Barefoot rope type |
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dkimball
Groupie Joined: July-15-2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 44 |
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Posted: September-14-2018 at 11:13am |
What type of rope do you guys use for barefooting? Lake Elmo sports has the 90' low stretch HDPE TAC line for around $50 while the spectra 95' is $130. Is there a noticeable difference between the two for barefooting?
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Kimball
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21115 |
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Depends what type of barefooting. HDPE/HTPE will have more stretch than spectra, etc.
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dkimball
Groupie Joined: July-15-2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 44 |
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Just the basic stuff, flyers and deeps mostly. I am thinking the TAC line would be sufficient for what I need.
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Kimball
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21115 |
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Yup, it’s a good basic line. Also good when a little stretch is preferable (though this is not typical). Lower stretch stuff is better for learning and advanced tricks.
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fanofccfan
Platinum Member Joined: December-13-2009 Location: North Bend NE Status: Offline Points: 1726 |
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I much prefer spectra-all personal taste but I would not do a flyer with poly.
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2004 196 LE Ski 1969 Marauder 19 1978 Ski
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21115 |
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Im sure bill is aware that there’s a big difference between poly-p and poly-e (HDPE)... not all poly is created equal.
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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Tim, What is the difference for some like myself who don't know. |
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Donald80SN
Grand Poobah Joined: January-12-2009 Location: Denver, NC Status: Offline Points: 3888 |
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Both Poly's are OK for tubing.
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1980 Ski Nautique SOLD Back to Cypress Gardens
2002 Sport Nautique, GT-40, FCT2, Cover Sports, Tower Bimini, Inc., Wet Sounds Audio System, Star Gazer Wake Edition S. 1968 Ski Nautique, Project. |
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75 Tique
Grand Poobah Joined: August-12-2004 Location: Seven Lakes, NC Status: Offline Points: 6103 |
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Pete, its the material they are made of and I suppose number of strands/fibers per strand is also a factor.
Spectra or Dyneema - Ultra High Molecular Weigh HDPE Strongest, Least stretch, most expensive, preferred by wake boarders and footers Poly-e HDPE (also referred to TAC, not sure what TAC is) More strands, more fibers, tighter wound, minimal stretch, Good for barefooting and I believe the favorite for show skiing. Poly-p Polypropylene, normal ski rope, 2-3% stretch, least cost, loosest wind. |
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“So, how was your weekend?” “Well, let me see…sun burn, stiff neck, screwed up back, assorted aches and pains….yup, my weekend was great, thanks for asking.” |
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41040 |
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Larry,
Thanks. It's been a few years since I've purchased a rope and just like everything else, there is change. |
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75 Tique
Grand Poobah Joined: August-12-2004 Location: Seven Lakes, NC Status: Offline Points: 6103 |
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Dan, If you are on a budget but like the idea of a spectra line, I got one of these It has the plastic coating. Some like that, some dont. Some say its helps tangling, some say it doesnt. In my opinion, it is a little more susceptible to tangles than uncoated, but probably not a big enough problem to spend 2x. If you like 100 feet, length might be a factor too.
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_____________
“So, how was your weekend?” “Well, let me see…sun burn, stiff neck, screwed up back, assorted aches and pains….yup, my weekend was great, thanks for asking.” |
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rebel skier
Gold Member Joined: October-17-2014 Location: Middle Tenn Status: Offline Points: 771 |
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If I let anyone else touch my spectra ropes I have to untangle them. If anyobe finds a version that is not super tangle prone let me know.
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Hotty Toddy lets go skiing!
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fanofccfan
Platinum Member Joined: December-13-2009 Location: North Bend NE Status: Offline Points: 1726 |
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I also agree the spectra lines can at times get to be a tangled up mess! We ski with both TAC and spectra and even on its best days the BI tac line is way more stretchy! They both still get the job done. If a poly-p is the only thing in someones boat and I am offered a pull I take it! A bungee pull every once in while makes one appreciate the finer things in life!
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2004 196 LE Ski 1969 Marauder 19 1978 Ski
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21115 |
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I have seen some newer BI TAC that’s surprisingly stretchy- like it wasn’t pre-stretched at all. Much springier than the (pre-stretched) HDPE/HTPE lines I’ve made or the older broken in BI stuff I have. Even pre-stretched/broken in, HDPE still has more stretch than spectra for sure (which is advantageous for some uses). No issues doing LLBD’s or flyers with HDPE though. Spectra is nice but mine doesn’t get as much use (mostly due to the tendency to knot).
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75 Tique
Grand Poobah Joined: August-12-2004 Location: Seven Lakes, NC Status: Offline Points: 6103 |
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This is where some old school/old fart like me chimes in and says, "Yeah, well back in the day, all we had was old poly-p stretchy ski ropes to learn with, and we did fine" But the other side of that coin is explained in this post at the bottom of the first page of the "learning to foot" thread. from 2008, when someone asked about ropes.
So in this case, I am all for improved equipment. Greg has a friend, Justin, some of you have met him at Greg's. Heavily involved in the Carolinas show ski team and is the primary rope tender of the team. As I stated above, I believe the poly-e ropes are the show team standard, and Greg was telling me how Justin "pre-stretches" them. I forget the details, but its pretty aggressive, like tying them to a trailer hitch and pulling them and leaving them for a set amount of time, or something like that. After that, they are cut and looped to the proper dimensions. He can better explain the details. Back in the day, (mid 80s - I learned to foot in 72, so it took a while) I did my first up grade and got a 100 foot rope that had a kevlar core surrounded by a Poly-p rope. I guess spectra is similar to kevlar, in that I have seen comparisons. Needless to say, I still have that rope, although it did break (at the very end, so still usable) when HW and I were doing a tandem flyer when he came down to visit. |
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_____________
“So, how was your weekend?” “Well, let me see…sun burn, stiff neck, screwed up back, assorted aches and pains….yup, my weekend was great, thanks for asking.” |
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dkimball
Groupie Joined: July-15-2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 44 |
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This is what I was thinking of picking up. https://www.lakeelmosports.com/product.php?productid=22&cat=37&page=1
I do have coated spectra line that was shown above for wakeboarding I was just hoping to get a 100' set up without breaking the bank. I also hate rolling and "tying" the spectra line as it doesn't typically hold like the thicker ropes so when I put it away it is always a tangled mess when I take it back out. |
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Kimball
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TRBenj
Grand Poobah Joined: June-29-2005 Location: NWCT Status: Offline Points: 21115 |
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100’ is typically made as 70+10+10+10, which allows you to tune length based on wake shape, speed or discipline. Elmo should be able to build you an additional 10’ to add to that 90’. Their HDPE is good, I have many ropes made from their bulk stock.
What method are you using to coil/store ropes? They shouldn’t be coming undone in storage... |
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fanofccfan
Platinum Member Joined: December-13-2009 Location: North Bend NE Status: Offline Points: 1726 |
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Tim. I would be willing to take that knotted up spectra off your hands!😉😬
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2004 196 LE Ski 1969 Marauder 19 1978 Ski
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