NEW Masterline rope

[lpskier]

I just tried a brand new hot off the press ML rope, either replacing or upgrading the Optimized rope, I’m not sure which. I can say that the rope itself felt great. All the stretchiness issues seem to be resolved, and the shortening segments are color coded so you can again tell rope length when watching from shore. Assuming consistency, ML seems to have fixed whatever was “wrong” with the Optimized rope and they have another winner in hand. Having been a critic of the Optimized rope, I’m pleased to be one of the first to give Russell and crew a “well done.”

[jcamp]

"All the stretchiness issues seem to be resolved, and the shortening segments are color coded so you can again tell rope length when watching from shore."

 

So it's the old rope but at a brand new price, right?

[Dacon62]

Nice to hear that the colors will be easier to see. That was really the only thing I didn’t like about it.

[LOTW]

I noticed the difference first pull out and first pass. My biggest concern during ski season is injuring my back, most of the time it's my fault for taking the hit and not letting go of the handle. I will say that I have had no back issues this summer and I attribute it mostly to this rope. If you haven't tried it, do so!

[Jody_Seal]

Hurry! Hurry ! It walks! it talks! It crawls on its belly like a reptile!! One thin dime! one tenth of a dollar!

Just wondering what the next jacked up item in this sport is going to cost??

However "it's a game changer!"!! B)

[markn]

The older I get, the less susceptible to marketing hype I become. Skied on my lake Monday and used the optima rope...ran 38. Went to Swiss on Tuesday, used a black Masterline...ran 38. My boat is a 2004 ZO Rev S. Swiss is a 2019 Rev S. I just like to ski.

[Dacon62]

Have had my elbow tendons flare up before. Not fun. Never had an issue this year with the Optimized line. Slack hits just are not as hard on you with this rope. And that is worth every dollar to me.

[hammerski]

Definitely easier on my shoulders, thanks ML!

[Wish]

If your taking slack hits in practice to the point where it's causing lasting damage....maybe the rope is not the problem or the solution.

[skialex]

I checked masterline site last night and the new optimized rope looks pretty much the same as the old optimized rope, mostly white with a bit more color flakes, (or maybe it’s not up for sale yet).

Don’t see how easier is going to be to recognize rope length from the shore.

I liked though that they now offer the deluxe at a lower price.

[Stevie Boy]

The main problem for me is that there is not a lot of competition, regards Masterline other than InTow thats why the price for Ropes and Handles from Masterline are still on the up, They can charge what they like, $250 - $300 + Tax for Handle and Line ?

[lpskier]

@skialex The rope I used yesterday had been picked up from ML the day before. Color-wise, it looks much different from the Optimized ropes we bought direct from ML just a week ago for our tournament. The new mainline is grey. And the shortening loops are clearly identifiable. This rope is not yet in stores as far as I know, but I expect it will be in the near future.

 

After using the same rope yesterday, an Open Women skier friend of mine intended to drive up to Clermont to get her own, if she could.

[sunperch]

@lpskier Price??????

 

[lpskier]

@sunperch i don’t know.

[lpskier]

Jenn LaPoint ties the W5 Record with a score of 1@10.75 at the Ross Ski Academy November Turns tournament. As a side note, she was using the new ML rope.

[lpskier]

 

This is the new rope.

[sheskis7]

IWWF Rule Proposed 2019 (minutes) #13 USA rule #10.04 slalom ropes: The colors must be clearly visible & clearly distinguishable.

[The_MS]

In-tow for me until we get word from @Russell about the athletes they sponsor.

[wawaskr]

Is this the only industry where the mfg website is the last thing to be updated to show a new product? LoL..

[ScottScott]

@The_MS I'm not sure Russell needs to respond directly. Have you looked at Masterlines website recently. The athletes pictured, and those not, says a lot.

[dave2ball]

@Stevie Boy masterline does have competition. H.O Radar and for what it’s worth In tow. R&D is not cheap. Labor and materials time making the different braids. All product is American made and the other 3 companies cannot say that. Radar and H&O or accurate ropes are made in China. Other then Accurate ropes who are used in some tournaments in Florida I don’t see the other 2 giving back to the sport.

[dave2ball]

@The_MS I you want to chose your rope because of who a company sponsors or doesn’t sponsor that is your choice. Maybe you should do a little research on in tow. Then you will find out why they are not at any tournaments as vendors or give back to the sport.

 

[JackQ]

I have been to tournaments that use InTow ropes, that is more an exception. I am not aware of where their rope is sourced, but they are all built by Brenda. I do believe they provide some sponsorship/support for some skiers.

[Stevie Boy]

@dave2ball you would probably find that the likes of InTow would give more back to the sport ,if they had a bigger share of the market, at the moment probably not big enough to be able to do that.

Any monopoly on a product is not good for the consumer.

[jayski]

@The_MS better switch to HO ropes if your truly standing behind that opinion :wink:

[The_MS]

I don’t generally research my products to that extent but when I am totally aware of issues with a company via media or personal experience with product, I will pull my boycott card.

I guess if I owned a company and had the unfortunate problem of having to pull sponsorship of an athlete, I would probably make sure that athlete pulls down the info from his web site.

[wawaskr]

One would think that one component of a company pulling said athlete from sponsorship would also include that the said athlete removes all references of the company from their own personal websites??......Has not happened.

