Choosing: Climbing ropes

The rope is the fundamental part of the climbing safety system. Selecting the rope and rope system best suited to your needs requires some thought as to the type of climbing you will be doing, the conditions you will be climbing in, and what your priorities are regarding weight and durability. Dynamic (shock absorbing) climbing ropes can be used in four main systems:

Rope system	Pros	Cons
Single (one rope, typically 10-11mm)	Simplest system. Cheapest system.	Maximum retrievable abseil = half rope length. Potential for high rope drag (long extenders may need to be used).
Double (two 'half' ropes, typically 8-9mm)	Can be split equally between 2 people. Extra safety. Extra durability. Full length retrievable abseil possible. Minimal rope drag (if used correctly).	More complex system (more chance of tangles). Cost (more expensive than a single rope).
Twin (two ropes, typically 7-8mm, but used as if they were a single strand of rope)	Light (2 twin ropes are the same as 1 single rope). Can be split equally between 2 people. Extra safety. Extra durability. Full length retrievable abseil possible.	More complex system (more chance of tangles). Rope drag. Cost (more expensive than a single rope).
Hybrid (one single & one half rope)	Extra safety. Extra durability. Full length retrievable abseil possible. Minimal rope drag (if used correctly). Very versatile (single rope can be used on it's own for sport routes, for example).	More complex system (more chance of tangles). Weight. Cost? (more expensive than a single or double system, but cheaper than a single and a double system for those who want both).

Suggested suitability
Single: Indoor, sport routes, low grade winter routes (grade I or II), hard scrambles, easy routes where not many runners are used, straight routes (no zig-zags or traversing), aid routes.
Double: Multi-pitch mountain routes, routes which involve abseils (to get on or off route), traverses, routes where ropes are in danger of being damaged or cut (e.g. by rock fall, sharp rock edges, ice tools/crampons, etc).
Twin: Ice climbs.
Hybrid: All single rope and double rope uses - ideal for those who do a bit of everything.

Understanding rope characteristics
Any climbing rope sold in the UK must by law be CE marked. To receive the CE mark, a rope must meet certain minimum safety and performance standards, which means that if used correctly, any such rope will offer a good degree of safety and performance. High quality ropes, however, will greatly exceed the minimum standards set for these tests, and may offer additional performance benefits. Ropes will typically show some or all of the following performance information:

Characteristic	What is it?	Notes
Impact force	The force transmitted to the climber in the event of a factor 1.77 fall.	Maximum allowed = 12kN. Measured using an 80kg mass for a single rope or a 55kg mass for one strand of double rope. Impact force increases with the number of falls taken and with general use. A low figure is better.*
Number of falls	The number of factor 1.77 falls a rope will hold before breaking.	Minimum allowed = 5. Measured using an 80kg mass for a single rope or a55kg mass for one strand of double rope. A high figure is better.
Extension	The percentage by which the rope stretches during the first fall.	Measured using an 80kg mass for a single rope or a55kg mass for one strand of double rope. A low figure is better better.*
Sheath slippage	The amount the sheath (mantle) of the rope slips over it's core (kern) during use.	A low figure is better.
Weight	The weight of the rope in grams per metre.	Generally, thicker ropes have a longer active life (better resistance to wear and tear), where as thinner ropes are lighter. Which is best depends on the end use.
Diameter	How thick the rope is.	Thin ropes are lighter but are generally not as durable.
Number of bobbins	The number of bundles of fibre used to weave the ropes sheath (mantle).	For ropes of equal overall diameter, a higher number (e.g. 48) gives better dynamic performance, where as a lower number (e.g. 32) gives better abrasion resistance.
Knotability	A measure of how supple and easy to handle the rope is.	A low figure is better.
Sharp edge tested	A test which indicates the cut resistance of the rope over a sharp edge.	Uses the same test apparatus as the 'number of falls' test, but over a 0.75mm radius edge - the rope will pass or fail. A pass is better!
Dry treated	A chemical finish that reduces water absorption.	Typically adds £15 - 20 to the price, but a wet rope is weaker, heavier, and in winter can freeze (making it very difficult or impossible to use).

