Back from the White Continent: Our Ropes Have Returned from Antarctica

A Challenge Called Antarctica

Masaryk University operates the Czech Research Station J. G. Mendel on James Ross Island, from where scientific teams regularly head out to study climate change, ecosystems, and material durability. In these truly extreme conditions, we had the unique opportunity to test the performance of several of our ropes:

Tendon Master 9.4 ECO
Tendon Master 9.4 CS
HMPE diameter 8.0 mm
Energo Force diameter 12.0 mm

Under the Microscope: Rope Durability

Each of these products had a specific role during the expedition. The HMPE and Energo Force ropes were used in research focused on measuring creep – the long-term deformation of material under load. This is a crucial parameter for applications such as anchoring masts or structures in extreme environments.

The research was carried out both at the CZ*ECO Nelson field camp on Nelson Island and at the J. G. Mendel Station on James Ross Island.

The Rope That Didn’t Come Back

As life (and science) goes, not everything went according to plan. Our climbing ropes Tendon Master 9.4 ECO and Master 9.4 CS unfortunately did not return from Antarctica – they were stolen. Yes, you read that right – even in Antarctica, theft can happen. The case remains unsolved, and the ropes likely ended up in the carefully guarded collection of someone who knows quality when they see it.

As a result, further testing of these climbing ropes will have to wait for the next expedition, expected to take place in September 2025.

What Comes Next?

We currently have the HMPE and Energo Force ropes back in our lab, where they are now undergoing detailed analysis. We’re examining how they performed in extreme cold, constant wind, and sustained loads, whether their mechanical properties changed, and what lessons we can take from this exceptional experience – primarily to apply them to future product development.

Thanks to Masaryk University and the Expedition Team

We’d like to express our sincere thanks to the researchers from the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University, especially expedition leader Pavel Kapler, whose reports from the field gave us great insight into both the scientific process and the unexpected challenges the team faced.

Working alongside university researchers and deploying our products in extreme environments is not only a challenge we gladly accept, but also a testament to the quality and reliability of the LANEX brand.

Photo credit: LANEX; Pavel Kapler; Kamil Láska