Gear Review
Evolution Aero Bicolor Dry 60M
by Andrew Powell
This is a great new rope by Sterling! In four days I pulled it up 42 pitches of sandstone in the Red Rocks Conservation Area, Nevada. It is super lightweight and supple at 9.2mm and 56g/m. It was light enough that on rope stretching pitches, I did not feel like it was dragging me down.
I used it in combination with a heavier 9.8mm rope to simultaneously belay multiple followers. This new Sterling rope handled much nicer and was easier to pull through a belay device than the thicker rope.
During single pitch climbing, it was also noticeably easier to belay with. The sheath is smooth and durable, showing limited signs of wear after fairly heavy use on the highly textured sandstone.
While taking lead falls, this rope was comparable to most other dynamic ropes that I have used.
If you have not switched to a Bi-color rope yet, do it! The convenience of finding the middle point is well worth the extra cost. The only downside to this rope is shared by any small diameter line, they seem to get stuck in cracks more frequently than bulkier ropes.
In summation, this rope is great and Sterling consistently puts out great rope products.
Evolution Aero Bicolor Dry 60M
