# Rope care and inspection



## Donald (Sep 27, 2010)

Hi. I would like to know how u guys determine if ur climbing line needs to be replaced. I understand each type of rope has their own design of tension strength and elasticity. In general, r u okay with a couple broken strands due from the bark and rope burns? Would be great if u can post pics along with ur points. 

This is a great site and appreciated all ur info. 

Donnie


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## Bermie (Sep 27, 2010)

If two adjacent strands are completely severed, then cut off that bit. Of course it depends where the damaged section is.

If about 25% of the thickness of the cover is worn, then replace it.

If your rope has suffered a shock load, and the core has a 'narrow' section that you can feel or see when inspecting the rope, replace it

If the cover has 'glazing' or heat melting, cut out the section, again depends where the damage is might need to replace.

My rope has a few minor nicks near the end...I swap it over and climb on the other end for a while, if that bit gets wear and tear, time to start cutting off bits.

Remember to record when and how much you cut off, nothing like remembering you bought a 150' rope, but forgot you cut off 20' on a long descent!


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## treeclimber101 (Sep 27, 2010)

Normal wear and tear is one thing , but numerous broken strands in close proximity can be a problem , the worst case scenario is a bird cage or the core bulging through the rope , try a false crotch and or pulley . It reduces alot of wear and tear and unneeded heat damage , if you can keep it out of the dirt thats big , there are more than a thousand cutting edges in a single handful of dirt ..


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## TrillPhil (Sep 27, 2010)

Whenever the owner gets us a new one... Which is never soon enough... 

I don't even want to talk about the rope I'm climbing on right now, and I don't even want to think about the one for rigging. It's like a ####ing donut. Very very glazed... 

The 2 bull ropes are in excellent condition however...


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## Donald (Sep 28, 2010)

*Lack of experience = gamble?*

I can imagine some of us play mind games wondering if we can squeeze a few more climbs before retiring the rope. Of course our lives worth more than the cost of the ropes but they aren't cheap if you keep replacing them often. 

I'm a beginner climber working part time on weekends. Sure beats sitting in the office crunching numbers M-F. I enjoy being outside getting a workout.

Donnie


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## treeclimber101 (Sep 28, 2010)

Donald said:


> I can imagine some of us play mind games wondering if we can squeeze a few more climbs before retiring the rope. Of course our lives worth more than the cost of the ropes but they aren't cheap if you keep replacing them often.
> 
> I'm a beginner climber working part time on weekends. Sure beats sitting in the office crunching numbers M-F. I enjoy being outside getting a workout.
> 
> Donnie



Climb on a half inch line that way you have a little extra security , the hell with 3/8 I wouldn't use that as a dog leash .. You should always take care of that line , limited exposure to the sun , rain and most importantly dirt .. I replace mine as needed but typically once a year ..


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## tree md (Sep 30, 2010)

All excellent advice given here. Nothing I could add except for maybe to make sure you are the only one to reel your ropes in at the end of the day. It will give you the opportunity to closely inspect it everyday. Don't let the lazy groundy try to roll it up for you while he's trying to get out of doing clean up.

On the climbing on ratty ass rope, I just replaced mine after climbing on it about a month longer than I should have. That last week of waiting on my new one to come in had my sphincter constantly drawn up... I should take a pic of it but I am too embarrassed to. 

Just got 150 of Hi-vy with an icetail. Me likey...


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## Neem (Oct 1, 2010)

What about this one?!?:monkey:

Sorry for the quality of the pics...


M


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## derwoodii (Oct 1, 2010)

If you gotta ask, its gotta go. Short change your beers smokes and women. Save that money and put it on your life line. You can climb work and sort trees so much better when you got full confidence in your gear. I can still recall years ago a day when on an old rope I got the hebejebees. Not only held me back on the climb it darn well caused me damage trying to keep weight off it.


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## Grace Tree (Oct 1, 2010)

Neem said:


> What about this one?!?:monkey:
> 
> Sorry for the quality of the pics...
> 
> ...



I'd climb on it.
Phil


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## treeclimber101 (Oct 1, 2010)

neem said:


> what about this one?!?:monkey:
> 
> Sorry for the quality of the pics...
> 
> ...



looks alright


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## Donald (Oct 1, 2010)

Neem said:


> What about this one?!?:monkey:
> 
> Sorry for the quality of the pics...
> 
> ...



My rope looks exactly like that. I have about 4 or 5 complete broken strands on a 120 foot climbing rope. It won't take much to damage your rope running a DRT method over a crotch. I'm looking into various products to make it friction-less. So...shall I keep my line or replace it? 

