Testing: The New CanyonLux

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 real-world conditions:  

TJ Cottam

Canyoneer & Guide:

"The CanyonLux prototype performed nicely, but I’m glad to see that what we learned on our test trip was incorporated into the final rope design.

Sara’s experience as a caver was valuable to have during our canyoneering test trip. It gave us the chance to speak in plain terms to an engineer with similar experiences, and it was great to know that my feedback would affect the design of the finished product. The prototype ropes we sampled were smooth and easy to pull down, but were difficult to see in water. In the finished product, Sara incorporated brightly colored polyester blended into the Technora™ sheath, which really helped with visibility. As a bonus the added polyester reduced water absorption in those wet canyons, which means a lighter rope, wet or dry. This makes it great for exploration and projects as well as established route"

Sara Fleetwood

Sterling Product Engineer:

"I've been an avid climber and caver for some time, but this level of canyoneering was new to me. I got to experience conditions firsthand and see how advanced canyoneers and guides use and abuse their gear. I also got to evaluate some of their used ropes to see how they’ve held up over long-term use.

There’s immense value in designing a rope having experienced the real world situations it will encounter versus doing in-office research and reacting to adjectives on a design brief. In my mind, it was the key difference between creating another good canyon rope and creating something truly special, which is what the CanyonLux has become."

The CanyonLux is now available in multiple colors and lengths.