The Last Unsolved Problem of Climbing Ropes 

We are reaching award-winning documentary level of production. Another amazing video. Glad you are back!

Genuinely super cool for Mammut to be that open to their labs, products, top employees, time, and access. I have zero affiliation with them nor allegence to them, but this level of openness is the kind of thing that will sway me in a store when making a buying decision. I hope other companies follow their lead. Very cool video and very informative, I definitely learned something today and had fun watching.

Rope named Reinhart - because "man fällt gerne rein, hart" (you like to drop in, hard). Thanks for all the work invested! I am really thinking about becoming a member of your channel, as there is so much professional content.

"First your back will snap *giggle*" 😅

2020: I only watch science channels on YT 2022: I only watch science channels and Hard Is Easy on YT 2024: I only watch science channels on YT

Can't tell if this made my fear of a cut rope better or worse but thoroughness of the testing is always impressive! I'd name my rope "Knot A Frayed" and hopefully it would inspire me to climb with less fear.

The subscription slo-mo was superb

I hope we can get some independent testing from someone comparing Edelrid's Protect cut resistance dynamic ropes with this new Mammut line. I understand these manufactures (with a long competitive history) are wary to even mention competitor's products, but it did feel a little weird for them to talk about Edelrid's cut testing method but neglect to mention that Edelrid has already been producing dynamic ropes with aramid for a few years now, and this seems to be Mammut's response. Undoubtedly it's a win to now have multiple manufactures making cut resistant ropes, but it seems like being able to compare them head to head would really push them to make even safer ropes.

Ben, This kind of failure mode is why cavers are often utterly borderline paranoid with respect to edge friction and rubbing. Sure, we're usually using static lines, so dynamic concerns duly noted, but we're not shy about taking an extra ten minutes (or ten hours, for fixed lines) to set a rigging with the least rope-rub possible for very good reason. Thank You for spending the time on this one.

Excellent video Ben, it was a pleasure to help out on this project with the slow-mo. That said I am now a full time boulder bro haha.

I call my 9.8mm rope "Hubby" (Husband) because he's reliable and a good catch. Great vid as always, 4 months was worth the wait! keep it going!

29:00 “Yeah that would suck.” (No other reaction and continues snacking) 😂😂😂

Awesome work (despite the obvious fact that it´s Mammut advertising). That being said, what´s more impressive is how important is a good soft catch. I would say that every climbing instructor and every indoor climbing gym owner should see this and teach how to properly soft-catch

Gleipnir is the optimistic rope name I use, Gleipnir was as light and thin as silk but strong as creation itself and made from six impossible ingredients, so quite a good name for a composite rope. In Norse mythology it was used to to bind Fenrir the wolf.

Huge props for doing this video! I've always felt like people focus a lot on gear that has a 20:1 safety ratio while the only non-redundant system we use (the climbing rope) can be cut by sliding over an edge the wrong way. This is about as scientific as you can make a test like this

Such a pitty that the edelrid Swift protect pro dry wasn't in the video for comparison (it has some aramid fibers woven into the sheath). PS the glacier cord was breaking lower than it's MBS due to the knots that really should be said in the video I think. But great work keep it up 👏

I call my rope "God" because it decides whether I get home alive or not. Anyway, thank you very much for the commitment and time you put into your videos, which are always top quality and very much appreciated by the science nerd in me. Keep going!

My rope deserves a full name, maybe something like Ropert Notfrayed

really smart move by mammut. best advert for a rope ive ever seen haha. super interesting video but would have really liked to see how the new rope does on the abrasion tests.

Amazing video as always!! Can you tell us more about the video of the whipper that cut through the rope? Who is it? Are they alive? So many questions?!?! (01:39, 15:50 etc)

Rope Name: Ropeunzel, hoping that there will be no other Grimm Tales from using it! Especially apt for my yellow\golden rope!

