Esprit dynamic ropes are available Dry or BoneDry (standard not available).

Dry - Both the core and the sheath are dry and the rope is water resistant.

BoneDry - Designed for extreme conditions, this rope goes the next step beyond Dry. The pretreated Dry fibres get a second dry treatment for extra protection. The rope is made wet and as it dries a protective film forms over the entire rope. BoneDry is extremely resistant to freezing. Highly recommended for ice climbing, as well as cold and wet conditions.

Low impact force is important - the lower the better.
It means a softer fall for the climber. It's also easier (less force) on the belayer and on the belay anchors. Esprit ropes are designed with high memory retention to give you continued low impact falls.

Number of falls - sometimes less is more. The UIAA standard requires that a rope take a minimum of 5 consecutive 1.71 factor falls. This is  stringent test with a very high safety margin. To understand it, picture the leader falling 16 feet with 9 feet of rope in service and landing 7 feet below the belayer. Repeat this five times with a five minute interval between falls. A rope which passes the UIAA test is a very safe rope. The magic number is 5 and one does not need to go beyond it.

In short, good memory - for consecutive low impact falls, great handling and minimum sheath slippage. Once we went beyond 5 falls, we discovered diminishing returns on other important attributes such as memory retention and abrasion resistance.

Dynamic ropes are heatset to create elongation; the rope's ability to stretch and recover.  To get a high number of falls, one has to focus entirely on elongation. While it can be said that more elongation equals lower impact forces, it can also be said that the rope's ability to recover after a fall

begins to depreciate at a critical point in the heat setting. Our yarns are heatset at a temperature which optimizes the balance between elongation and memory retention.

Taking into consideration that the dye process also slightly degrades nylon, we use mostly natural (white) nylon in the jacket. The undyed nylon is not only stronger, it also makes a drier rope. Finally, we balance the braid to core ratio and tighten down the jacket , creating a rope which clips easier and has less drag. You'll especially appreciate the latter on long and snaking pitches.

Esprit ropes will soften slightly upon initial use but will maintain their original diameter and substantial feel much longer than traditional dynamic ropes.

Always aware that we're slightly biased to some degree, we remain committed to developing a high performance dynamic rope that not only meets the UIAA standards but excels in the field for the climber out there on the sharp end. In short we've built a rope which delivers high performance and has extended wear but what you will remember is the handling because a great hand inspires confidence.