Rope Inspection and Longevity

Peer Review by Karsten Delap and Anna Marie Alewine

Anna Marie inspects a rope before getting ready to climb. Photo: Karsten Delap

Your rope is essentially your best friend as a climber. It’s your main and often only connection to the mountain, and your life literally hangs on it. As a result, it almost goes without saying that ropes must be kept in tip-top condition. Here are some great ways to assess your rope’s condition to make sure you’re looking after your lifeline.

Ropes on ropes! Photo: Karsten Delap

Inspect your rope often. It can only take one fall on a damaged rope to spell catastrophe. Luckily, there are many situations that naturally facilitate climbers to assess their rope’s condition. Each time a belayer flakes a rope for an upcoming lead, they pass it through their hands. Not only does doing so prevent knots from being left in the lead line (which can compromise a safe belay), it also presents an opportunity to feel the outside of the rope, called the sheath, for any abrasions or abnormalities. 

While feeling the sheath, this person can also stop to feel the inner portion of the rope, known as the core, in any section where the sheath is damaged. Core damage can result from taking a huge lead fall, excessive use, or falling on the same spot in the rope many times. When the core is damaged, it flattens and thus loses its ability to return the rope to its normal shape after being stretched. The rope’s dynamic capability keeps climbers safe and is why dynamic lines are now ubiquitous in recreational climbing. Without rope stretch, peak impact force would be astronomical and many, if not all falls would be back-breaking, and ropes could actually break (which used to happen before kernmantle ropes were invented in the 20th century!). 

Core damage can be difficult to accurately determine, so climbers rely on a few tricks to assess it. A common way to determine whether a rope has been damaged is by finding a place where it feels soft, as in easier to squeeze. At this spot, make a small bite with this portion of rope forming the curve in the bite. Pinch the sides of the bite together, and peer through it. If there is air between the two strands that form the bite, the core is not damaged. If the sides can touch, the core is damaged. Note that this damage can result from regular wear and tear; for instance, older or heavily used ropes may not pass this test at the end of their usability). Any rope that fails this pinch test cannot safely protect a climber and must be retired. 

Possible Core Damage. Photo: Karsten Delap

At its worst, rope damage can cause a “core shot” when the sheath has been completely torn and core strands are visible. This rope is no longer safe to use and must be immediately retired. On the bright side, it’s relatively easy to tell that the rope has been seriously damaged. This portion of the rope must be isolated (or cut off, if it’s near an end) if the rope must continue to be used, such as to retreat.

Unlikely to have core damage. Photo: Karsten Delap

Ropes should be inspected before and after each use. As the rope is coiled, it passes through the person’s hands and can be assessed. In a multi-pitch setting, the belayer can check the rope as they pull it up to put their follower (or “second”) on belay. With proper care and frequent inspection, climbers can ensure that their rope is in working condition every time someone leaves the ground or anchor. 

“Core Shot” or sheath damage. Photo: Karsten Delap

As a general rule, retiring ropes for most climbers will happen before 5 years of use and many times much earlier. If you are ever unsure of your rope’s integrity, ask a professional or better yet, just get a new one! 

Rappelling

Peer Review by Karsten Delap and Anna Marie Alewine

Michael rappelling on a sunny day at Big Rock, SC!

At some point in your climbing adventures, you will need to rappel. This moment could come at the top of a long climb or an approach to a climb (many crags require climbers to rappel in and climb out, or when there is no “walk-off,” meaning a trail to get down). Rappelling is one of the more dangerous activities within climbing. When we climb up, we use the rope as a back-up in case we fall. Our primary protection is our climbing movement. When we rappel, we lose this protection and lean entirely on the system to support our weight and, in turn, our safety. We thread the rope through the anchor until each side is equal in length, then we descend by weighting both strands at once. The rope remains stationary at the anchor, and we pull one side to get it down once we are on the ground or next anchor station and “off rappel”, meaning on the ground or attached (“tethered”) to our next anchor. Rappelling is similar to lowering, but it has some nuances that are important to know and practice before using it in a live situation. Here are a few key points to hit each time you rappel.

Extended rappel and friction hitch backup. Photo: Karsten Delap.

1. Close the System

To “close” the system, knots must be tied in each free strand of rope so that a rappeler cannot rappel off either end of the rope. If either strand passes through the rappel device, the rappel is compromised. Before tossing the ropes down the cliff to rappel, tie a double overhand, or a “stopper” knot, in each strand with at least 12 inches of tail.

Kevin rappelling with a stopper knot at each rope end.

2. Backup the rappel

Without a proper backup, if the rappeler loses control of the break strands, they compromise the rappel. These situations could include being hit by rockfall, getting stung by insects, passing out or having a medical emergency, forgetting there is no backup and letting go of the break strands, or a number of other unforeseen circumstances. For these reasons, best practice is to use a friction hitch backup, or “third hand,” to provide an added degree of safety for the rappeler. The friction hitch slides freely and grips the rope when not being tended by the rappeler, so it protects the climber in the event they let go of the break strands. Friction hitches are created using “prusiks,” which are typically made from accessory cord. PCS guides prefer 5mm cord cut to 3 feet 7 inches and tied with a double fisherman's knot!

Sam rappelling The Legacy with a friction hitch backup.

3. Middle-mark the rope

Many modern ropes come with a “middle-mark,” usually one or two black stripes in the middle of the rope to signify its location. This mark is useful for rappelling because it ensures there is an equal amount of rope in each strand. The rappeler will not be able to get down unless both strands reach the ground or next anchor station, which may not happen if the strands are unequal. Best practice is to find the middle mark while setting up a rappel and ensure it is directly at the anchor before starting to rappel. Even with the middle mark in the proper location, it is still possible to come up short of the ground or next anchors if the rope is too short, which illustrates the importance of closing the system with stopper knots so that you can’t fall the remaining distance.

Bluewater Icon 9.1mm rope, threaded through the anchor at the middle mark. Photo: Karsten Delap

Many middle marks on ropes significantly fade with age and usage. I suggest purchasing a bi-pattern rope, like the Icon 9.1 from Bluewater. Bi-pattern ropes greatly facilitate finding the middle of the rope quickly and accurately. It is much easier to see rather than a simple black mark, especially while quickly feeding rope through an anchor.

As mentioned, rappelling is one of the more dangerous aspects of climbing because it requires fully relying on your system. Seek professional instruction to learn the ins and outs of descending from height, and refer back to this article for a refresher. See you out there!