Yanking leash on a wide route in the San Rafael Swell, Utah
Your hands are sweaty, your forearms are pumped, and your legs are starting to shake. The last piece of gear is at least 15 feet below you, but you only have one long reach until salvation. You stretch toward the distant sloping hold and feel your fingers caress its edges. When your left foot pops you bear down with every ounce of energy you have left, which is just enough to hold your fall off for another half second. Your hand peels from the hold, and the rock in front of you becomes a blur of gray as you gain speed toward the distant ground. Now is not the time to wonder whether you’re climbing on the right rope or if it’s been cared for properly. There is a rope for every climb and every fall. Knowing the difference provides a lot of comfort when you’re logging frequent flier miles.
Single Ropes
Single ropes range in diameter from 8.9-11.5mm, and they’re by far the most common type of climbing ropes. It’s very rare to see anything except single ropes at most crags. Almost all sport climbers, trad climbers, and big wall climbers use single ropes, so this is definitely what you want if you’re just getting into climbing. Single ropes between 8.9 and 10mm thick are excellent for saving weight, but they wear out faster and are less resistant to cutting on sharp edges—these ropes are ideal for those every-ounce-counts redpoint burns. Most climbers who have only one rope use something in the 10-10.5mm range—still light and supple, these ropes are much more durable and long lived than hyper-thin single ropes. Ropes above 11mm are almost solely used by big wall climbers who need the most durable line they can get. Belaying and general rope work is simplified with single ropes because there is only one line to deal with. The biggest drawback is that you only have one line for rappelling, so it takes two rappels to get down every one rope length you climb up. Pair a single rope with a 7-8mm static line of the same length to allow full-length rappels on multi-pitch climbs.
Half Ropes
Half ropes are between 8mm and 8.9mm in diameter. These ropes are sold individually but used in conjunction with another half rope when climbing. Half ropes excel on routes with wandering pitches and/or really bad gear. If this conjures images of ice and alpine climbing, you’re right on track. Though some people use half ropes for complicated multi-pitch trad climbs, their standard domain is the winter world where frozen fingers and down parkas replace sweaty palms and T-shirts. Half ropes are used in what’s called double-rope technique. You tie into both ropes and clip each one to alternating pieces of protection as you climb. Keeping one on the right side and one on the left greatly reduces rope drag on a pitch that zigzags all over the place. Plus, it provides redundancy should one rope get cut. When you’re making a clip, the belayer plays out slack in only one rope. If you blow it and take a ride, the slack you pulled up will not increase the length of your fall because you’re caught on the other rope. Mountaineers use single half-ropes for glacier travel because the force in crevasse falls is relatively low. Half ropes also allow for full-length rappels, which is critical when you need to descend a 3,000ft alpine face fast.
Twin Ropes
Twin ropes are the skinniest lines out there, ranging from a tiny 7.5mm to a still-tiny 8.5mm. They are bought separately but always used together, usually on straightforward ice climbs or alpine climbs made almost entirely of ice. Both twin ropes are clipped through each piece of protection as you climb. This may seem strange. After all, why not just use a single rope? Well, two ropes allow full-length rappels, you can divide the load for approach and descent, and they provide redundancy should one be cut. Single ropes have been cut over very sharp edges, but there has never been a reported failure of both ropes with a twin-rope system.
Rope Construction
The days of climbing on braided army surplus rope are over. Modern ropes use Kernmantle construction where a protective sheath is woven around an inner core. The core is the part of the rope that actually holds a fall. The sheath’s job is to protect the core. All climbing ropes use either single- or double-pick construction in their sheaths. Single-pick construction makes a rope a little stiffer but more durable, while double-pick ropes have better handling with less durability. Almost all single ropes use double-pick construction, while half and twin ropes are made both ways.
Dry-treated ropes are essential for ice climbing, alpine climbing, and mountaineering. A wet rope is not only heavier when it soaks up water, but it’s significantly weaker than a dry rope. Dry-coated ropes also last longer, because the coating has to wear off the sheath before the rope will start to fuzz. Cheap dry coatings cover only the rope’s sheath, which keeps the rope dry on ice climbs, but the coating is pretty worthless after just a few pitches on rock. Higher-quality coatings cover each strand of the rope (sheath and core) before the rope is woven together. These resist moisture better but are more expensive. Most manufacturers’ websites have in-depth descriptions of how their dry coatings are applied. You can also buy a special rope-dip to turn your non-dry ropes into dry ropes, but it wears off quickly.
Bi-color ropes make rope management at cramped hanging belays easier because the two rope halves are easily distinguished. They’re also safer to rappel with because it’s easy to find the center and even up the ends. Center marks can serve this same purpose, but they are harder to find in a single-colored rope and tend to wear off. A few companies make special rope pens for marking the center point of your rope. The jury is still out on whether or not it’s okay to just use a Sharpie, so avoid it until something definitive is published.
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Tags: climbing
[...] week we got you dialed on the different types of ropes, read on to learn about rope ratings, how to choose the right rope length, and how to properly care [...]
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