10/10 phenomenal. The balance of curiosity, fun and facts was a masterclass in engineering/design communication. Best video of 2024? ❤ your work man. Thank you

This is such a cool video. The context that is necessary to understand why all the components of CoreProtect need to be there was presented so well. And yes, how all the ropes just *snap* at 3kN tension is super scary. Ugh.

After years of research, I can now confidentally say that I have found a perfect solution for the rope cutting problem. Step 1 is to not climb slabs. Step 2 doesn't exist.

Such a cool video Ben! Thanks man. You have to love Mammut for so much honesty and passion. Big up Mammut!

A friend of mine just broke their spine and became paralyzed from a rope rubbing on a sharp rock when taking a whip, thank you for the info!

Rope name: Cubia. In my region in italy, "occhi di cubia", was the name for these 2 drawn eyes in front of the boat where were 2 holes where the ropes for the anchors where going through. The fishermans of a century ago were beliving that these 2 eyes could guide the boat and navigate along the right routes, avoiding pitfalls and dangers. So like in climbing you wish ur rope will not snap or get damage to the point of a bad injury. Very Very good video after long time of absence!!

Ropey McRopeface is really the only correct way to name a rope! Amazing video by the way, the production value is incredible!

The overlength is super smart. My first thought was some intermediary kevlar sleeve but I figured you'd just need to have some means for it to stay fixed while the nylon stretched into an "unprotected zone". You only really need the cut resistant fabric at a fixed point where the pressure is being applied. But obviously friction between the layers wouldn't really allow the nylon to stretch properly, so this is a really neat solution

So nice to see old-school climbing videos of Montserrat at the beginning 🙂

I jummared up to the bivy ledge on leaning tower in the dark a while back (from the top of the second pitch to the bivy at the top of the fourth). Slow climbers infront of us prevented my partner and I from climbing as quickly as needed, but they agreed to fix our haul rope so we could jug it rather than waiting for them to finnish. Unfortunately the rope was fixed over an unseen edge in the dark. I started ascendingt by lowering out 40ft from the wall and procedded to jumar 150 ft up to the point where the rope passed over the lip (about 30 down from the ledge) , and when I got there the sheath was 90% cut. I saw this not quite understanding it, but was able to detach one of my ascenders and place it above the damage about the same time I fully understood how lucky id been. Spent the next few minutes saftley nestle on the bivy ledge repeating the scene from Eiger Saction. In an Austrian accent - "there was a frayed end in your rope, I was just cutting it out"

There are so many people working there with so much love for detail and for the sport and to make sport safer for all of us...I would call it heart core.

Damn, what a production. Thanks to everyone supporting this guy!!!

production level, easily digestible information (originating very technical concepts), the walkthrough on the history of ropes/materials, entertainment value, real life applications, etc... 100/10 !! You've outdone yourself on this by far. This is the kind of content that truly reaches and teaches people. Thank you!

this video has had the most impact emotionally for me, in 2018 I watched as my top rope sheath opened up when i pendulumed just below the ledge near the top of the route. I want cut resistant ropes for single pitch and top rope climbing now. Call it, Stinky Slinky or Pink Panther

When I trad climb I use two half ropes. Less rope drag, shorter falls, longer rappels. two ropes share the load when falling and force acting on the rope was one of the most important factor on how much it could resist cutting. Two thinner ropes with 2KN each might be better than a single thicker rope at 4KN. This rabbit hole goes deeper

You never fail to deliver with the level of detail and analysis you do. As a professional data product manager I can say you nail it when it comes to research analysis. Oh and for a rope name, "Bo Dangles"

Another awesome and informative video Ben! I enjoy you channel immensely, looking forward to your next vid!

I was a pro tree climber for 22 years, in the N Bay Area. First time I have seen a video like this. Thank you very much, people in this field need documentation to aid decision-making about safety in products.