Donnie


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## Bermie (Oct 1, 2010)

Does it also have that all over 'fuzz' as well as the broken strands...? If you are concerned enough to be here asking the questions...replace it. Turn it into a rigging rope and give yourself $100 worth of peace of mind.

As for friction reducing devices, I have a 'home made' one made of a nylon sling, carabiners girth hitched to each end, with one biner having a micro pulley on it. I use this much more than my longer webbing ring/ring friction saver. Made it up out of excess gear I had knocking around.

I also sewed a bit of webbing onto each end of my rope (non spliced) with a small eye, big enough to tie the throwline to to pull it up, or to clip an accessory biner in it to pull it and my friction saver down.


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## TimberJack_7 (Oct 1, 2010)

If you are asking, then obviously there is some doubt. Replace it. You only get one life. I replace my ropes once per year if it is a rough and busy one but I usually get at least two years out of a climbing line. When in doubt, switch it out.

Oh yeah, I would still climb on that green line that someone posted a pic of.

PS - Never leave your brand new climbing line in a barn where a mouse might find it fyi......


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## TreEmergencyB (Oct 1, 2010)

TrillPhil said:


> Whenever the owner gets us a new one... Which is never soon enough...
> 
> I don't even want to talk about the rope I'm climbing on right now, and I don't even want to think about the one for rigging. It's like a ####ing donut. Very very glazed...
> 
> The 2 bull ropes are in excellent condition however...



dude for real?

arborplex is like 80 bucks for 150ft and im sure its a bunch safer than what your climbing now.

I never used a company rope thats my life my rope


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## TrillPhil (Oct 1, 2010)

They buy it wholesale... I'm sure it's fairly inexpensive to replace.

I actually noticed a really glazed/hard part in it today about 3 inches, at first I thought it might be pitch but it seems like something else that caused it to turn almost into plastic right there, maybe shockload or something. I'm going to get a new one monday. I'd buy my own for work but don't really have the disposable funds right now. And I don't smoke, drink or buy women. lmao


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## Neem (Oct 2, 2010)

Thanks for the reps guys. That green rope is a Yale XTC....Anyway I was thinking to replace it ...don't know if getting an Edelrid XP or an HIGH-Vee. Which one would you buy? Price is more or less the same for a 45 mt rope (150 Ft)...


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## Donald (Oct 2, 2010)

*Arbormaster Bigfood*

Last monday I ordered 150 ft 1/2 inch from Wes Spur. Let's see how many miles I'll get out of this one. Is there a cheaper place to shop from? 

Thanks for all the good advice. 

Donnie


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## lego1970 (Oct 2, 2010)

I replace mine every two years but then I haven't been climbing much. Seems to me like when I climbed all day year around I would get a new rope every 6 months but I can't remember for sure. According to one climbing book I have they say either dynamic or static rope should not be used after 7years of manufacture regardless if it's ever been climbed on or not. However, both the Author says, and I have used rope much older then that on occasion. I have one repelling line that's almost 15 years old that I just used it last month, however it's been stored in the house and only been used 3 or 4 times before. 

To the guy with the pics,
I'm sure it's fine and I've seen a lot worse being used, but when it's starts looking like that it's time for replacement in my opinion. As Bermie said, "peace of mind". Confidence, regardless if in a tree, riding a sportbike, hiking in remote areas, etc, etc, is important and in a tree the last thing you need to be focusing on is wether or not your rope is safe. Good luck.


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## treemandan (Oct 2, 2010)

Neem said:


> What about this one?!?:monkey:
> 
> Sorry for the quality of the pics...
> 
> ...



I would run a lighter over the frayed ends of the cuts to smooth them out and stop them from fraying even more but all in all this rope appears to be servicable for climbing. I beleive those ropes have blue core which if seen would mean the rope is bad. 
Sure you could just get a new rope though and have two climbing lines. I also think the part about handing down your climbing line to lowering line because its to scary to climb on doesn't really make a whole lot of sense. Its another topic though: Why be adversed to climb on your rigging gear? I mean, well, I mean why not?
I have seen some dumb stuff though. I saw a guy climbing on line that the blue was showing and he was going " AHH, this stuff can't break!"
So now I am thinking a " broke rope" thread sticky thing might be cool.


