Beal Joker Review

The Joker is a lightweight, supple, somewhat versatile rope, but it has its drawbacks. The rope is available in lengths from 50 to 200 meters. We prefer this rope for alpine climbs or for longer approaches. It is one the lighter side at 53 grams per meter. Read on to see how this rope did during our testing.

Performance Comparison

Handling

The Beal Joker is a soft and supple rope. It pinches down into a small bight with ease, and tying in with a figure-eight follow-through is a breeze. It's easy to clip quickdraws and feed slack with this rope. However, some testers thought it might even be too supple, since it is prone to slipping through some assisted-braking devices if not attended properly. Still, we love its handling because it's easy to pull slack through devices when belaying followers on multi-pitch climbs.

If you opt for a dry-treatment (more on that later), the Joker is slick to handle straight out of the bag, and it slipped on us a bit when belaying with an older Petzl GriGri 2. However, when used with the newer Petzl GriGri, we didn't notice any slippage. Once the coating “wore off” a little, the catch and hold felt better.

Durability

We put the Joker through the same paces as the other lines that we tested (over 80 pitches, many of them sport pitches with multiple falls in the same spot and yarding back up the rope), and after our testing was done the rope was a little beat up. We saw a lot of abrasions on the sheath and a worrisome spot about a meter out from our tie-in spot. When compared to other ropes, it looked a bit worse. So, we don't recommend this rope for day-in, day-out cragging.

This rope's durability is enhanced by Beal's Unicore technology, which prevents the sheath from stripping when sliced. This protects the core and allows the rope to take a beating without experience catastrophic damage. This doesn't affect more users day-to-day, but it's a welcome inclusion. Overall, this rope is plenty durable for multi-pitch climbing, but its lifespan is easily extended by avoiding use during regular single-pitch sport climbing and projecting.

Versatility

This is a fairly versatile rope, though it's versatility skews towards the alpine side of the spectrum. We don't hesitate to use this rope for alpine climbs with long approaches, ice climbs, and long multi-pitch climbs with moderate approaches. When the routes get closer to the car and the difficulty is below our limits, we tend to reach for a thicker rope.

Although we didn't prefer the Joker for gym climbing or single-pitch cragging, it's certainty usable in those applications. It's light enough to help you float through cruxes on hard routes, both indoor and outdoor. It's also nice to use for lead climbing when the pitches approach 25 or 30 meters in length. Other ropes are more durable for repeated lowering off single-pitch anchors, but this rope is just fine for these applications. We wouldn't recommend extended top-roping sessions due to the increased wear and tear that this implies. And, we wouldn't want to ascend this rope on a big wall.

Features

The Joker comes in six different length options from 50 to 80 meters, along with 100 and 200-meter lengths. It also comes in three color options, in case you want to purchase two to use as half or twin ropes. The middle marks are fairly durable, but like most, wear off over time. Beal has two dry treatment options, the UIAA-certified “Golden Dry” treatment, and the less potent “Dry Cover” treatment. The former is a great option if you plan to use the rope for ice or winter alpine routes, and the latter is perfectly adequate to protect your rope from dirt and grime during three-season uses.

The Beal Joker was the first rope to be triple-rated for single, half, and twin use. This adds some versatility for advanced climbers, but it isn't a game-changer for most. Alpine climbers will appreciate this touch, since it allows you to switch rope techniques throughout the climb if necessary. Parties of three and climbing guides love this feature, since it allows the leader to lead on half or twin ropes while still providing a single-rope belay for each follower.

Weight

The Joker is one of the lighter ropes on the market, weighing in at a mere 53 grams per meter. It doesn't get much lighter than this. A 60-meter rope weighs 7 pounds, or 3.18 kilograms, which is light enough to carry deep into the backcountry or on long approaches. A 70-meter rope weighs 8.16 pounds, or 3.71 kilograms. An 80-meter lengths weighs in at 9.33 pounds, or 4.24 kilograms, making it light enough for use on long sport climbs or crags where long, desperate routes are the norm.

This reduced weight compared to most other ropes on the market is a substantial advantage. While there are lighter ropes out there, most don't offer the durability or versatility that the Joker does.

Should You Buy The Beal Joker?

If you spend a lot of time multi-pitch climbing, this rope is a great purchase. It will lighten your load on the approach and help you send on long, hard pitches high off the ground. We love the warm, fuzzy feeling that Unicore construction provides. That said, it's not the best choice for anyone looking for one rope that can do it all. It's more of a specialist product. And considering the protection that Unicore provides, we are surprised that this rope doesn't cost more.

What Other Climbing Ropes Should You Consider?