When do you change your rope and or handle

[Horton]

I have asked this before and still not sure if there is a good rule for modern ropes and handles. I sort of freak when I see some fray but have not seen anyone break a rope in years.

[jdarwin]

Handle and rope - yearly. Although a rope may "look" fine, older ropes begin the ski like cables and can shorten over time. Once the handle section begins to look worn, I get a new one. Cheap insurance.

[Horton]

I am leaning toward twice a year. If cost was not an issue more often is better as ropes get stiffer over time.

[skier2788]

I've broke three ropes in the last four years. I change when they feel like a rubber band. If you ski with a brand new rope then a very old rope you will feel the extra stretch in the old rope.

[kfennell]

Skier2788, you should also mention that you ski like 100 balls a day on average at 36 mph and pull harder then everyone else put together! :)

[skier2788]

That's a true statement. I do need to really work on being lighter on the line.

[Hugh Nichols]

Order a new one every year.

[6balls]

Pull hard enough and the new one's break as well. I've been there @skier2788 and I think I've gotten lots lighter. Not breaking ropes anymore, though most tell me I still pull too hard.

[Than_Bogan]

167 lb weakling for the win!!

 

I can use a Brenda rope for 2 years easy. I change handle whenever I see significant fraying, which is usually about once a year.

[Chef23]

I usually put a new one in every year but we don't ski as much here in Mass as a lot of you guys do. I broke a handle two years ago and I was lucky that I was just a little banged up. It seems like not a huge expense for the peace of mind.

[Ed_Johnson]

Just broke a new Brenda Handle that was only two weeks old. Wow, did that hurt. Switched to the new Drew Ross Model from Masterline which seems to be much stronger, and I can get it at exactly 1" Diameter.

[Wish]

Just got my handle back from Masterlne. After 3+ yrs it was fraying at one of the ends of the handle. Actually started affecting my skiing thinking about it breaking. Handle itself was barely worn (credit clincher gloves for that) so I had ML restring it. Very very reasonable price compared to a new one. Close to half the price. Not sure this is a accurate way to check the age of a rope but if you push the rope open as if your going to send a rope needle through it and the quickly let go, it should snap back to almost original shape. Older ropes, worn or sun damaged lines will maintain the bulge you created by pushing it open. That's a rope to be used for a cloths line.

[Horton]

I keep my stuff out of the sun (same for my ropes).

 

I round thousands of balls per year. Have not broken a rope in years and like it that way.

[Jody_Seal]

I go through one handle a year because my son steals it! change out ropes three to four times a year because they end up tournament ropes at Cory's They Steal them! Gloves same thing My son steals them! My trick Ski! Yep Stolen by my son! My wife stole my 6AM. Luckily my daughter is a very small girl so she does not steal my stuff. Oh and Delta just broke my Slalom Ski, To me that's akin to stealing!!!

[jipster43]

I bought a rope/handle from Brenda in 2010, but I tore my rotator cuff and only skied about a month of that season. Last year I started in May, broke my foot on July 6, and didn't get back on my ski until mid August. Being that I only started chopping rope in September and I only go a buck-thirty-five, I'm going to give this rope/handle at least one more season. Unless someone warns me strongly against it.

[GAJ0004]

I buy 4 ropes and handles at the same time, keep them out of the sun, and rotate their usage each day I get out skiing. I usually get 6-7 seasons out of them. I am trying out Performance Pure from Performace Ski and Surf of Orlando. So far so good. Just bought 4 of them during last season. Don't buy Straightline anymore. They used to be the best, now they are crap. Masterline trick ropes and handles from now on.

[Broussard]

Every two years, keep them out of the boat and make sure they stay out of the sun.

[RichardDoane]

not to jack the thread, but... It's now typical that everyone has their own rope at the lake these days, how many people still swap handles onto a community rope during practice ?

[Broussard]

At my club they used to, I always use my own. I think it's catching on!

[MattP]

I don't trust the community rope...

[Chef23]

We ski with a group of three or four guys and usually we use the rope in the boat and change handles but we usually turn our ropes over at the same time.

[robscholl-OF]

Handle and rope a year and I use my own rope and handle. Only use other ropes at tournaments.....OF

[ral]

Handles are like wives. Have your own one and use another's or lend yours seldomly...

[skidawg]

Two ropes and one handle a year, I will restring a handle if it starts to fray

[Horton]

@ral Now that is funny

[Horton]

@Brent

I always ski with my own rope (in practice)

[lakeaustinskier]

My kids buy me a new ML handle and rope every year for Christmas (it beats neckties). I tell them what "model" etc. then they get to pick the rope colors. Sometimes the colors look good and sometimes they don't.................

