Now Known Simply as the Velocity
When we first tested this rope it was called the Evolution Velocity. Sterling has dropped "Evolution" from the name, but the rope remains the same.
We've given the 9.8mm Sterling Velocity our Top Pick for a Workhorse Rope award. Even though belay devices like the GriGri are supposed to be able to handle up to 10mm ropes, that thickness doesn't usually feed well or smoothly through them in our opinion, and once you've gone "skinny" it's hard to go back. For new climbers, though, there is still some benefit to a thicker rope — they are easier to hold on to when arresting a fall, and they'll last longer, especially as you learn about minimizing sheath damage from rough edges or poor belaying stances.
Performance Comparison
The Wards climbing in Ten Sleep on the Sterling Velocity. This 9.8 mm is a great all-around rope, and is an excellent choice for those that want a durable rope for a variety of styles.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Handling
For a "thicker" rope, the Velocity handles well. It is smooth and clips easily.
The sheath is tightly woven, and this allows it to slide through belay devices and over rough rock surfaces with ease. When compared to some of the other thick ropes we've tested over the years, this rope is a dream to handle. However, compared to thinner ropes in general, this line feels a little more cumbersome to feed out slack quickly or clip lighting fast.
This 9.8 mm line handles well and is not too thick for using with a GriGri 2.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
As a minor side note, this rope comes factory drum coiled, which, if not uncoiled properly from the outset, can become a major nightmare to untangle. And if improperly flaked, the rope can be extra kinky for the first couple of days. Some ropes come already flaked out in a butterfly coil, which is much easier to unwind initially. We didn't dock any points for this, but it is worth mentioning the slight inconvenience of a drum coil.
It pays to take the time to uncoil your rope initially so that it doesn't kink up permanently.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Catch
This rope is rated to an 8.8 kN impact force, with 8.6% static elongation and 26.4% dynamic elongation. We liked the combination of a soft-enough catch but not too spongy for top roping feel, and gave this rope an 8/10 for catch.
Rating the catch of a rope is one of the most subjective endeavors we've taken on, as there are so many factors that determine how "soft" a fall is beyond the stats of the rope itself. What we can state about this rope after both our testing period (and our personal use of this exact model for three years), is that it won't stretch as much or feel as bouncy as some of the "stretchier" lines in this review. At the same time, it doesn't feel like a noodle when top-roping either. So, if you tend to do a lot of both leading and top roping, this rope is a great choice.
Not a good place to fall! But when you do fall on the first bolt, a line with a shorter elongation, like this one, might prevent you from hitting the ground, or your belayer's head.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Weight
This rope weighs 62 g/m, and is 9.8mm in diameter. That makes it slightly lighter than the heaviest models we've covered here, but significantly heavier than some of the 9.5 models in this review that weighed in around 58 g/m. The extra grams add up to about a half pound more for a 60m rope.
The diameter of a rope can be misleading, and what most people are actually looking for when they search for a small diameter rope is something that is lightweight. Not all ropes of the same diameter are created equal, so we recommend looking more closely at the weight of a rope instead of the diameter.
When you're lugging your gear an hour or more up the trail, a few less ounces is always welcome. This rope is light for the diameter, and won't weigh you down too much.
Credit: Scott Ring
Durability
This rope impressed during our testing and also during our personal use, and we've given it a thumbs up for durability.
This rope has a tightly woven sheath that makes up 35% of the weight of the rope. This is actually a low number compared to some of the other ropes in this review, which can be upwards of 42%. However, it's hard to compare these numbers in ropes of different weights and thicknesses against one another. To get a better idea, we also calculated the weight of the sheath at 22 g/m, which places it near the middle of the pack. Our own experience tells us that this rope is quite durable, runs smoothly over rough rock, and resists abrasion adequately. The thicker diameter lends life to this rope, and it can take a fair amount of hard use before needing to be retired.
Value
Whether you are shopping for a standard weave or a bi-pattern, this rope rings in as one of the more expensive lines in our review. Considering its durability and versatility, it is a great line for those looking for a workhorse rope or who don't want to buy multiple lines. For those on a tight budget, there are likely better choices that can still offer many years and pitches of use, but at slightly more affordable prices.
Conclusion
After closely comparing all the ropes in our test group, we came away feeling that the
Sterling Velocity was the one we were most likely to take out on projecting days or when taking beginner friends climbing. It can perform well for any discipline and could be the trusty choice for a climber who doesn't want or need a quiver of ropes.