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## Neem (Oct 2, 2010)

treemandan said:


> I would run a lighter over the frayed ends of the cuts to smooth them out and stop them from fraying even more but all in all this rope appears to be servicable for climbing. I beleive those ropes have blue core which if seen would mean the rope is bad.
> Sure you could just get a new rope though and have two climbing lines. I also think the part about handing down your climbing line to lowering line because its to scary to climb on doesn't really make a whole lot of sense. Its another topic though: Why be adversed to climb on your rigging gear? I mean, well, I mean why not?
> I have seen some dumb stuff though. I saw a guy climbing on line that the blue was showing and he was going " AHH, this stuff can't break!"
> So now I am thinking a " broke rope" thread sticky thing might be cool.



I use the lighter when that happens, I just wanted to have an opinion about that from more experienced climbers...I feel safe on my green rope, not scared to climb on that :yoyo: ...and who said I wanna hand down my climbing line to lowering line? If you mean those ropes I asked an advice they are climbing lines...maybe you misunderstood ...or maybe I misunderstood...or maybe my english is not that good..  Anyway...thanx for the advice

M


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## tree md (Oct 2, 2010)

Your English is fine.

Something that I do is use two climbing lines. I like to use my older Safety Blue for climbing in gritty or muddy conditions or in pines where I don't want to get my primary line covered in pitch. I actually used my older PI rope for climbing Pines the other day. It has got a serious nick in it but it's about 20' down the line so as long as I'm not rappelling or getting way out on limbs with it it's fine. I like to alternate my older climbing line for different situations. I use my primary climb line in normal conditions where there is not a lot of sap, mud or fine grit. My last primary line lasted me three years by taking care of it, not using it in unusually dirty conditions and washing it regularly.

Kind of interesting, I have been using my Safety Blue line for 4 or 5 years now in the worst conditions. I have had to trim the ends a time or two but it is still in decent shape for climbing. a coupe of small nicks like the line in the picture but no blue core showing through. Again, I wash it regularly.


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## Neem (Oct 3, 2010)

tree md said:


> Something that I do is use two climbing lines. I like to use my older Safety Blue for climbing in gritty or muddy conditions or in pines where I don't want to get my primary line covered in pitch.




That was my idea too. Thanx


M


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## Bermie (Oct 3, 2010)

Nah it was me said turn an old climb line into a rigging line...why not?

I keep my rigging equipment separate from climbing equipment, ropes, biners, slings, pulleys...its the way I was 'brought up'...

Treemandan..you want to climb on your rigging rope, you go right ahead!


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## treeclimber101 (Oct 3, 2010)

Bermie said:


> Nah it was me said turn an old climb line into a rigging line...why not?
> 
> I keep my rigging equipment separate from climbing equipment, ropes, biners, slings, pulleys...its the way I was 'brought up'...
> 
> Treemandan..you want to climb on your rigging rope, you go right ahead!



I have no problem turning a old climbing line into a light lowering line why not ??? I would never climb a rigging line solo , BUT if I am climbing I will tie that line on and have the guys assist with pulling my ### back up the tree .


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## tree md (Oct 3, 2010)

I used to climb exclusively on Safety Blue back before I started buying spliced eye kernmantle climbing ropes. Back then I would use my climbing line to lower smaller limbs if I only had a couple and did not want to set a lowering line. Sometimes I would just pull the tail up and lower off of it. I would also use it for a tag line to pull trees over. I no longer do that as I like to keep my spliced climbing lines in good shape. I don't see any problem in lowering small limbs with your climbing line as long as you not shocking it with large loads.

X2 on keeping things separate. I have two large plastic tubs that I use: One for all of my climbing gear and ropes and one for all of my rigging gear/ropes. The guys that work for me think I am insanely anal but I have a system. I like to reel in all of my lines at the end of the day and put away all of my gear. It allows me to inspect everything as I put it away and inventory everything so I know that I am not leaving anything behind. That way if anything gets left on a job I have no one to blame but myself. There is a method to my madness... :yoyo:


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## VA-Sawyer (Oct 3, 2010)

.....and madness to your method. Don't worry, being paranoid is a good way to stay alive in this line of work. 
I also like to put my hands on all the gear after a job. I have the guys drop it all near the truck and I give everything a quick look over as I put it into the correct bags, boxes and milk crates. I also have an older PI climbing line for use in Pines and for training. The climbing line before that one is rigged in my 5 to 1 setup. As you can guess, I downgrade my primary climbing lines pretty quick. I don't want any mental distractions about my lifeline, I need all my limited brainpower for the job at hand.
I also won't climb on rigging lines unless it is new out of the box. Drop one fair sized chunk of wood on it and I consider it unfit for hanging my life on. 

Rick


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## CATreeTops (Oct 7, 2010)

Has anyone ever traded out a tested but marginal climbing line for a new one that turned out to be defective?


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