The Petzl Arial 9.5 Dry Climbing Rope was designed for the experienced climber looking for a good balance between performance and maximum durability. Treated with Duratec Dry and EverFlex handling, this rope is ideal in all conditions and will keep you climbing throughout the seasons. During our six month testing period, we found that this rope can be defined by its durability. The Petzl Arial was able to take substantial abuse when climbing on a regular basis and continued to perform well throughout its lifespan.
To guide our rope reviews, we have broken the rope into two categories: 1) Handle and Feel and 2) Durability. Because ropes always tend to look smooth and shiny out of the coil, these categories become increasingly important for purchasing the perfect rope. For all our rope reviews, we do not stop our field test until we have to cut one of the ends of the rope due to sheath break-down from climbing. This gives us a good idea of what to expect from the lifespan of the rope.
Petzl Arial 9.5 Dry Climbing Rope
We tested the Petzl Arial over a six month period. Our testing process involved climbing three to four days a week outside, climbing on a variety of terrain with a variety of body types, from 135 lbs to 200+ lbs climbers. After months of rigorous testing, the Arial proved itself to be a workhorse rope designed to take a lot of abuse from climbing on a regular basis.
Handle and Feel (7.5/10)
The Petzl Arial 9.5 had a soft feel with medium resistance in the coils. On the sharp end, the rope was easy to manipulate when clipping and showed little resistance when clipping at the very top of longer routes. Given that it is the Arial is a 9.5mm rope, it does feel a little thicker than your typical skinny rope. However, it should be noted that the Arial was able to keep its diameter over the course of its lifetime, unlike some ropes that get fatter with prolonged use.
When belaying, the Arial felt pretty slick during initial use but after using the rope for a week or two, the quickness through the gri gri dissipated. It moved smoothly through the belay device when paying out slack and nd the Arial felt very controllable when lowering even the heaviest of climber.
For those looking for a few climbing-ready options, the Arial features a ‘Climb Ready’ coil out of the plastic as well as marked mid-way point for safety when rappelling. According to Petzl, the Arial also features an UltraSonic Finish, in which the core and the sheath are bonded together at the rope ends by an ultrasonic process to avoids frayed ends. Ironically, this was the only rope in which we experienced a frayed end early on in the testing session. We also expected that when cutting the rope the new technology would reduce fraying. This was not the case.
Durability (9/10)
The Petzl Arial 9.5 was one of the most durable ropes we have tested. We began climbing on the rope in the first week of March and continued to climb regularly on this rope until the end of August, when we made our first cut of one of the ends. This rope was tested primarily on single pitch sport routes but was also used on a few multi-pitch outings, where it performed considerably well. Despite heavy projecting, the sheath of the rope stayed in tact for a long time and was resistant to a series of daily abuse. We would highly recommend this rope to any climber based on its durability alone.
Overall (8.5/10)
Overall, the Petzl Arial 9.5 is one of the most durable ropes on the market. Whether you are projecting or roping up for a few pitches with some friend, this rope should last longer than most ropes. Over a six month period, the Arial was able to absorb substantial amount of abuse from single pitch climbing. It took us six months before we had to chop either end of the rope despite climbing on multiple projects. Out of the coil, the Arial is pretty slick and runs through the gri gri rather quickly so some caution is required during initial use. It has a soft but not too soft feel and was able to keep its shape rather well through the lifespan of its use. We would highly recommend this rope to anyone looking for a rope that will withstand a ton of abuse for a long period of time.
Features
Diameter: 9,5 mm
Rope type: (CE EN 892, UIAA): single rope
Weight per meter: 58 g
Percentage of sheath: 40 %
Number of factor 1,77 falls: 7
Static elongation: 7,6 %
Dynamic elongation: 32 %
Impact force: 8,8 kN
Construction: 40 carrier
Material(s): nylon
Price
$319.95 (MSRP) and available at Valhalla Pure Outfitters
