As written about in a previous blog post, I have been testing some rope that was kindly given to me by Spanset. The rope is Teufelberger Tutor XG, a 10mm semi-static Type A.
A few months on and with a good bit of use made of it so far, I thought it was time for a quick review on how it is doing.
Since receiving the rope and chopping it down to 40/30/18m sections at the start of September, it has been used a fair bit. From memory and a glance at the dairy:
- SRT rigging in P8 with clients
- Used for assisted handline in Giant’s Hole
- Used by a candidate I was assessing for their LCMLA Module 3 & Tyrolean certificates in Cwmorthin
- Used as lifelines and SRT rigging on a vertical trip in Knotlow with clients
- Used for SRT while doing a bit of coaching with a friend in Aberllyn mine
- LCMLA Tyrolean Module training day in Cwmorthin
- Fixed rigging over a weekend to allow cavers access into Snelslow Swallet for a conservation project. Must have had around 20 ascents and descents on the 18m & 40m sections.
It has been wet, plastered with slate dust, zinc mud, and proper gritty Derbyshire cave mud. Each use has been followed with a good clean like all my ropes do. I use a low power Karcher K2 domestic washer on daisy-chained ropes and then give them a good rinse whilst they are hanging to remove the last of the abrasive particles that might remain from washing on a concrete surface. Ropes are allowed to dry naturally in the hall or on the washing line if the sun is not directly out. Being a full nylon rope, it does seem to take forever to air dry!
I have just done an inspection on the 3 lengths of rope now they are clean and dry and I can report that they remain in excellent condition. The rope used as fixed rigging for a few days in Snelslow did show some damage (40m). This might have been around one of the anchor points where there was a little area of rough rock below the anchor eye. It probably would not have been an issue for a single trip, but being in the same spot for so long might have contributed to the small rub point making a bigger impact. It is still well within safe wear margins though and not at all a concern to me.
The key to supple ropes is cleaning. Clean your kit well and keep as many particles out of the textiles as you can. Dusty stiff ropes are invariably a byproduct of poor washing. I am pleased to say that the suppleness of this rope remains very good. Unlike it’s doppelganger, the Mammut Pro, which goes like steel wire eventually, this seems to be retaining it’s off-the-reel flexibility. Obviously it has a lot more use ahead of it before I declare the stiff rope problems a thing of the past.
In use it is easy to rig with, takes a knot well and feels solid in the hand. It interacts with the Petzl RIGs I use very effectively when abseiling or lowering and I have no complaints about it when ascending using an SRT kit. It might even be a bit better to SRT on than the Petzl Parallel rope I also have. The Parallel is my favourite rope, but being super supple, it takes a while to get it to run through your chest ascender on it’s own. With the Tutor XG being just slightly stiffer owing to the increased sheath percentage, the rope seems to push through the ascender’s cam quite soon after take off.
So, thus far the rope remains supple, intact and solid.
I have noticed that Caving Supplies has begun selling the Tutor XG rope, so those local to Derbyshire can get hold of some at a pretty reasonable price. I’m also happy to lend out the 3 lengths of it that I have in anyone wants to have a go before they buy some.
I’ll probably hold off on another review now until it has had a really good spell of use. Maybe check back in 6 months.