Marlow Excel 2mm Throw Line

Review by: Niceguydave

“Marlow ropes is a new player in the US, and we are offering some of their products this year. One "new" line form them is a simple offering. They have a 2mm Polyester throwline. (think super small prusik cord). It is slick, has no memory, throws well out of a cube, and is very easy on the wallet. The old "slick line" and Target line can be relegated to the garage sale this summer. I was amazed at how functional this line was for hand throwing. It is slippery enough to bring the bag back down, does not tangle bad, and for those on a budget where the more expensive offerings are out of reach, you now have a very viable option for professional use. We are placing this in our kits this year making an excellent upgrade for the entry level kits. Better gear equals more money and easier days.”

Rated: Disappointing Review by: Cory

“ There is a reason this line is cheap. While definitely a step up from target throw line, it is still frustrating for entirely different reasons. The breaking strength is pathetic, nearly useless if you have to thread line through anything with the slightest friction. The cover digs into bark and makes it difficult to slide across even smoother barked branches. And it loves to rats nest, especially when new. It is best suited as a backup throw line or as a throw line used while aloft. Only use this as your primary if you really enjoy climbing after stuck throw line or throw weights. ”

Rated: Good Review by: Phil

“First impressions after the first day out with this line:

I am comparing it to Target Line, the hard diamond-braid polyethylene line that I have learned to make work in a BigShot. I am working Southern Yellow Pine.

Visibility: Marlow is excellent, especially under low-light conditions. Pre-rigging a tree at dusk last week for work the next morning, the line was extraordinarily easy to see against a darkening overcast sky. Next day, in the sun, it was even better.

Slickness: Compared to Target Line, it is not quite as slick, requiring a bit more weight to pull through multiple branches. A side effect of the slightly rougher surface is that it seemed more prone to saw its way into crotches when hauling up the heavier rigging line. I did have a problem on a couple of tight-vee crotches but was able to clear the throw line without having to go up after it. I would actually prefer a slicker finish.

Flexibility: It is definitely more supple than Target. When it tangles on a shot, it knots down fairly tightly. I shoot out of a five-gallon bucket instead of a line cube, and have learned to carefully manage the twist in Target between shots. The Marlow seemed to be settling down by the time I finished this piece of work, so I'll be willing to wait and see how it does when fully broken in. Probably need to manage twist just as carefully. My first impression is that it was tangling/knotting worse than the Target, but I started doing better with it.

Size: smaller than Target. No impact on functionality.

Other: ability to grip and hold the rigging line is better, probably due to being more flexible and having a slightly rougher coat. It held perfectly with fewer half-hitches above the girth hitch.”

Rated: Terrible Review by: Tony

“This throw line stinks! It has way to much stretch, does not run good through crotches, breaks easily and gets tangled. Have to stay with zing-it. ”