Sterling Marathon Ultra Rope ($193):
One of the biggest hurdles for beginner climbers to overcome isn't one of strength or balance, but one of trust. Trust that, despite everything your body is saying, the rope will save you from an unsightly splatter if you fall. While more advanced climbers will drool over the featherweight Mammut Serenity, a dental-floss-thin 8.9-millimeter rope to make its debut in shops this spring (802-985-5056; www.mammut.ch), beginners will want to see a beefy lifeline running from their harnesses. Thicker ropes, while heavier and more cumbersome, are also easier for beginner hands to control. (Fatter ropes generate more friction when passing through a belay device, meaning a new belayer will have help stopping a fall.) Sterling Rope Company's Marathon Ultra, a 10.7-millimeter dynamic rope (meaning rope with some give to take some of the force out of a tumble), still slips easily through a belay device yet can hold eight of the worst falls possible—falls that generate forces that even a 500-pound beginner on top rope would be extremely hard-pressed to create. Clearly, this alone qualifies it one of the sturdiest ropes on the market. The nylon core has Sterling's DryCore treatment, which keeps the fibers strong even when wet, a condition that can cause an untreated rope to loose as much as 70 percent of its strength. Use this rope to gain your confidence, and before long you'll forget it's even there. When that happens, you'll discover the freedom of movement that lies at the heart of the sport. Contact info: 207.885.0330; www.sterlingrope.com