Rope

[Laurentius]

If you were to carry a length of rope (not paracord) for self rescue in difficult situations or general emergency use what would you recommend? proper climbers rope? static or dynamic? what would be the optimum length? I read somewhere years ago back in the pre plastics age that sash cord was recommended, though whether that still stands up as advice and where you can still get the genuine stuff is a moot point.

 

[Toddy]

Sash cord is only rated safe for about 30kgs though…..and it's only 6mm thick, and is usually waxed cotton. That's good for a kind of 'slow' match, but at 30kgs it would only support a nine or ten year old

I don't know much about climber's rope; sorry.

I do know that I have a length of manila hemp sash cord rope though, and it's at least fifty years old and is still sound…how sound I don't know I don't think I'd trust my weight on it in any great risk, I do know that.

Interested to hear the discussion on this though

M

 

[JohnC]

http://stuckattheairport.com/2011/12/06/hans-christian-andersens-unusual-baggage/

you are not the first to take a rope with you...

I'd say also looking at your surroundings and considering what can be used as a "rope" alternative, blankets/curtains etc. of course being on a cliff or a hill may be different, but, belts and bag straps may be of use.

 

[KayakFisherFinland]

You'll need gloves too.
Most of the ropes will burn hands.
Boating ropes likely to be cheaper than climbing.

 

[KenThis]

arm battlecord perhaps.
It is NOT a climbing rope, in fact it specifically states it is not a climbing rope and shouldn't be used as such.
But it is rated to >2000lbs, so perhaps in an emergency?!?
I know it's overkill but I carry it as my ridgeline and just in case...

 

[Leshy]

As a chippie I still use the sash cord occasionally.
Sash cord is still sold in decent hardware stores (ie not B&Q)

Your local builders merchants will have some...
You can get 6mm as Toddy rightly said and you can also get 8 mm and 10mm sash cord.
As Toddy also said , it's only waxed cotton and regardless of its thickness it's not going to hold much.
It is however very good as a wick for home made candles
That's why I keep the offcuts...

As for proper rope knowledge and experience in rescue or weight/length ratio and more ,
materials and care and maintenance, just pop into your local fire station and have a chat with the lads.
You most probably know 1 or 2 of them...
(Most of the big fire stations still have staff 24/7 , it's only the smaller towns and villages that are being scaled down to retained fire fighters)

Fire and rescue in the towns inland , RNLI if you're by the coast .

They will be more than happy to assist and guide you as well as recommend suppliers.

I'm sorry I couldn't give you better advice, but for what it's worth I only have 40 M of 13mm climbing rope from my rock climbing days .
It's still good as new despite being stored in the shed.
As long as it's coiled correctly(no kinks) and kept dry it should last a lifetime.
Hope it helps

 

[wicca]

This may or may not be of assistance but on my boat if I have to go aloft at all, to the masthead (34 feet) perhaps to change a light bulb or clear a fouled halyard, I use the mainsail halyard. I just unshackle it from the mainsail head, and shackle on the Bosun's Chair. That rope, the main halyard, is 10mm braid on braid (polyester core with a plaited polyester outer) with an advised breaking strain of 2700kgs.
I could not imagine hauling a usable length around the countryside though, at a guess 50 feet probably weighs?..guessing 2 kgs +

But braid on braid marine rope is available in many diameters so a marine supplies website might be worth a look, it's tough rope and wears well, although not strictly 'climbing rope'

 

[Jared]

Another thing to consider is tubular webbing, weighs less, less bulky and stronger.

 

[forrestdweller]

i carry a 10m piece of 8mm(?!) rappelling cord (not sure if that's the correct english name-- it's like climbing rope, but thinner diameter) in my backpack and 12m 5mm diameter of the same stuff in my edc bag. obviously you wouldn't use it to rappel down a cliff or skyscraper, but to get down a rock or up into a tree etc. it has proven to be quite helpful......

 

[Laurentius]

Another thing to consider is tubular webbing, weighs less, less bulky and stronger.

That's a good point about webbing, I have used a webbing strap to pull a car out of a ditch before but I think it varies in quality, I have had stuff I have used for tie downs that has rotted through exposure to UV. Not so easy to tie knots with it though.

 

[neoaliphant]

50' ft hemp and of coarse a 10ft pole and iron pitons, its on the standard equipment list!

 

[dave89]

I'm not sure what you mean by self rescue? do you mean a rope for specifically climbing down stuff i.e rocks/cliffs. or do you mean for river crossings, splints, tinder material. if you do mean for descending then why would you not use poly climbing rope? It's designed for that specific job. As for what length to carry I would say as much as is reasonable weight and bulk wise. I think it all comes down to the situation more times than not you have a idea of the type of terrain you will be traveling through and i would adjust my kit to suit that.

 

[Macaroon]

I'm far from an expert on rope and ropework, but one thing I do know is that any rope I attached to myself would be dynamic and not static - you wouldn't want much of a stumble or fall to do yourself serious harm with static rope.

 

[Uilleachan]

Well, "self rescue" is a fairly open term.

Ropes semi-static or dynamic for use in any situation that involves live people/casualties should meet the minimum standards. These standards have been developed for a reason. EN892 dynamic rope, for example, was born out of the old UIAA mountaineering standard, ropes built to the modern standard have never been known to break, unless cut or abraded by environmental conditions.

