For as long as I’ve been climbing Mammut ropes have had a reputation for durability and good handling. The Infinity 9.5 Protect more than lives up to the standards they’ve set for themselves; a rope that works for a variety of types of climbing.
Retail: $219.95 (for 70 meter)
I’ve used this rope for most of my 2015 climbing season. This includes sport projects, single pitch cragging, desert towers, and multi-pitch granite adventures. It’s been the perfect rope for all these endeavors – burly enough that it can withstand some rope drag and abuse and skinny enough that it still runs smoothly in the system.
One of the best features of this rope is the low weight: it checks in at 58g/m. Mammut has also updated their standards for dry treatment. Since I exclusively use my ropes for rock climbing, I went with the Protect treatment, meaning only the sheath is dry treated. They also have a Dry treatment, for both the core and the sheath; if you’re an ice/alpine climber, that’s likely the version of the Infinity you’d like to get.
I don’t know how they do it, but Mammut ropes seem to handle quite well for two to three solid years. Seven months in I don’t have any issues with the Infinity as far as wear and tear. Even after countless whippers and plenty of rope drag the rope is in good shape, and I’ll still use it for my project or a long multi-pitch route.
One thing that would be cool was if they offered a bi-weave option for the Infinity Protect. (They do offer the bi-weave option for the Infinity Dry.) Currently they only offer the standard middle mark, which needs to be reinforced a couple months into the use, as the marking quickly deteriorates. Obviously a bi-weave makes the rope more expensive, but it would be a nice feature to offer.
Bottom Line: This is another high quality rope from Mammut. It fits perfectly into the category of light and functional, not something you use merely for your sport climbing project, but one you can also trust for a long day climb. All things considered probably one of the best all around ropes on the market right now.
Mammut Infinity on backcountry.com
-LM
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