[thager]

Every year although I do have a few older ropes 4-5 years old in good shape I will use in an pinch. One even has an arm guard on it

[Dusty]

I try to avoid brand new ropes- too stretchy until knots are seated. I go through two practice handle a season. When one begins to fray I restring it. Round handles last twice as long. As I can rotate 180 degrees so the worn rubber is away from the gripping area. I normally use a different handle for tournaments- keep it out of the sun, hide it, and check its dimensions whenever I can.

I find older ropes get stiffer, and shorter, as the poly gets harder and more brittle w/ age. I 86 the rope for skiing when I note broken fibers at the knots. Somewhere in the life of a rope is the happy medium- enough give to save the elbows and back, and not so much it makes a slingshot out of it. I wish that period was at least a season longer!

[Wish]

Not understanding how a rope gets older with age?

[jdarwin]

We sell a lot of ropes for "club" use. Typically, a club will go thru 2-3 ropes per season. Split the cost among 10 members or so, it's not so bad.

[skidawg]

We use 2 club ropes per season and I use 2 myself. If u stay with 1 to long it gets hard and doesn't feel or perform as well as it should

[Horton]

@Wish

Are you getting younger?

[Texas6]

I use an arm-guard that tends to cause the handle to fray quicker. Any thoughts on how to attach an arm guard in a way that prevents the zip ties from prematurely fraying the rope?

[9400]

1 rope a year, restring handle as necessary

 

 

[boarditup]

Whenever it gets lifted at the starting dock or cut by the prop. Usually once a year or so.

[lpskier]

@Texas6 Don't use zip ties. Use small diameter bungie cord and lace your safety device to your handle. No fray.

[Wish]

Not understanding how a rope gets older with age?

@Horton. This is why I need my edit button back.

 

Edit: Not understanding how a rope gets shorter with age.

[jdarwin]

@Wish - shrinkage. I don't know the physics involved but I know our tournament ropes after two years or so are on the short side of the tolerance. Also, they become stiffer and feel like steel cables.

[ForrestGump]

The worst crash I've ever seen was at 39 1/2 off at the first wake and the 1 yr old rope broke. Skier didn't know his own name for about 15 minutes. Don't take chances with an older rope.

[scuppers]

Now this whole thread makes more sense. @Jdarwin - I agree they get stiffer with age, but I thought they also got longer as well. I have "fidded" a 3 to 5 inch length of scrap rope into the center of a handle rope to shorten it. Your thoughts?

[Texas6]

@lpskier Thanks for the tip, thats a fantastic idea. I'll give it a try when my new unfrayed handle comes in:)

[Dusty]

The chemicals in Poly evaporate slowly- like your car dashboard. The poly shrinks as part of it goes into atmosphere. Heat, ozone(?), and UV accelerate that. Remainder is harder- more brittle and shorter. Tournament-only ropes can last a long time if cared for- but even sitting in a dark closet- they will shrink slowly- As a chief judge and as a scorer, I have kept records of some of the same ropes over several years, and they were always different, and always shorter as they 'aged'. Eventually they will be out of tolerance and will require a lot of work to fix. Sometmes not worth the time, and easier to just replace them.

[Horton]

Haaa I just got a text from @MattP His rope is way short. Better than long I guess.

[MattP]

Yeah it was 1ft. 5 inches short over all and 1 inch short on the handle. Looks like ML is getting an order from me this week. I guess I am skiing better than I thought I was.

Better than long I guess.

this is very true.

[Horton]

What would I give to have an extra 17"

[Sethski]

If you ride a goode or any ski that has a sharp edge, get the ML Carbon handles because they have rubber on the V. Also, don't use handles where you can see the rope that wraps around the handle, because you need to see if it frays. Also, if you need one restrung...here comes the shameless plug...click below:

 

http://www.h2oproshop.com/reyofaha.html

 

My two cents...

[Horton]

@Sethski

don't use handles where you can see the rope that wraps around the handle

 

So if you can see it... it will fray?

[Sethski]

Sorry, meant to say just the opposite, don't use handles where you CAN'T see the ropes that wraps around the handle. Most of the fraying on that part of the rope is from the ropes interaction with the grommets that the rope goes through as it passes through the handle...at least this way, you can see it. Sorry for the typoon the previous post...

[Jody_Seal]

Yesterday skiing with Regina we took her rope away from her as it really did not look good. The line off loops at 32 and 35 along with the main line handle loop was rather frayed some skiers stay on their ropes to long. We did provide her with a broke in rope that was measured and certified.