The Lacaida Lincoln metered climbing rope adds safety while maintaining all the qualities necessary for climbers.
Lacaida, named after the Spanish word for “the fall” (la caída), is an Arkansas-based climbing company specializing in climbing ropes and artistic rope tarps. This veteran- and Latino-owned company is the first to make meter-marked climbing ropes, a significant innovation in our modern-day climbing industry.
A metered rope has distance markers from the midpoint of the rope. This helps ensure safety during climbing by helping keep the climber and belayer aware of how much rope they have out. Hence, they know if they can safely return to the belayer’s position via a rappel or by lowering.
Once a climber goes high enough for the rope to pass the midpoint at the belayer, it’s no longer possible to return to the belayer’s position on that single rope using standard rappel or lowering techniques.
Lacaida Metered Rope Options
Lacaida sells three metered ropes: the Lincoln, the Fern, and the Fitzerald. The Lincoln and Fern are its two UIAA dry-treated ropes (sheath and core) and come in two different diameters.
The Lincoln is its 9.9mm rope “designed for smooth, low-drag use” and comes in bright pink. The Fern is thinner, coming in at 9.6mm, a bright green color, and Lacaida designed it for all climbing disciplines.
The Fitzgerald, similar to the Lincoln, also has a 9.9mm thickness. However, it only features a dry-treated core, comes in soft blue, and is made to last through rugged use.
The Lacaida Lincoln is 9.9mm, has a dry-treated sheath and core that meets UIAA standards, and comes in five different lengths, from 80m down to 40m. This rope sports a bright pink color and definitely won’t go unnoticed.
I had the privilege of testing the 40m at my gym and local crag for this review. I lost count of how many fellow climbers mused about how bright and pretty the color was.
Of course, the meter markers set this rope apart from all others on the market. The Lincoln is marked twice, once on each side of the rope, at each meter near the midpoint and ends, and every 5 meters in between.
How Necessary Are the Meter Markers?
The answer to this question depends on the type of climbing you do. There are some solid pros to the meter markers, whether you’re a seasoned multipitch climber or a single-pitch enthusiast.
The best uses of meter markers are climbing big wall or multipitch routes. When climbing all day, going from belay station to belay station, and hoping you have enough rope to make it to the next one, knowing exactly how much rope you have left is a huge advantage.
The Lincoln still makes for an excellent pick for the average sport climber who needs a rope long enough to get them up the wall and back down again. Although the meter markers are not as necessary for single-pitch sport climbs, they can still be helpful.
The midpoint is easy to find when you’re ready to coil the rope at the end of your session, and when it comes time to cut some cord off, you will always see how much is left. But for the midpoint marker to hold true, one must cut even amounts off each end.
Aside From the Meter Markers, the Lacaida Lincoln Checks All of the Boxes
I have to say I loved the feel of this rope. It fed like butter through an ATC and a GriGri, making belaying smooth with little chance of short roping my leader. On the climber’s side of things, clipping was a breeze, and the drag of the rope through gear felt minimal.
No matter what side of this rope I was on, I ended each session with zero complaints. This was a popular sentiment among the group I was with as well. The 9.9mm diameter is a great middle ground for sport climbing both in the gym and at the crag. And the bright pink color was easy to spot against the rock.
The 40m is super lightweight (verified weight 5.6 pounds), which I greatly appreciated, as I’ve been lugging around 80m to our tiny crags here in Austin (you can laugh, it’s okay).
Lincoln Durability
I tested the Lincoln over almost 3 weeks, taking it outside a few times and climbing in the gym with it consistently. My friends and I climbed, belayed, and fell on this rope repeatedly. Overall, I have to say it broke in nicely.
I noticed minor visible wear after 3 weeks. Despite being 9.9mm, it didn’t have the feel of a larger-diameter rope and was easy to handle.
The dry-treated sheath maintained its out-of-the-box feel, while the cord became more malleable with each use. Even tying in for the first time felt smooth, not too stiff, and I was confident that my figure eight wouldn’t budge.
I was initially worried that it might look dirty quickly because of the bright pink color. However, chalk is the only visible marking on this rope apart from the meter markers. It’s mainly at the end of the rope at the tie-in point or random spots from clipping.
To my surprise, it managed not to pick up the grime from my rope tarp, GriGri, or the ground. The color is one of the things that drew me to this rope, so I was delighted to see it maintained its vibrancy.
Price Point and Other Lacaida Metered Options
The Lincoln 40m rope goes for $189, and the most expensive option is $339 for the 80m.
The Lincoln and Fern are great options for climbers looking for a UIAA dry rope. The Fern is thinner, coming in at 9.6mm, and the pricing ranges from $189 to $349.
The Lacaida Fitzgerald is its least expensive option, costing $149 for the 40m and going up from there, but it only has a dry-treated core.
Regardless of which rope suits your needs the best, there is limited stock available for all three. Currently, the Fitzgerald is only available in 50m-40m, and the Fern in 60m-40m, due to what they still have in stock. The Lincoln has all lengths available, but they are going fast.
Closing Thoughts
Those looking for a rope to join them on big, multipitch climbs should consider the Lacaida Lincoln. The meter markers make this rope a no-brainer when it comes to this kind of climbing.
It instills confidence in both climbers and belayers, allows for more accurate calculations and efficient communication, and cuts out the risk of potentially running out of rope.
Compared to other dry ropes on the market, the Lincoln meets the same UIAA standards for water repellency, and it had the same high-quality feel. And even with the additional meter markers, the price is still comparable with ropes from other well-known brands.
Overall, the Lincoln lived up to my expectations of a great rope. Lacaida is a newer company, but I can see why these ropes have already been a hit in their local climbing community. And after talking with a few climbers in the Austin community, it was clear that this was an intelligent innovation on Lacaida’s part, one that most were surprised climbing brands hadn’t done yet.
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