The name of my rope is "Weather Forecast" because it always lets me down You again managed to amaze me with your video! Loved it :)

Do you or Mammut have data about the cutting resistance of two half ropes? They are more likely to seen in multipitching where the sharp rocks are. And again, very nice video! Thanks for your work with Mammut. My Rope is called Richi. The Swiss people will understand :D

The mammut granite edge test would be interesting with double or twin ropes. Best case scenario, the load is distributed equally in both ropes, which would significantly improve the cut resistance.

This was not only well done but also between Mammut being so open it makes me want to support their efforts also I think that when it comes to safety that type of information should be shared in this manner so keep up the good work and I hope many people support you all in making better rope and sharing the results with climbers and being a part of the community!!!

This is really cool for Mammut to bring us in and see everything. I really appreciate that they share the knowledge - and the shortcomings of the industry and how honest they are with how difficult it is to test for everything well as well as showing their attempts and covering the issues they experienced. It really shows they care about their customer's safety and how seriously they take their rope engineering. With all this information out there, there's bound to be someone who may see this and come up with a better standardized test for some of these hard to solve cases. Thank you Hard Is Easy and Mammut!

I actually named my Mammut crag dry "Risikolebensversicherung" (term life insurance) though after watching this video I'm kinda second guessing this decision haha. My Zopa has yet to be named, I'm open for suggestions. :D Also thank you so much for your amazing work. Always amazed!

Another amazingly well done video, super fun to watch and *very* informative. Last week I purchased a Edelrid rope with the protect technology and was thinking about this sort of things since then, this video was the nicest thing I could expect from RU-vid (thanks to you), felt like receiving a gift. Thanks a lot

The video quality is amazing, thank you for all your work!

I have been waiting so long for a new video! Amazing one as always!

Thank you for this excellent video ... for science, and climbers' lives! While I was living in South Africa, there was a terrible climbing accident where a female climber survived the fall but was swinging around under an overhang, in the wind. As she swung, the rope was moving back and forth over a gently curved edge. Rescue was not possible for various reasons and she had no way of ascending the rope. Slowly, as she shouted for assistance and people watched, helpless, the rope wore away and she eventually fell to her death as it cut through. I have never forgotten this: chillingly, as she realised that no help was possible and the rope was wearing through, she stopped shouting and went silent, making her peace and waiting for the end. This is simply the biggest step forward in rope design in a generation. Congratulations Mammut! I've used their ropes for years; they've always been my favourite. I was climbing in southern England recently and my rope was bent over a rock edge approximately as sharp as the granite in the final tests in the video. I was not happy! I changed from a relatively bold climber into a gibbering mess, largely because I had no realistic sense of how dangerous a fall would be, but I felt it would not be good! I would buy one of these ropes in a heartbeat, and in 10.2 mm! Mammut only make them 8 mm and 9.5 mm at the moment, but I think a lot of climbers would be very happy with the extra security of a 'core protect' 10.2 mm.

Name it Mammut 😎

This is great content (as always), thanks for putting in the time to make these.

awesome production quality as always, and an amazingly interesting story. cannot wait to get my hands on this new rope!

Would have loved to see a comparison to 'unicore' style ropes as well!

I go for shoelace.. :D It would be quite interesting how a double/twin rope would behave in the drop test over the edge.. very interesting video!

As usual, great content presented in a great way. These series of videos increased my gear knowledge times fold and I'm super thankful for that!

Thank you very much and thank Mammut for all these tests and explanations !! Amazing job !

My ropes name is Alex Honnold. sometimes when i mention i’m taking it climbing my friends get overly curious and excited, couldn’t figure out why.

After watching your video I will now name my rope : "safety string "

What a great way to market a new product. Not saying that in a bad way either - all this info and such amazing production value and ALSO showing a new product which directly combats this problem. So cool

Thank you for your exceptionally comprehensive and professional work Ben, please keep it up!

