Mike Binks at Seana Mheallan , Torridon

First Impressions

It was instantly apparent that we were working with a high spec rope, it has a light flexible feel and was easy to handle. In many ways it was reminiscent of the performance Edelrid half ropes and has that indefinable confidence inspiring feel of quality.

The flexibility of the rope means that knots cinch down securely. This included clove hitches on belays and tying into a harness. As someone who prefers a bowline for tying on, the tight low bulk knot was unencumbering and did not show any signs of loosening off during climbing. Mike thought the same with his prefered figure of eight method. The Evolution Duetto is very easy to manipulate when belaying as it falls into that nice diameter range of not being too skinny for control purposes, but is still narrow enough to use through a grooved style belay plate.

As the rope is a 8.4mm it wasn't too much of an issue to carry around weight-wise and it was easy to coil and pack into the base of a POD Super Teardrop. So far, it is standing up well to abrasions. I am sure that over time it will live up to Strirling's claims of being a durable rope, it's looking that way at the momment.

Technical Spec
8.4mm Evolution Duetto
Dynamic Elongation 31.60%
Impact Force 6.5kN
Static Elongation 11.00%
UIAA falls 6
Weight 45 g/M

Another good point to mention is Sterling's DryCore Technology. DryCore is a treatment to the ropes core, this has two main advantages: it both reduces internal abrasion from the fibres and reduces moisture absorbtion. The latter is a benefit as wet ropes often proove less strong and can stretch more - the DryCore treatment reduces these negative effects. This DryCore treatment is on all Sterling ropes but if you want a fully dry treated rope you would opt for something from their "dry" range.

Conclusion
At this stage it looks as if Sterling Ropes are going to compare well with the best ropes from the top European brands such as Edelrid, Mammut and Beal. Indeed, Sterling Ropes are already available in mainland Europe and are attracting a strong following among top climbers. The fact that Chris Sharma joined Sterling's team of Sponsered athletes earlier this year can only be a good sign.

Coiling up at the top of Dinosaur Wall, Loch Tollaidh

Whilst the pricing is not yet confirmed, they are definitely not going to be a budget rope, and will be towards the upper end of the price range. However as with many things in life, you get what you pay for - great quality. So If you are looking for a high caliber, performance rope in Spring 2010 then you should give Sterling Ropes some serious consideration.

NEWS UPDATE - Sterling Ropes are now available here.