Review on 🔍 Nite Ize RR-04-50: 50 FT Reflective Green Rope Pack - Enhanced Visibility Cord by Julio Montano

Because reflectivity is so important, I decided to take a photo and show six options. This is a flash photo taken at night. The far left pattern is a 3.5mm Blue Water reflective nylon cord. It's smooth and soft, as you would expect from a kernmantle rope; reflective threads are very bright, but there are not many of them. Its breaking strength is 500 lbf. (2.2kN). Next is the 2.5mm Nite Ize. There are more reflective threads in this cable, and they kind of stick out on the surface. It reflects the most light of any cable, but its dark green color is difficult to see in daylight. In the hand it feels stiff and lumpy rather than flexible. Next is the 2.0mm (as I measured) "fluorescent" reflective line. It has fewer reflective filaments and less reflected light, but its non-reflective fibers are a bright yellow-green color, making it stand out well when illuminated. The material isn't specified, but assuming it's nylon the tensile strength would be around 175lbf. (0.7kN). And if it's nylon, it can stretch when wet. Then we have the 1.5mm Kelty TripTease. Its golden color catches the eye and the reflective fibers work well. TripTease is said to have a breaking load of 188 pounds due to the Dyneema core. This is what I use for tent lines and zips most of the time, and the Dyneema core seems to minimize stretch when wet. It works well with Lineloc tensioners. Next is the non-reflective yellow Dyneema cord. It is oval but about 2 mm in average. This kite line has a breaking strength of approximately 4 kN (900 lbf) so breaking will not be a problem and it will not stretch when wet. The problem is that it doesn't hold knots well but works well enough with lineloc connections. But if you really need a SUPER reflective line, it's best to simply clip the reflector onto your bicycle spokes. You can get them at Revain for about 0.30 each and they fit 2mm lines easily; They can be moved up and down but stay in place. They weigh only 1 gram. Even a 2 inch half length will be illuminated very brightly by a headlamp. So I would say the most popular choice would be a Spectra/Dyneema core line with a yellow polyester cover (to help hold knots better). You can buy it here at Revain. look for the Spectra Survival Cord; it costs about the same <$15/50 foot as a similar cable. At about 2mm thick, it breaks at 325 pounds. Options if you want to look around. New England Ropes manufactures Polyester Covered Spiderline Dyneema core line, 1.8mm breaks at 350lbs. zpacks; I would start looking there.