I named the climbing rope the ✨Summit Sausage✨

my rope is called "knot today gravity" hopefully this always stays true 😅

Yet another in Ben's series of doctorate level research into climbing. This is exactly why I patreon you and recommend everyone who can afford it (really it's just the price of a cup of coffee per month) to do so. Invaluable!

This was a fascinating video, very well scripted and edited and produced, and highly informative. Thanks.

I guess mmmh "Mr. Soft Catch" is a great name

The ropes name has to be Freya! She may fray, but she won’t break 😅

This was such an informative and captivating video. I've never even thought about any of this stuff before. The pacing was spot on dude 👍

Arborists buy monster static ropes because of the abrasive environment. Thank you! I have wondered about the new Mammut rope.

Obi-Wan. It's my only rope

Here is a name for your rope: Knot a Problem

Your videos have helped me enjoy climbing due to the confidence I now have in my gear. Thank you!

Wow! This was incredibly well done and super interesting!! Tysm for this 🙏

Woah, big kudos for putting this together! Amazing content.

Amazing :) I am happy that all my 4 ropes are Mammut and you have convinced me. I am looking forward to change my current 70m rope soon with an 80m 9.5 Core Protect :D

Fantastic episode, I feel like this should get some sort of an award.

awesome work, really interesting as usual ! thank you very much for the sharing

Hey, I just want to say thank you. Firstly for all your great videos, I have really learned a lot about climbing and have become a better climber and above all a safer climber, a better belayer. This whole video series in cooperation with Mammut has also turned out really, really well. Even though I used to rely on products from other companies, I really have to praise them for devoting so much time and resources to your videos. I find it very exciting to see how they test and develop their products. So thank you Ben, thank you Mammut and thank you to everyone who was involved in the background on camera, editing and creating the videos.

The best placed, most valueable advertisement in the history of the climbing industry. I'll buy such rope, for sure.

Always very interesting info. Thank you!

This was solid work man. Well done!

What an excellent amazing superb video! Congratulations for the science, the editing, the whole of it!

You, sir, are producing some of the most important climbing science content of modern times. This video is simply incredible. Thank you for all your hard work.

wow excellent video once again! this information feels so vital to understanding safety in falling, much much more than simply breaking strength

Thank you very much for the hard work. It was realy full of new and old stuff to reconsider. The "sharp" edge is sometimes, on first sight, very dull. Loved it!

Excellent video, I've learned so much in just 40 mins, this is quality content!

Mammut did a great job..thank you.

Thank you for your work, diving ever so deeply into climbing science to raise awareness and make us safer !

That was a really great video documentary about the technology aspects of modern time rope solutions.

Very, very interresting. As usual. Thank you very much !

Thanks for all work, Nice information

Congrats Ben a great video again!!! Watched 100% at normal speed!!! ❤ I will call my rope « Nun Cho Ga » as it is name of the first intact baby mammoth found in North America, thanks to thousands of years of permafrost freeze.

Reilly the reliable rope. This video was such an entertaining way to present science. Great work!

This was scary and also reassuring. Thanks for the great deep dive into abrasion resistance and rope dynamics!

Fantastic show, thank you!

Excelente vídeo. Un gran trabajo¡

Nice video! Perfect infotainment/docutainment :)) The amount of time You put into these are crazy. Even though I don't really care about ropes, it caught my attention and watched it from beginning till the end without distractions. BRASIL!

Well done ! Educational and entertaining.

amazing video, thanks again for your work

Wow What an awesome video from you, and what a perfect commercial from Mammut. I like this a lot!! All the commercials should be like that!!

With regards to whether the tests can be reused elsewhere. Mammut needs to reach out to the sandpaper industry to find out 1) how they measure the accuracy of the grit on their paper, and 2) how to consistently represent that roughness. They do have standards for the roughness of the papers (termed grit) and need to have a way to test that. It seems to me that you can keep the same geometry of the test shape, but swap out to the granite for an equivalent amount (or average) grit in sandpaper. That would allow the test to be more universal and describable so others can test the rope.