Black Diamond 9.4 Dry Review

Black Diamond introduced their 9.4 Dry rope in the spring of 2018 and it has become one of their most popular. This rope's diameter resides in a tempting middle-ground among models rated for single rope systems — skinny enough to reduce weight, but thick enough to preserve some durability. Be aware, however, that the original Black Diamond 9.4 Dry rope was made with a 2x2 weave on the sheath. At some point, Black Diamond switched the construction to a 1x1 sheath. This change significantly affected the handling but it was not reflected with a product name change. Be sure to check the type of weave for this model when you're shopping. We tested the latest 1x1 weave version.

Performance Comparison

Handling

This rope feels slightly thicker than its listed 9.4mm diameter. The 1x1 weave on its sheath is less common for a climbing rope — most models feature a 2x2 weave. In hand, this sheath feels rougher than the smooth 1x1 sheaths seen on some Maxim climbing ropes. It's also a little less supple than some other ropes, making tying knots a bit more unpleasant.

We also noticed that the sheath is somewhat loose and squishy compared to other ropes. Under tension, the squishiness can cause the rope to deform into an oval rather than circular shape. We're mildly concerned that this deformation could concentrate wear on certain sides of the rope.

Catch

The packaging for the 9.4 Dry Climbing Rope reports an interesting blend of rope characteristics. The static elongation of 6.4% is among the least for ropes in this review. In contrast, the 37% dynamic elongation is among the highest. In the field, we found these specs to be perceptible. Dynamic lead falls felt slightly longer and softer. Top-rope falls in contrast felt slightly firmer and shorter. This is a nice combination of characteristics that our testers really appreciated.

Weight

A 70-meter Black Diamond 9.4 Dry tipped our scale at 9.0 lbs. That equates to 58 g/m, which is near average for a rope of its diameter. Compared to the lightest ropes this amounts to roughly an extra pound. At the same time, it's about a pound less than the most thicker ropes that we would classify as workhorses. These weight figures could be an improvement consideration for crags with long approaches or alpine objectives, but it probably shouldn't be a be factor for most climbers.

Durability

Any rope spun at 9.4mm is going to sacrifice some durability for performance. That's simply the tradeoff you should expect to enjoy the lightweight benefits of a thinner line. However, many ropes at this diameter have still impressed us with well-built ropes that lasted beyond a year.

Unfortunately, the Black Diamond 9.4 Dry could not quite match the durability of other similarly sized ropes in our tests. The soft sheath deformed the rope into an oval rather than circle shape and this seemed to concentrate wear in areas on the sheath. We observed fuzzy spots and sheath fraying earlier on that seemed premature. On low friction rock types, this may be less of a concern, but climbers who visit areas with coarse rock should probably look for a sturdier model.

Value

This rope is priced a little lower than other performance ropes in the low-9mm range. Although its catch and weight certainly are on par with these competitors, its durability was not. The middle mark quickly disappeared and the loose sheath showed signs of wear faster than expected. What's even more concerning, is that several online customer reviews describe similar issues. For these reasons, we don't consider it a great value.

Conclusion