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What kind of rope are you using for rappel?

M

muzzypower

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2018
Messages
443
Seems like everyone is using canyon IV?? I know it’s half the weight of what I have. Thinking of ordering some…
 
I use canyon IV used it for 2 years now just wondering when i should replace it How often do you guys replace yours
 
I do a visual inspection every time I rappel. When anything changes, knots, fraying, anything........cut and tie a new one or replace. At the end of the night I usually just wrap everything up and get out of the woods. When I get home I repack everything for the next hunt and inspect again. Don't EVER wait until next time to replace or retie, there might not be a next time if you do.
Actual mountain climbers talk about replacing and retiring ropes all the time, but they are also constantly falling on their ropes, and rubbing them against rocks all day long. When was the last time you fell on your rope or put your full body weight against a rock with your rope.
 
muzzypower said:
I have this. Anyone else have experience with it?
atwoodrope.com

3/8 Static - Olive Drab – Atwood Rope MFG

Very low stretch. 9.5mm diameter, 5450Lbs breaking strength. This rope hates water. Will not absorb it! Loves you! Proudly made in the USA
atwoodrope.com atwoodrope.com
Click to expand...
Yea, lots have used it here. It’s a stiffer rope, but solid for most everything we could want to do on it. Good for rope climbing, tethers, linemans belts, etc. Because of the stiffness it tends to be more bulky. It will soften up (be less stiff) but I would still consider it on the stiffer side of the ropes I have tried. I appreciate the stiffness in my tethers when I’m 2 tether climbing because it makes progressing the tethers easier.
 
Archer19422 said:
I use canyon IV used it for 2 years now just wondering when i should replace it How often do you guys replace yours
Click to expand...
One thing to considers is if you have tied a scaffold knot on to a delta Link or something similar, consider switching ends of the rope. Continuous use in this standard configuration that many use for rappelling will increase the wear on the rope. If you switch ends you’ll get more life out of the rope with confidence.

On your next rope or on the other end of the rope you currently have you could also consider using a protective sleeve to reduce abrasion on the rope.

There are inspection guides for ropes online. Many of those will have you do a visual inspection and feel inspection where you run the entire length of rope through your hand lucky for major twist, bumps, knots, as well as fraying cuts etc. What you look for in each rope will vary dependent on what type of rope you have. Some ropes strength is a mixture of the core and cover, some is just the core and cover is simply protection, etc. Dynamic rope that climber use and could experience falls on have additional and sometimes separate considerations for when to retire based on the magnitude and quantity of falls they have had on them.

That’s an overview, maybe someone with more experience can give you additional guidance.
 
I use 9mm protac from Bluewater ropes. It’s 6000 lbs tensile strength, low elongation, pretty stiff and comes in great color options (black, coyote brown, or olive drab)
 
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