Gravity is the constant enemy in climbing, and lessening its effects is the primary consideration for high-end sport climbing. The rope is one of the largest contributors to climbing weight, increasing as you progress up the route. Tying into the Edelrid Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry cuts weight and could add confidence to redpoint attempts at the limit.
Edelrid’s claim of the Siskin 8.6 being the lightest, at 48 g/m, should catch the eye of any serious rock jock. This statistic makes it one of the few ropes that fall under the 50 g/m mark, placing it in a select group.
I tested the Edelrid Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry for 3 months as my climbing season ramped up in Central Texas. I used the rope for both indoor and outdoor sport climbing. The rope withstood the abuse of hang dogging while working routes at the limit for both my climbing partner and me, and we only tied into one end to concentrate the wear.
I also used the rope for both leading and top-roping at my local limestone crag, where it got dragged on sharp surfaces while lowering and top-roping.
In short: The Edelrid Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry was a joy to use due to its flyweight status. It was obviously light while hiking on approach and climbing on lead and delivered luxurious catches and lightning-quick clips. The Siskin showed sheath wear quicker than stouter cords but proved durable for such a skinny rope.
Looking for a new climbing rope? Check out our guide on the best climbing ropes out there!
-
Extremely low weight -
Very easy to clip -
Soft catches -
Supple feel
-
Not as durable as larger diameter ropes -
Expensive
Edelrid Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry Review
The Stats
The numbers on the Edelrid Siskin make it look like the undisputed flyweight champion.
- Core proportion: 62%
- Diameter: 8.60 mm
- Number of falls: 5 / 18 / ≥25
- Impact force (kN): 85 / 6.6 / 10.7
- Sheath proportion: 38%
- Weight per meter: 48 g/m
- Static elongation (%): 5.3 / 5.3 / 3.8
- Dynamic elongation (%): 34 / 29 / 28
- Middle marker: Yes
- Certification: EN 892
Edelrid applies its Eco Dry coating to repel water and dirt. This PFC and PFAS-free finish limits water absorption to less than 2%, which is much lower than the UIAA Water Repellent Test requires for labeling as a dry rope.
Edelrid also applies its Thermo Shield heat treatment to the Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry. The brand claims the thermal process aligns the core and sheath yarns by relaxing the fibers due to heat and then shrinking them by cooling. This is said to result in suppleness and compacts the yarns, keeping shrinking and resultant stiffness at bay.
Additionally, the Siskin is triple-rated for use as a single, double, and twin rope. Finally, the rope is lap-coiled for packaging, eliminating the always-frustrating extra step of flaking out and untwisting a new cord.
The Edelrid Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry at the Gym and Crag
Being the lightest single rope in the world automatically makes it a joy to use in certain contexts. However, smaller diameter ropes may wear quicker, run through belay devices differently, or the tie-in knot might become welded together.
I gave the Siskin 8.6 a concentrated period of abuse to ferret out any disadvantages that should be considered along with the lightweight crown.
That Low Weight!
Packing the 8.6mm cord into my usual rope bag resulted in a package much smaller than usual. My working ropes are around 9.8 mm, and 8.6 mm did shrink my packed rope size significantly.
At 48 g/m, my 70m Siskin 8.6 theoretically should weigh 7.4 pounds, and incredibly, my sample weighs exactly that. The 9.8mm rope it replaced weighs 9.6 pounds; the 2+ pound difference in the realm of all my light sport climbing gear was readily felt. Any work I can save on the approach is more energy to burn on route.
The weight difference was more obvious while climbing, even on the short sport routes of my home crag. I literally didn’t feel the weight of the rope when the rope drag was minimal. Some of my perception could have been due to the small diameter I felt every time I clipped.
Regardless, I did feel freer to make dynamic moves and had a sense that I was putting myself in the best position to complete sequences at my absolute limit.
Handling
Much of the handling characteristics, like the weight, came from the small diameter of the Siskin.
On Lead
Relative to other smaller-diameter cords I’d tested in the last year, the Siskin had the softest hand out of the bag. The rope felt super supple from the start and knotted easily. When pulling all four strands, I could finish my tie-in knot and close all the gaps with little tension. The knot was almost humorously small to me as I started climbing on 11mm ropes, and it looked tiny even compared to knots on a 9.8 mm.
When I fell with little slack out, like while hang-dogging, the knot cinched up tightly, and if I was pumped, I had the usual frustration of untying it. This is not unusual for small cords, and my routine of torquing the knot worked. The knot never got “welded” like some have.
