Barefoot rope type

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?

Just the basic stuff, flyers and deeps mostly. I am thinking the TAC line would be sufficient for what I need.

I much prefer spectra-all personal taste but I would not do a flyer with poly.

TRBenj wrote: Im sure bill is aware that there’s a big difference between poly-p and poly-e (HDPE)... not all poly is created equal.

Tim,
What is the difference for some like myself who don't know.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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...