives NFPA Certification

Marina Inoue It’s important to purchase your life-safety equipment from respected and certified manufacturers. Part of understanding this significance is knowing whether products are certified, what the certifications mean and … read more about A Primer on Certifications

Our Ultimate Positioning Lanyard was developed in conjunction with NATS and is made from ultra-strong Technora® material with multiple attachments for secure positioning in a variety of configurations. In coordination with Ed Carpen … read more about Recommended Configurations for the Ultimate Positioning Lanyard

Rope Elongation One of the most critical elements in the specification of any rope is its measure of elongation: how much the rope stretches under varying degrees of load. Elongation is not a bad thing. For example, one good way to re … read more about Static Vs. Dynamic Ropes for Arbor Use

Personal Anchor Systems (PAS) replaced Daisy Chains years ago as superior solutions for anchoring yourself while cleaning anchors at the top of sport routes, setting up TR’s, rappelling, canyoneering, partner rescue and transition … read more about Gear Review: The Chain Reactor

Designed to be a lightweight and durable rescue rope, the OpLux aids elite teams in rough, wet terrain. This rope allows for operations to be quick and nimble without compromising strength and ensuring safety in even the most challengin … read more about New Product: OpLux Tactical Rope

Self-rescue device puts control in your hands Our most advanced self-rescue device puts control in your hands — with superior descent modulation and over-pull protection. Click-to-neutral capability makes quick work of horizont … read more about Introducing the FCX

Sterling is dedicated to producing the best possible product, and that means researching and testing our products thoroughly. Some testing is required for certification, but that’s only the beginning. We submit our ropes to a batt … read more about Testing: Fire Escape Anchors

Sterling is dedicated to producing the best possible product, and that means researching and testing our products thoroughly. Some testing is required for certification, but that’s only the beginning. We submit our ropes to a batt … read more about Testing: Abrasion Resistance

The new CanyonLux rope and Blitz Bag cleverly deliver what advanced canyoneers have been asking for: light, rugged and packable gear that thrives in rough, wet, obstacle-ridden canyon environments. When used together, this rugged bag an … read more about New Products: CanyonLux Rope and Blitz Canyon Bag

Gym ReVO as the go-to top rope at Climb BCN Chris Sharma's gym in Barcelona, Spain The Gym ReVO is Sterling's new braided core, low-elongation gym rope specifically designed for high-volume use in climbing gyms as a top-rope belay. … read more about Introducing the New Gym ReVO

Sterling Team Athlete, Alex Megos with the Evolution Aero in orange This article was written by Dave Alie at Blister Gear Review. Evolution Aero Key Specifications: Diameter: 9.2 mm UIAA Falls: 7 Weight: 56 g/M Dynamic Elon … read more about A Review of the Evolution Aero

Sara Fleetwood Sterling Product Engineer When designing our new CanyonLux rope, we sought out expert canyoneers and guides to test the prototypes. We sent our rope engineers into the field to see, firsthand, how the ropes are used in … read more about Testing: The New CanyonLux

When you watch different groups of people all do the same thing, you start to think that may be the best way to do it. Through years of doing personal escape training with firefighters, we began to notice that they all removed the equip … read more about Product Feature: Sterling Escape Kit Pocket Bag

Outdoor Gear Lab has awarded Sterling’s Fusion Nano IX and Marathon Pro the 2015 “Top Pick” award as well as the Evolution Velocity the 2015 “Best Buy” award. To get the full review and comparison to all ro … read more about Three Sterling Ropes Win Outdoor Gear Lab Awards

Introducing our latest breakthrough product for the arbor market: the Scion Climbing Line. The 11.5 mm Scion is a high-strength, low-elongation climbing line ideal for Doubled Rope Technique (DdRT) and Single Rope Technique (SRS). The S … read more about Product Feature: Scion Arbor Climbing Line

As part of our product development and improvement process, this past spring I attended an ice and swiftwater rescue class. This course was taught by Lifesaving Resources, a nationally recognized training company that is based right in … read more about Ice and Swiftwater Rescue Training

As part of new product development and ongoing product testing, we conducted a series of static and dynamic tests of popular hitches commonly used in the arbor industry. The purpose of the testing was to provide comparative data for the … read more about Testing: Friction Hitch Cords