Courant Kalimba Bubble Gum Rope, 11.9 mm

The Courant Kalimba in Bubblegum is the bubble gum rope a lot of climbers ask for by color: an 11.9 mm, 24-strand arborist line that is easy to see in the canopy. It handles well on both doubled-rope and single-rope systems and runs smoothly through most modern hardware.

Why climbers pick Kalimba

Kalimba is Courant's mid-diameter climbing line, and at 11.9 mm it sits right in the range most mechanical devices, rope wrenches, and friction hitches are built around. The 24-strand cover gives a smooth, round profile that feeds through a hitch or a device without catching, and it stays manageable when you are tending slack on a long limb walk.

The Bubblegum colorway is more than a style choice. A bright line is easier for your ground person to track, easier to spot when you are setting a canopy anchor, and much easier to keep separate from a rigging line or a second climbing line in the same tree.

Kalimba is also a good size for climbers who want one rope to cover both systems. At 11.9 mm it is thick enough to feel secure in the hand on a doubled line, yet not so bulky that it drags through an SRS device or wears you out on a long footlock or ascent.

On the job

On a doubled-rope system, Kalimba holds a Distel or VT hitch well with a matching hitch cord, and it tends a micro pulley cleanly. On a stationary rope system it pairs with devices such as the ISC Rope Wrench or a mechanical SRS device, as long as the device maker lists 11.9 mm in its approved range.

For removals where you are climbing and cutting all day, the low-stretch feel means less bounce on ascents and more direct control on descents. Keep it away from the saw and treat it as a climbing-only line; never use your climbing rope for rigging.

On pruning climbs the supple hand pays off. The rope ties a tight bowline or anchor hitch, unties easily after a heavy day, and coils without fighting you. It also packs into a standard rope bag with room to spare in 150 ft lengths.

Kalimba also makes a good rope for teaching. The bright color helps an instructor on the ground follow what a student's system is doing at every point in the climb.

Care and inspection

Coil or bag the rope at the end of the day, keep it out of fuel, bar oil, and direct sun, and wash it only as the manufacturer allows. Run the full length through your hands before each climb, feeling for flat spots, glazing, core damage, or cuts in the cover.

Life-support gear must meet the applicable standard (ANSI Z133 and the manufacturer's instructions), be inspected before every climb, and be used only by trained climbers. Retire the rope if you find damage or if it has taken a significant shock load.

Write the date the rope went into service on a tag or in your gear log, and track climbing hours if your employer requires it. Rotate rope ends from time to time so wear spreads along the length instead of building up at one end.