* These two factors directly oppose each other - a lower impact force is achieved by having a longer extension.

Rope length
Most climbing ropes are sold in 50m lengths, which is probably considered the 'standard' length for most UK climbing. There are a couple of other options worth considering:

Length	Ideal for	Notes
30m	Indoor, small crags, scrambling, via-ferrata, mountain leader 'safety' back-up rope.	Lighter and cheaper than a 50 or 60m. Long enough to abseil down small obstacles (up to 14m). Long enough for single-pitch routes of up to about 20m (but not long enough to bottom-rope the same route, and there is no chance of lowering the lead climber back to the ground above about 12m).
50m	Most types of climbing in the UK.	UK guide books will probably assume the use of 50m ropes. Allows for pitches up to about 40m (on a multi-pitch route).
60m	Continental sport routes, long multi-pitch, winter, multi-pitch abseils.	Allows for longer pitches (and therefore fewer belays), longer lower-offs (on sports routes) and makes more rope available for constructing belays (better than using slings). But, increased weight, longer pitches need more runners, and therefore a larger (and heavier) rack, and more rope means more chance of tangles.

Other types of 'climbing' rope
There are other types of rope used for climbing related activities, though they all tend to have much more specific and/or specialized uses, and are NOT for lead climbing. Some of the main types include:

Rope type	Characteristics	Uses
Accessory cord	Strong but non-shock absorbing rope available in a wide variety of diameters (typically 2 to 8mm).	Prussic loops, rigging abseil anchors, rigging rope for setting up bottom ropes, attaching chalk bags, etc.
Dyneema accessory cord	Only available in 5.5mm. Much higher breaking load (about 1800kg) than nylon cord (about 750kg for 6mm), but MUCH more expensive and much more 'slippery' than standard accessory cord.	Most popular in the USA for making 'cordolettes' - a 16 foot loop of cord used to easily equalize 3 or more anchor points.
Semi-static	Protects against small falls (maximum factor 1). Easier to ascend and abseil than 'bouncier' dynamic climbing ropes.	Rope access work, rescue, caving, abseils.
Confidence rope	Typically a 20m, 8mm diameter dynamic rope, but not for lead climbing.	Hill walking and easy scrambling where the rope helps protect against slips rather than holds falls.
Canyoning rope	Floats on water, to prevent snagging on rocks and hidden hazards.	Canyoning and river rescues.

Top tips on choosing and using ropes:

The single biggest indicator of rope quality is price - a more expensive rope will offer higher performance and a longer life. Buying a cheap rope can ultimately be more expensive, as it will need to be replaced more regularly.
Kinks cause tangles - tangles cause frustration, and take time to remove. It is always well worth taking that bit of extra time to neatly uncoil and stack ropes prior to use, at belays, etc.
When uncoiling a brand new rope, place your arms through the coil and 'unwind' the rope - this will put far fewer kinks in the rope compared to putting the coil on the floor and pulling the end.
A rope bag will increase the life of your rope (by protecting it from dirt and abrasion whilst lying on the ground), reduces kinking, and means no more coiling (just dump the rope on to the tarp and roll up into bag).
When coiling a rope use the lap-coil method - this greatly reduces kinking.
When removing coils (e.g. whilst moving together) take time to uncoil the rope one turn at a time - this again reduces kinking.
Climbing ropes only break on rope breaking machines in the lab - in the 'real world' they only fail if they are cut. They are very strong, but cut very easily when under tension. Always be aware of sharp edges that the rope may run against, especially in situations where the rope will move sideways along an edge in the event of a fall.
Always allow a rope to 'rest' for at least 10 minutes after a big fall.
If your rope gets damaged during use, a partially cut section can be easily isolated using an alpine butterfly knot.
It is time to replace your rope if it suffers any damage that exposes the core, or simply if you lose confidence in it.
Always avoid standing on ropes (especially if wearing crampons!) as this will lead to accelerated breakdown.
Occasional washing will remove abrasive dirt and will help prevent it getting into the core of the rope.
Store in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight (and it's damaging UV).

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Last updated January 28, 2005