Granbury, TX – When Fast Back Ropes decided to market Speed Williams’ personal version of the Mach III, the name “M-33” was chosen to reflect the length of the rope. Fast Back will still offer the thirty-three foot head rope now known as the Mach III Plus.
The origin of the popular Mach III was the brainchild of Speed Williams and experienced rope maker and General Manager of Fast Back, Al Benson.

“Speed was very specific about what he wanted in a rope, resulting in a longer development period for the Mach III than normal. The Mach III has remained a best seller at Fast Back since it became available,” says Benson.

Striving to gain every advantage in runs that are separated by thousands of a second, Williams eventually made slight modifications to the Mach III. An additional two feet, slightly smaller diameter and more body made the new version a great “reaching rope.”
Soon other pros started asking for the same rope Speed was using. It became apparent there was a market for this special version of the Mach III.

Changing the name from M-33 to the Mach III Plus enforces the fact that this rope is indeed a Mach III PLUS a few more features.

www.fastbackropes.com

Fast Back Facts

By Robin Postman

Anyone who ropes hears, and uses, “roping jargon.” But do we really know what it means? For those who think “lay” means to take a nap, and “body” is part of your pick-up, please read on. We sat down with rope making guru, Al Benson, for him to define these common terms and explain what they mean.

LAY
What it is: The stiffness of the rope.
What it means: There are 7 basic lays that are standard. They are as follows and are listed in order from most soft to most stiff: XXS (Extra Extra Soft) XS (Extra Soft), S (Soft), MS (Medium Soft), M (Medium), HM (Hard Medium), MH (Medium Hard). The lay will effect how easy the rope is to handle. The XXS-S lays are generally used for head ropes and the MS-MH lays are generally used for heel ropes.

BODY
What it is: Body is what helps the rope stay open during the swing and the delivery.
What it means: The body of a rope results from a balance between the lay and how much twist is put into the rope.

TIP
What it is: The tip of the rope is the end of the loop.
What it means: The tip will be the furthest point from your hand while holding the rope. Tip position and placement during delivery is critical to catching successfully.

BALANCE
What it is: The relationship between the lay and the body of a rope.
What it means: Proper balance is important for a smooth feel, making the rope easy to swing.

KICK or LOAD
What it is: Coiling a rope for the first time at a slight angle.
What it means: This is “put in” to a rope when the rope is rolled up for the first time. The kick or load allows the rope to swing easier.

STRAND
What it is: One of the pieces twisted together to make the rope.
What it means: Look at the tail of the rope. If there are 3 pieces coming out, it is 3-strand, and 4 pieces indicate a 4-strand.

www.fastbackropes.com

We are thrilled to add FAST BACK ROPES to our line up of Rodeo Equipment.

Be sure to check them out on-line.

In-Stock ready to ship for Christmas!

Click here to see FAST BACK ROPES.