Sterling ropes have been a long-standing favourite amongst climbers. They’re strong, sturdy, and supple, they usually simply really feel good. Simply after we thought the most effective couldn’t get any higher, alongside comes the Sterling Nano 8.9 XEROS.

The Sterling XEROS line of ropes really is a frontrunner within the trade. Sometimes, ropes are dipped in a chemical bathtub to use a topical dry remedy to the sheath. Nonetheless, Sterling has discovered a option to incorporate the dry remedy on the filament degree. This implies each fiber is already dry-treated earlier than being woven into the core or sheath of a rope.

This ensures all the rope, in and out, is handled. The result’s a rope that may have for much longer dry-treatment longevity. Sterling claims XEROS ropes will proceed to repel moisture and keep away from absorbing water for longer.

This is a vital characteristic contemplating moist ropes can lose as much as 40% of their energy. And the most effective half? The XEROS remedy doesn’t add something to the value tag.

In brief: The Sterling Nano 8.9mm XEROS ($270) is the proper light-weight journey rope to deal with something within the mountains. Whether or not or not it’s sunny mountaineering or a moist alpine journey, the XEROS remedy will shield the rope from the weather so you may give attention to the vital half: climbing.

Sterling Nano 8.9mm XEROS Rope Specs Falls 6 as a single

Impression pressure 8.5 kN as a single

Dynamic elongation 33.1% as a single

Static Elongation 7% as a single

Weight 52 g/m Professionals Light-weight

Extraordinarily immune to water

Good put on traits

No price penalty for XEROS remedy Cons There are extra sturdy 8.9mm ropes

Center marker is tough to see Christian Black

Sterling Nano 8.9 XEROS Evaluate

Testing the Sterling Nano 8.9 XEROS

This winter, I had the prospect to check the Sterling Nano 8.9mm XEROS on a visit to Europe and again dwelling within the states. The Sterling Nano 8.9mm XEROS is UIAA triple-rated as a single, twin, and half rope. However I selected to abuse it whereas sport climbing first. And I opted for the 80 m, my favourite size of rope for lengthy sport pitches.

Rock Climbing

Sport climbing in Spain; (photograph/Christian Black)

Such a small-diameter rope isn’t meant as a workhorse projecting rope. However I wished to understand how the Nano XEROS would maintain as much as taking repeated whips.

When sport climb projecting, it’s pretty frequent to put on down one level within the rope a few meters away from the ends. That is as a result of repeated falling and loading of the final clipped quickdraw. I made a decision to make use of the Nano XEROS on some undertaking routes in Chulilla, Spain, and pay attention to the damage traits over time.

Sheath put on on the Sterling Nano 8.9 XEROS after working sport routes; (photograph/Christian Black)

The three-week journey entailed round 50 pitches of climbing on the Nano XEROS. Not simply climbing, but additionally a lot of falling. Towards the tip of the journey, it was noticeable that the rope was starting to put on and fuzz extra closely close to the tip. Nonetheless, I by no means seen any flat spots within the core, solely put on on the sheath. It was a bit harder to untie figure-eight knots after projecting classes. So I finally switched to a re-threaded bowline to make untying the tremendous skinny wire simpler.

Over the past week of the journey, we headed to Riglos, Spain, the place we climbed the 9-pitch overhanging sport route Fiesta de los Biceps. Fiesta climbs over 800 ft of ever-steepening conglomerate slopers and jugs. The route is surrounded by a very majestic view of the Spanish countryside.

The Nano XEROS 8.9 was the proper rope for the outing. My accomplice and I linked pitches sometimes, connecting as much as 70 m of terrain at one time.

The Nano XEROS 8.9 was so gentle that I barely seen any rope weight, even on the finish of the pitches. Pulling up the rope to clip was pleasantly simple. And whereas descending with it on my again, it didn’t in any respect really feel like I used to be carrying a full 80m single rope.

Ice Climbing

Mountain climbing in Idaho; (photograph/Christian Black)

Arriving again dwelling to the states after the Europe journey, it was time to change into winter climbing mode. That is the setting the place I used to be most excited to see how the Sterling Nano 8.9 XEROS carried out. I used it on some native ice climbs in Provo, Utah, and a few small areas in western Idaho.

Ice on the floor of the Sterling Nano 8.9 XEROS; (photograph/Christian Black)

When climbing ice, I’m at all times taking note of how the rope-feel adjustments because it will get dragged via the snow, dripped on with water, or refreezes all through the day. On a few events, we had the XEROS arrange on an extended 40m pitch as a high rope. The rope close to the highest was getting fairly moist because it sat alongside a dripping a part of the climb. When it reached the belay system, all the rope was coated in a skinny sheet of ice.

Though it made the rope slippery to deal with when belaying, it nonetheless fed and lowered easily via my ATC-style system. The rope additionally maintained its regular degree of stretch and by no means modified elongation traits.

My suspicions had been confirmed once I coiled the rope as much as head out for the day. It felt simply as gentle as standard, that means it didn’t take in any water into the inside of the rope.

Sturdiness and Really feel

As triple-rated ropes have grow to be smaller and smaller in diameter over time, there’s a good bit of competitors within the 8.9mm vary. I’ve used different 8.9mm ropes, such because the Edelrid Swift Defend Professional Dry 8.9 or the Black Diamond 8.9mm Dry Climbing Rope. And I felt that the Nano 8.9 XEROS falls solidly in the midst of the street in elasticity and sturdiness.

Whereas the Black Diamond 8.9 felt extremely gentle and supple, it lacked sturdiness. The Edelrid Swift Defend 8.9 felt tremendous strong and sturdy. But it surely was on the heavier and thicker aspect of 8.9 and a bit stiff.

(Photograph/Christian Black)

The Nano XEROS finds a pleasant steadiness between low weight, sturdiness, and suppleness. Its sheath is woven very tightly, which lent itself to extra abrasion resistance. I additionally discovered the extent of stretch to be fairly nice. Not a lot that l felt like I used to be on a bungee wire, however not so little that falls had been tough.

Oddly, my solely grievance was the black center mark of the Nano XEROS (within the blue colour) was extremely tough to see. Regardless of this, of all the ropes on this vary I’ve tried, the Nano 8.9 XEROS was my favourite.

Worth and Greatest Makes use of

(Photograph/Christian Black)

The Sterling Nano XEROS most likely had round 70 pitches climbed on it by the tip of the testing interval. Other than the small space of damage from the repeated sport climb whips, the XEROS appeared to have tons of life left. I beloved the way in which it dealt with, it didn’t are likely to pigtail, and it was oh-so-light. Relating to worth, the Sterling Nano 8.9 XEROS is available in at an MSRP of $270 for the standard 70 m.

For comparability, that’s $10 lower than the Black Diamond 8.9 Dry Rope and $90 lower than the Edelrid Swift Defend Dry 8.9. For a extra devoted sport climbing rope from Sterling, I’d check out the Aero 9.2 XEROS. I like to recommend the IonR 9.4 XEROS for an all-around journey rope.

Sterling Nano 8.9 XEROS: Conclusion

(Photograph/Christian Black)

Sterling has as soon as once more discovered a method to enhance its revered line of ropes, and with no price penalty. It’s a no brainer that the XEROS line must be on the high of your checklist when contemplating a brand new rope.