Mammut 9.0 Alpine Sender Dry (or Crag Sender Dry)

Mammut has given their dynamic climbing rope organization / naming structure a complete overhaul for 2020. Hidden in this naming change is a brand new rope called the 9.0 Alpine Sender Dry. Or is the 9.0 Crag Sender Dry? As per the new naming scheme, it’s the same rope under a different moniker, but more on that later. Regardless of the name, this new 9.0mm triple rated dry rope has a great supple feel in a durable and very versatile package. A fantastic option if you’re looking for a performance rope that’s light enough for the alpine but still durable enough for sending at the crag.

Before we get into the details of the new 9.0 Alpine Sender, lets first touch on Mammut’s new naming schema for ropes.

Mammut Rope Naming and Organizational Structure

Mammut has created three different categories for their dynamic climbing ropes: Gym, Crag and Alpine. Each of these categories was then populated with the ropes appropriate for that specific activity, and have been renamed by category and rope diameter. For example, the popular 8.7mm Serenity Dry rope will now be called the 8.7 Alpine Sender Dry. Simple, right! Not so fast. Ropes like the 9.5 Infinity Dry are a bit more multi-purpose and span the gap between alpine and crag. As a result the same rope has been slotted into the two different categories under two different names: 9.5 Alpine Dry, and 9.5 Crag Dry. The same rope, two different names. The only difference being the packaging. This may provide the knowledgeable shopper an opportunity if one goes on sale while the other does not.

For the same reason that the old Infinity Dry can now be found under two names, the new 9.0 Alpine Sender Dry can also be found under the 9.0 Crag Sender Dry name. Same rope, different name. Interestingly though, the Alpine version currently has an orange color option that the Crag version does not, while the Crag version has longer length options.

Features of the 9.0 Alpine Sender:

• Diameter: 9.0mm
• Certification: Single, Half and Twin (S/H/T)
• Treatment: UIAA Dry
• Weight: 54g/m
• Length Options: 30m, 40m 50m and 60m*
• Color Options: Blue and Orange
• Fall Rating: 5-6 (Single)
• Static Elongation: 7.8 % (single)
• Impact Force: 8.3 / 6 / 9.2 kN (S/H/T)
• Sheath: 40%
• Water Absorption: 1.5%
• Bluesign certified

* 70m and 80m variants are also available under the 9.0 Crag Sender Dry moniker, blue only.

Handling:

The new 9.0 Sender rope utilizes a 48 bobbin construction like the Serenity (now the 8.7 Alpine Sender), instead of the more typical 40. This provides a noticeably finer weave on the sheath for a smooth finish, kind of like a higher thread count in sheets. The result is a supple rope that I would think is able to better repel dirt and debris, while maintaining a nice feel.

Like all Mammut Ropes, the dry treatment on the 9.0 Sender is top notch. It’s UIAA certified of course, as it absorbs less than 1.5% water. What I appreciate is that it doesn’t make the rope overly slippery feeling or leave any type of noticeable residue.

Durability:

The combination of an increased bobbin count and a solid 40% sheath proportion seem to have made the 9.0 Alpine Sender quite durable for such a thin line. Of course the dry treatment also helps. The test rope has stood up amazingly well to a bunch of alpine climbing, ice climbing and cragging, with very little wear or damage. And where many ropes would be a bit fuzzy near the ends by this point, the 9.0 Sender is still going hard with no fuzz, flattening, sheath slippage or much sheath damage.

That being said, it’s still a relatively thin cord and should be treated with respect. Abusing these thinner ropes, no matter how durable, will lead them to a premature demise. If you just need a workhorse for TR’ing at the crag then this is not the rope for you!

Pro Tip: I typically use my ropes in different types of terrain at different points in their life to maximize their lifespan. They start as ice climbing ropes as the fresh dry treatment is paramount. Then they move onto a summer season as a glacier travel rope before graduation to alpine climbing, and then finally cragging.

Performance:

As I eluded to above, the Alpine Sender has performed quite well for me so far. Testing has included a bunch of ice climbing, some alpine rock, snow and ice climbing as well as a bit of multi-pitch rock. The rope is great to belay with, not overly slippery but still easy to manage through a belay device. Of course some of that is due to the diameter but definitely not all of it. I have not tested the rope with big falls to see how it stands up to that type of punishment, but in general Mammut ropes do well.

The middle mark on the 9.0 Alpine Sender is made of double black segments that are easy to see on the bright orange rope. I must say that difficult to see middle marks can be quite annoying and slow things down, so I was really happy to see that Mammut had done it right.

The only downside that I found with the 9.0 Alpine Sender rope is, like the majority of climbing ropes on the market, it’s susceptible to cutting over a sharp edge. Some companies have come up with strategies to try to combat this weakness but they represent a very small segment of the market. If you’re curious about some of these technologies check out Beal’s Unicore and the brand new Edelrid Swift Protect (review coming soon).

Summary:

Pros: Versatile, durable, supple and well designed

Cons: Like most ropes, it’s susceptible to cutting over a sharp edge

Overall: A very versatile and durable rope that’s a pleasure to climb and belay with. Ideal if you’re looking for something for ice, alpine or red-pointing. I’d give it a pass if you’re looking for a TR cord and go for something with more heft. The 9.5 or 9.8 Crag Classic ropes are good for workhorse cragging and TR.

We were provided with a sample for testing but of course this didn’t influence our review in any way.