[Horton]

@The_MS

 

Cut Russell ( @mlusa ) some slack. It looks like Nate has not updated his site since 2017. Russel can not be responsible for a website he does not own. That is silly.

 

 

[The_MS]

Not if I owned ML. I would lawyer up and make him pull it down. I would also explain to my base of customers. But that is just me, I don’t own it but I can make purchase decisions based on a company’s reaction.

[mmskiboat]

Not sure if @Russell reads this but this page might need to be updated if it was missed.

https://www.masterlineusa.com/pages/polypromax

[teammalibu]

Let’s impeach the old ropes!

[gmut]

@Horton Do you have any experience with a poly-pro towrope vs a poly-e towrope and the effects that either rope have on your body? I heard that a poly-e rope is harder on your shoulders and elbows. Any truth to that?

[Horton]

@gmut I really don't know. I suspect the new stuff is easier on your joints. I am 100% sure that old ropes are bad. I change my rope about twice a year.

 

It is not scientific but if you can see much wear on the loops it is time to change it.

[Horton]

this is about the level of wear that I think is the point where you should change your rope.

 

[dwfrech]

Waterskiing is a such a small market (compared to, for example, snow skiing). I appreciate Masterline for what they are doing. Might not be worth it for you to buy this rope or even it might not make you better. They are trying to advance our sport and that isn't easy. I might buy a new colored optimized rope - not because it will give me a few buoys. If you get to Orlando visit their store. They did two things for us (Pacific NW Skiers). (1) Factory tour (2) Showed us how to braid a line into the bridle. They are a good operation.

[lpskier]

I change ropes as soon as my -39 loop shows the slightest signs of wear. I’ve had the same rope for eight years. My one before that was 10 years old when I lost it...

[Horton]

@lpskier that is on par with the most unadvisable things I have ever read on this website

[lpskier]

@Horton That, sir, was a joke. If you followed me closely, you’d know I have an Optimized rope, new in May, but about to be replaced with the new ML rope.

[scuppers]

I change rope at least twice a year and if my elbows start aching I’ll change to a third new one. Tried them all including the “optimized” and I like Brenda’s the best. By far!

They all twist up if you fall which might be a handle propellering. I just have to unwind it before the next get up.

[pregom]

What’s the correlation between rope age and sore elbows? Is it because ropes get stiffer as they get older?

[Stevie Boy]

If you coil the rope Clockwise, make sure you coil the rope Anti- Clockwise next time and so forth this helps eliminate twist in the line.

[TEL]

@Horton Looking at your ropes they seem to wear out as fast as pylons with out the spinney thing (don't know the name) on the MasterCraft pylon. I thought ropes would last longer

[dbutcher]

Usually it is the handle end loop that wears out first irrespective of pylon. There is stress and wear on that loop every pull, every line length, every skier.

[Horton]

@lpskier there are too many Ballers for me to keep track of. Often the difference between stupidity and sarcasm is the indistinguishable.

[skibug]

@Horton does that wear happen to your loops even when skiing primarily behind the MC. The MC has the swivel pylon, unlike Nautique. I see a lot of ropes wearing out, like the one you have shown, that are primarily used on Nautiques, since they don't have a swivel.

[scuppers]

@Stevie Boy Yes believe me - I make sure all the twists are out when I coil.

@pregom Yes I think after some point the ropes lose all their “give” It’s a fine line between too much stretch and not enough. The optimized ropes are nice but not really any better than anything else. IMO

[dave2ball]

Ropes.do lose the stretch and the fibers wear out. Ropes have about a 150 ski ride life. Skiing with a dead rope will cause your elbows to hurt feel hard behind the boat or off the ball because there is no give or stretch to allow the skier to load

[TallSkinnyGuy]

I've been using Masterline ropes for the past few years and was just gifted a new Proline "8-section mainline" with a neoprene inner core. At best I get into a few balls at -28/34mph. Will this Proline rope just wear faster or will it feel different/worse? Seems like ballers only talk about Masterline or Brenda's ropes on here. Are all the others truly that inferior?

[Stevie Boy]

@TallSkinnyGuy people are always wary of the unknown, that's why I like to use my own line, I recently witnessed somebody go down directly behind the boat, when the rope let go from the pylon, he got banged up quite a bit and very lucky not to injure his ankles or legs, I believe maybe a few cracked ribs.

It Looked and Sounded Nasty.

[CParrish43]

The new Masterline rope is legit guys. I skied a 2 round record tournament over the weekend and yesterday the first round I just skied the tournament rope cause I’ve never used the new ML rope yet. I ran 3@41 , yesterday and today I kept hearing from other skiers how good the new rope feels so I was like what the hek I’ll give it a try and got around 4 ball at 41 today and made a hard s turn but just missed the boat guides to get a full 4 so got scored 3.5 @41 !! Ended up being my best score of the year.

 

I think the difference was I had more support and width out to the bouy and wasn’t falling over through the turn without inside body lean. With some ropes I feel narrow out to the bouy and then the boat is running on me and then I definitely can’t get rotated under the line at that bouy.

 

From that point on now you’re chasing and in the fight. Not a fun feeling. Today felt really good and pumped to end my last round of the season with a deep 41 and yes I’m loving my new 68 !!

 

Cheers everyone,

 

CP