The Black Diamond 9.6 is our workhorse all-season climbing rope with a bi-pattern that makes the middle mark easily identifiable and a versatile diameter that can take you from redpoint burns at the crag to multi-pitches in the Alps.
From clean climbing, to conservation, Black Diamond is committed to protecting the people and places we love.
We trust what we make because we use what we make. All Black Diamond products are covered by a two year warranty policy.
At BD, our passion for innovation is only matched by our desire to use our equipment and experience the success it was designed for. From the world’s first wire-gate carabiner to our cornerstone Camalots, we have always designed gear that enables climbers to push the limits of our sport.
Overall rating: 4.9076924 / 5 from 65 reviews.
The Black Diamond 9.6 Bi-pattern Dry Climbing Rope is praised for its versatile feel, bi-pattern design, and ease of handling. It is suitable for various climbing scenarios, from sport climbing to multi-pitch adventures.
Review topics: ["color","feel","looks","works","pattern","stretch","thickness","rope","durability","catch","cord","handles","treatment","hands","change","sheath","kinks"].
"This rope is exactly what I was looking for to use on outdoor trips around California. It is well made and perfect for what I want to send."
"Great rope! Supple and was ready to go on it's first day. The sheath is holding up well after a few days of trad leading, rapping and TRing. The only thing I would change is to use better adhesive on the taped tips at the end of the rope, hardly a major issue. Would definitely recommend!"
"This is my first rope for lead climbing and it’s amazing! I’m used to having a gym rope that struggles to get through my grigri. The 9. 6 is perfect for that, easy to work with and the bi pattern helps with addition safety and focus. Can’t wait to use it for sport!"
"BD’s 9. 6 dry rope is a great all-round rope. The bi-pattern means you will always be able to find the middle for half length rappels. The added safety is worth it."
"This was my first rope purchase, as I wanted something that would be water resistant for climbing near waterfalls and ice climbing, and also durable for normal rock climbing. Unfortunately I had an incident where the sheath was cut with an ascender in the first year of owning this rope, I'm still not sure if that was operator error or the rope's fault, but it worked well while it lasted and was able to get us out of a sketchy situation. The bi pattern is a huge step up over a simple middle marker. It may not seem like it at first, but when you're stuck in waterfall spray, or frozen while trying to rappel an ice climb, the bi pattern is a life saver. The rope was supple and fed well through tubular or assisted belay devices, plus bright blue was easy to see against most backgrounds."
"I’ve always climbed on a 9. 8 and was worried the 9. 6 would be too thin (more stretch?) but so far so good with this rope. Took a few test falls which went fine. Bi-pattern is clutch. I usually prefer more neutral tones with splashes of color but this blue is nice."
"This rope is amazing! As a beginner I was having a hard time finding a rope with all the options on the market but this one is perfect with the easily identifiable middle marker and its diameter and length are just right. 10/10 would recommend"
"Dual patterned for people like me who can never find the faded middle mark that's no more than one inch wide. I'll never die from slipping off one strand ever again. - ghost of zanda"
"Stretchy, easy to see, love the multi pattern"
"The rope does exactly what I need it to and feels great to handle. Bi-pattern design makes it easy to coil. I recommend this."
