Sterling Debuts UIAA Water Repellent Climbing Ropes

Sterling Rope Company announced that its new DryXP ropes are not only UIAA certified, but they also exceed the group’s stringent standards for water absorption, said the company. In other words, DryXP ropes are certified to the UIAA Water Repellent standard of less than 5% water absorption.

According to Sterling, the ropes feature an environmentally friendly, nano-particle coating that’s applied to the entire rope. The treatment is available standard on the Fusion Photon and Nano IX and is an optional treatment on the Evolution Helix, Velocity and Duetto.

With extensive in-field testing and feedback, Sterling engineers utilize this special technology to protect ropes and to ensure they perform well in all conditions, said the company.

“Sterling’s DryXP has exceeded my expectations with rigorous abuse of the Nano IX DryXP,” says Angela Hawse, Sterling Team member and IFMGA/AMGA Guide. “I’ve tested it from ski mountaineering on the Antarctic Peninsular to climbing ice and alpine rock routes high in the Rockies. While dragging it across glaciers and testing it on wet ice climbs it has shed moisture like a freshly waxed car. Even on rough desert sandstone this spring it has withstood considerable abrasion, shown little wear and retained its solid hand after considerable use. The tighter sheath of the Nano IX combined with the new DryXP treatment is a winning combination. Yet another innovative Sterling solution to help me focus on the objective, not my rope.”

Sterling will release an expanded line of DryXP ropes in more diameters and colors by January, 2018.