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Test 2021Vario trapezoidal ropes

Stephan Gölnitz

 · 15.01.2021

Test 2021: Vario trapezoidal ropesPhoto: Stephan Gölnitz
Test 2021: Vario trapezoidal ropes
Trapeze ropes are the direct line for power transmission. Adjustable ropes are the first choice for surfing on all courses with as little loss of energy and power as possible.

You should actually recommend vario ropes to almost every surfer" - advises none other than Fanatic/Duotone racer Vincent Langer. He also rides "variable" in the flat water disciplines, only fixed in the waves: "In the waves, the ropes simply mustn't flapping. Nobody wants to accidentally hook themselves back in when doing a backloop in the air." The pros have real problems. His fixed choice in the wave discipline is 32 inches - the guy is pretty big. In racing, he opts for Vario 28 to 34 and usually rides them wide between 32 and 34 inches. "There is also a special vario set from ION with a clamcleat clamp, which goes from 22 to 34. For foiling, I like to set the ropes upwind short, about 24 perhaps, so that I have the sail close to my body. In a room wind - and we now also sail in 25, 26 knots of wind - I then set them to maximum length."

The "right" length

The choice of surf testers can perhaps serve as a guide. The range in the choice of fixed lights for bump & jump and waves extends from 28 inches at 1.78 metres to 30 and 32 at around 1.80 metres to a whopping 34 inches for testers a good 1.88 metres tall.

Adjustment

With the exception of one set (ProLimit), all ropes can be adjusted while surfing. On the models with a metal clamp, all you have to do is press and the rope goes down quickly. In the case of pull straps with Velcro fastening, you have to loosen the Velcro beforehand or reattach the desired extension a little further up.

Fit

All ropes fit perfectly on bar diameters of 33 millimetres, usually well on 31 millimetres, but on even thinner forks there is often a visible Velcro flag protruding. Perhaps the time is ripe for slightly adapted cuts for current forks, which very rarely have a diameter of more than 32 millimetres (including grip) in the grip area. Some ropes fail completely on the 27 mm carbon fork. All tested ropes can be used on standard freeride forks with an outer diameter of around 32 mm without any restrictions on use.

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Test preview: Fixed ropes

If you prefer the usually much stiffer stance of the non-adjustable ropes, including often a better fit on very thin forks, you will find an overview and test in SURF 10/2020. Online here soon!

You can find the complete test of the 13 Vario trapeze ropes with all data, ratings and grades as a PDF in the download area below.

  • Ascan Harnessline Vario
  • Dakine Comp Adjustable Lines
  • GA Sails Race Adjustable Harness Lines
  • GA Sails Fixed Adjustable Harness Lines
  • GA Sails Quick Adjustable Harness Lines
  • Gunsails trapeze ropes Vario
  • ION Harness Line Set Vario
  • Neilpryde Harness Lines Race Vario
  • Point-7 Harness Lines Vario
  • Prolimit Single Adjustable Harness Lines
  • RRD Adjustable Harness Lines
  • Severne Race adjustbable
  • Unifibre Harness Lines fixed Vario
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Photo: Stephan Gölnitz

Monkey swing on the foilboard

SURF tester Nicholas Slijk is as much at home on the IQ Foil as he is on the slalom board.Photo: Stephan GölnitzSURF tester Nicholas Slijk is as much at home on the IQ Foil as he is on the slalom board."I use 24-26 inches in the slalom with light winds and large sails. The more the wind picks up, the longer I sail the ropes. You get lower with your body and have more control. On a 6.2 metre sail, at 25 knots, I use 34 metre ropes. When foiling, you need a lot of power on all courses, you want to keep the mast upright. Nevertheless, I set the ropes a little shorter in light winds. I reckon that's 34 inches in the short setting and goes up to 45 inches." Clearly visible in the photo at the top: The mast is almost perpendicular to the board. If you were to pull the mast over to windward in the usual geometry, the rig would lean even more due to the edged board and would lose projected area.Photo: Stephan Gölnitz"I use 24-26 inches in the slalom with light winds and large sails. The more the wind picks up, the longer I sail the ropes. You get lower with your body and have more control. On a 6.2 metre sail, at 25 knots, I use 34 metre ropes. When foiling, you need a lot of power on all courses, you want to keep the mast upright. Nevertheless, I set the ropes a little shorter in light winds. I reckon that's 34 inches in the short setting and goes up to 45 inches." Clearly visible in the photo at the top: The mast is almost perpendicular to the board. If you were to pull the mast over to windward in the usual geometry, the rig would lean even more due to the edged board and would lose projected area.

Downloads:

Trapezoidal ropes (pdf)

Stephan Gölnitz

Stephan Gölnitz

Deputy Editor in Chief surf

Stephan Gölnitz comes from Bochum and had Holland as his home windsurfing territory for many years before moving to Munich in 1996 for the job of test editor at surf magazine. The materials engineering graduate worked as a surf instructor on the Ijsselmeer during his studies and competed for several seasons for the Essen sailing team in the Surfbundesliga and the Funboard Cup. He completed a traineeship at surf-Magazin in the test department and since then has actively accompanied almost all tests on the boom and for more than 10 years also as a photographer. Stephan has covered many thousands of test kilometers, mainly on Lake Garda and in Langebaan, but also in Egypt and Tobago. He gets his hands on over 100 new sails and boards every year as his company car. Privately, he prefers to surf with a foil on Lake Walchensee or “unfortunately far too rarely” in the waves. SUP is Stephan's second passion, which he pursued for several years at numerous SUP races. Today, he prefers to paddle on river tours with family or friends - even for several days.

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