Things to look for with a dynamic climbing rope are; manufactured to EN892 standard, full rope or half rope. These ropes are designed where a fall is anticipated or considered a possible eventuality, and the rope is bing used to arrest that fall. Full rope can be used in a single length, a Half rope needs to be used doubled.

Modern dynamics can be thin and light and still meet the standard. Thin half rope in a 60m length will provide a double workable length of around 25m depending on the length needed to construct both belays. Article here.

A dynamic rope whilst not that efficient for hauling or climbing (climbing the rope it's self) because of the additional elongation under load, can still be used for all the tasks/uses of a semi static but has the advantage of being designed to arrest a fall, a semi static of suitable diameter, =>10.5mm, manufactured to EN 1891 will of course arrest a fall, but the faller may well be injured or killed as the semi static rope absorbed much less of the energy generated meaning that energy is absorbed by the body. >9kN impact force can cause fatal injury (=>12kN fatal) this is a problem with shot lengths in particular. A 2 meter fall on to 1 meter of semi static can generate such a injurious load.

Planning should always make allowance for suitable material that meets the standards for personal protective equipment, if a requirement has been identified.

If you're out for a jolly and someone falls off a cliff or becomes entrapped, call the emergency services. If that jolly is in a location where there is no emergency service, or the casualty is in immanent danger of expiring, use what you have but be extremely careful, especially if the material you have isn't designed for the job.

Some basic rope facts;

Tying a knot in a rope lowers the strength, MBL minimum breaking load. Generally, because tying a knot has many variables in the tying that affect the strength retained, only recognised "climbing" knots should be used, where a knot is used the MBL of the rope should be factored down by 50%. So, a 3000kg MBL becomes 1500kg.

Modern rope devices, descenders clamps etc. are designed to be used with rope of a specified diameter, identified on the individual device.

Other environmental and equipment issues can further affect the MBL of the rope, sharp or abrasive edges, belay devices and rope clamps, typically (no figure offered for sharp edges) 900kg (9kN nominal) for belay devices provided the rope is of suitable diameter to work efficiently with the device, check the spec of the device and 450kg (4.5kN nominal) for clamps, if the rope is of suitable diameter.

 

[Laurentius]

I'm not sure what you mean by self rescue? do you mean a rope for specifically climbing down stuff i.e rocks/cliffs. or do you mean for river crossings, splints, tinder material. if you do mean for descending then why would you not use poly climbing rope? It's designed for that specific job. As for what length to carry I would say as much as is reasonable weight and bulk wise. I think it all comes down to the situation more times than not you have a idea of the type of terrain you will be traveling through and i would adjust my kit to suit that.

What I essentially mean is climbing down from or out of a difficult situation you have got yourself into,or providing some safety against falls when travelling on steep and slippery terrain. River crossings would also come into the definition. Other possible uses would securing loads for hauling, eg bundling up everything in a tarp if your rucksack has become unservicable, not talking about full on mountaineering or rock climbing on a regular basis.

 

[Nice65]

If the rope is going to be used for climbing or descending, then you must use climbing rope.

Its not not so much about SWL and breaking strain, a slip can cause a rope to snatch and break. Climbing ropes have a degree of elasticity.

Having said that, myself and a workmate tested paracord. We put a stout stick through a loop and tied the other end about 20' up an oak tree. It took the weight of both of us in full tree surgery PPE.

 

[Drain Bamaged]

All B.G. does when he needs a rope and has been dropped all alone in the middle of nowhere is to find a conveniently crashed plane from world war two or maybe a washed up sailing ship from Napoleonic times, there’s always a hundred foot of perfectly usable rope in there somewhere.
Something I was given several years ago was some tubular webbing made up in to a lunge line (for Horse training) about 30’ long and I believe tested to 4000lb b.s. (that is the one I was given I don’t suppose that is a standard) but it rolls up into about the size of a Bean tin and weighs very little.

D.B.

 

[Jared]

What I essentially mean is climbing down from or out of a difficult situation you have got yourself into,or providing some safety against falls when travelling on steep and slippery terrain. River crossings would also come into the definition. Other possible uses would securing loads for hauling, eg bundling up everything in a tarp if your rucksack has become unservicable, not talking about full on mountaineering or rock climbing on a regular basis.

Think they'd be called walking ropes or confidence ropes?

https://www.alpkit.com/products/roca-trek

http://www.climbers-shop.com/912/confidence-ropes.aspx

Though if free falling is a possibility then need dynamic rope as people previous said. But then imo need harnesses and rest of the climbing paraphernalia.

 

[Nice65]

All B.G. does when he needs a rope and has been dropped all alone in the middle of nowhere is to find a conveniently crashed plane from world war two or maybe a washed up sailing ship from Napoleonic times, there’s always a hundred foot of perfectly usable rope in there somewhere.
Something I was given several years ago was some tubular webbing made up in to a lunge line (for Horse training) about 30’ long and I believe tested to 4000lb b.s. (that is the one I was given I don’t suppose that is a standard) but it rolls up into about the size of a Bean tin and weighs very little.

D.B.

I watched him rappel down a waterfall on a long rope. Does he just leave them behind, he carried on without it?