I’ve even had to cut a rope a few times because nobody at the crag could untie it. But I admit, those knots were not perfectly finished.
The rope clipped like no other. The small diameter, suppleness, and wide gate openings of sport-oriented rope-end carabiners made clipping automatic and lightning-quick. This was regardless of gate orientation and was the same for both hands.
The Siskin freely advanced through the rope-end carabiner of quickdraws, feeling almost frictionless. The free-flowing nature of the rope running through the draws below added confidence for clipping and advancing upward when I was nearing my physical limits. This was the same feeling I’ve had with other sub-9mm dry-treated cords.
On Belay
I used the Edelrid Pinch and the Petzl Neox while testing the Edelrid Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry climbing rope. The rope diameter was near the 8.5mm lower limit for both devices. The Siskin fed quickly and cleanly through each, with very little drag. I felt the Eco Dry treatment contributed to the smooth feed.
I was a little concerned at first, as a 0.1mm margin to the lower limit seemed a little sketchy. But soon, I stopped worrying as both devices reliably arrested all falls, from gut-wrenching ones just above the bolt to scary wingers on runout routes.
The small diameter also raised some concerns about lowering on both devices. I had to pay very close attention to the pressure I applied to the lowering levers, and I chose to wear a belay glove on my brake hand. I applied extra caution lowering on ropes under about 9.4 mm, and the Edelrid Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry demanded the same.
Falling
As the lead climber and belayer, the catch felt very soft, and the rope felt very “springy.” Again, much of this characteristic was attributed to the thinness of the Edelrid Siskin 8.6.
I have other ropes that are very close to the same diameter with similar impact force and elongation numbers. Each felt very soft-catching compared to ropes one diameter class up, like a 9.4 or 9.6 mm.
While belaying, I definitely didn’t have to jump or drastically unload my end of the system as much to deliver a soft catch compared to larger-diameter cords. And I did apply extra caution while the climber was above the first bolt but low enough that any extra slack combined with the elongation could result in a grounder.
Durability
The Edelrid Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry fared well in relation to other super-light single ropes. The sheath displayed some light abrasion after 3 months of abuse, which was in line with other ropes of similar diameter. But the sheath wore quicker than the ones on thicker cords.
What was different relative to other super-small ropes was the Siskin’s resistance to kinking or getting soft. Most short hang-dogging falls apply stress just a few feet from the tie-in point. This is the area on ropes that almost always gets damaged first.
To accelerate the process, I only tied into one end for the entirety of the testing period. When not testing, I flake the rope so that the next time I climb, the other end is on top. This forces me to alternate ends to extend the cord’s life.
At the end of testing, the Edelrid Siskin still flaked onto my tarp with the large, unforced arcs visibly indicating that there wasn’t a soft spot. And every time I tied in, I ran a hand through this section to make sure. I was more surprised about the resistance to getting a flat spot in that section of rope than I was about the sheath resisting abrasion.
The Eco Dry coating effectively repelled the fine dust at the bottom of my local crag. I didn’t feel the need to wash it for the entire testing period, which is hit or miss with other dry-treated cords.
The Edelrid Siskin is a super small and light “redpoint” rope, in my opinion. If I had to purchase this rope, which is expensive at $330 for a 70m (a Beal Opera 8.5 lists at $250 and a Sterling Nano 8.9 XEROS has an MSRP of $270), so I would save it for redpoint attempts or other special occasions that call for the highest-performing gear.
Conclusions on the Edelrid Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry
The Edelrid Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry is a Ferrari among Fords in my rope collection. It’s now reserved for redpoint attempts at my limit or for super-long routes as a hedge against my aging body. The extremely light weight, excellent handling characteristics, and soft catches, even when little rope is out, put it into the “luxury” class of climbing ropes. The light weight also spares me some work on approaches, which is a bonus I appreciate; saving energy for the send!
It will not be as durable as larger ropes, so when I’m going to work projects, I’ll haul a bigger cord. But this is what I do with other Ferrari ropes. The Siskin, and similar ropes, are not everyday ropes for me. Ropes around 9.8 mm are my daily drivers.
If you can afford the Edelrid Siskin 8.6 Eco Dry’s higher MSRP, it’s one of the high-performing climbing ropes I’ve tested. It will serve you well while battling your project on the way to the chains. Venga!
Read the full article here