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richardvg03
Apr 22, 2008, 4:27 AM
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So I've been looking around and reading... why would you use 2 ropes while climbing instead of one. What are the benifits? Besides BIG WALLS! How many people here use 2 ropes?
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Alpine07
Apr 22, 2008, 4:35 AM
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Obviously you have not done enough "looking around and reading." nOOB, hehe  . Well, lets see, lower impact forces, which can be better for ice and trad. Very nice for double rope rappels, because you dont have to carry two heavy single ropes. There are lots of reasons.
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Reaganchung
Apr 22, 2008, 4:38 AM
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richardvg03 wrote: So I've been looking around and reading... why would you use 2 ropes while climbing instead of one. What are the benifits? Besides BIG WALLS! How many people here use 2 ropes?
If you actually read about double ropes then you would learn why someone would use doubles. It is an advanced technique and pretty confusing trying to explain without pictures and i wouldnt recommend a noob trying it.
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climbingaggie03
Apr 22, 2008, 4:39 AM
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The benefits are
1. Redundancy (you can cut a rope and still have something conecting you to your belayer)
2. Rope drag prevention
3. Double rope rappels are more convienient
I'm sure there are other benefits, but I can't think of them.
Personally, I'm a single rope kind of guy, rope management is hard enough without doubling the trouble.
I don't think many people used double ropes on big walls, people take 2 ropes, but typically, one is the lead line, and one is the haul line.
One of the guys I'm climbing with this weekend is bringing his doubles, so maybe I will know more about them then.
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Reaganchung
Apr 22, 2008, 4:40 AM
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Alpine07 wrote: Obviously you have not done enough "looking around and reading." nOOB, hehe . Well, lets see, lower impact forces, which can be better for ice and trad. Very nice for double rope rappels, because you dont have to carry two heavy single ropes. There are lots of reasons.
dont forget reducing rope drag
Doubles are popular at places like Gunks and alpine routes. Around here you can get away with smart slingage.
(This post was edited by Reaganchung on Apr 22, 2008, 4:43 AM)
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AlexCV
Apr 22, 2008, 4:47 AM
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Around here, doubles are pretty much standard on multipitch trad. But that might also be because a lot of those trad leaders also lead ice. For ice, the benefit is low impact force and long rappels. For trad it's long rappels and less rope drag. They're also great for protecting traverses for the second. Another benefit is that on moderate routes, you can have two seconds follow a leader. Belaying is a bit different, but it's not that hard although I have yet to do it without wearing thick gloves ;-).
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USnavy
Apr 22, 2008, 8:47 AM
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Half ropes provide reduced impact forces if clipped independently. Twin ropes do not provide reduced impact forces over a good low impact single rope. Dont get the two confused.
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jmvc
Apr 22, 2008, 10:41 AM
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Another situation where half ropes are useful is multipitch with three people, leader leads on both ropes and followers come up on one rope each.
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king_rat
Apr 22, 2008, 11:59 AM
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I use doubles all the time for trad,
Doubles have lots of advantages:
1) Double’s reduce rope drag particularly on routes that wonder round, you can clip one rope on to gear on the left and the other to gear on the right.
2)because you generally clip alternate pieces of gear, when you pull in slack to clip the next peace you do not add extra slack to the rope that is providing you with your last runner.
3) You can abseil a full rope length.
4) Doubles give you extra redundancy so if one rope is cut you have a backup.
5) Doubles are more stretchy so the catch is generally softer.
6) It is easer to protect your second on traverses, if you are belaying from directly above.
7) You have plenty of rope to play with when setting up belays
There are of course some disadvantages:
There is the extra cost of having to buy two ropes, however if you climb with someone who also uses doubles you can buy one each.
Belaying with two ropes can be complicated , for example sometimes you will find that you have to feed one rope in while feeding the second out.
Good rope management is crucial to avoid clusterfucks
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olderic
Apr 22, 2008, 2:04 PM
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k.r. sums it up very well. One other disadvantage is the extra weight - both on the approach and during the actual climbing.
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cracklover
Apr 22, 2008, 2:17 PM
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richardvg03 wrote: So I've been looking around and reading... why would you use 2 ropes while climbing instead of one. What are the benifits? Besides BIG WALLS! How many people here use 2 ropes?
I do.
Here's plenty of info on them:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/..._reply;so=ASC;mh=25;
Here's my take from that thread:
In reply to: Following are some advantages for leading on doubles. 1 - Bring up two seconds at once. 2 - Allows the leader to place gear in options that would be too far out of the line with a single rope. 3 - Reduces rope drag. 4 - Allows use of shorter (or sometimes no) slings. 6 - Can reduce fall distances. 7 - Can protect second better on traverses. 8 - Can protect leader better on traverses. 9 - Can share force on more than one piece in a fall. 10 - Prevents total failure if one rope gets chopped. 11 - Can allow longer (or linking) pitches. 12 - Can allow longer rappels. 13 - Reduces fall force on the gear. 14 - Some protection against ropes getting sliced over edges, and chopped by rockfall. The main disadvantages are more difficult rope handling/tangling, and the greater likelihood of getting caught in one of the ropes when/if you fall.
Cheers,
GO
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vegastradguy
Apr 22, 2008, 2:45 PM
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i would pay good money to see someone climb El Cap with double ropes....
i used to use 'em all the time, still do occasionally, but i do prefer single lines for where i climb. just depends, as do most things...
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thomasribiere
Apr 22, 2008, 3:18 PM
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vegastradguy wrote: i would pay good money to see someone climb El Cap with double ropes.... i used to use 'em all the time, still do occasionally, but i do prefer single lines for where i climb. just depends, as do most things...
Is it because single ropes are always lighter (and longer - it's common to see 80m single ropes of 9.3mm)?
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divnamite
Apr 22, 2008, 3:32 PM
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Double ropes could mean twins or halfs. Twins don't reduce rope drag, halfs do. Twin ropes mean you have to clip both ropes into every piece together, half ropes mean you only clip one rope into one piece.
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wings
Apr 22, 2008, 3:48 PM
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divnamite wrote: Double ropes could mean twins or halfs.
I believe the more common (or perhaps more correct) usage of these terms is that double ropes and half ropes are the same thing, and twin ropes are not referred to as double ropes.
I use double ropes quite often, but then again my routes of choice are multipitch trad routes in the Canadian rockies, so that just goes with the territory.
- Seyil
(This post was edited by wings on Apr 22, 2008, 3:50 PM)
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divnamite
Apr 22, 2008, 3:54 PM
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wings wrote: divnamite wrote: Double ropes could mean twins or halfs. I believe the more common (or perhaps more correct) usage of these terms is that double ropes and half ropes are the same thing, and twin ropes are not referred to as double ropes. - Seyil |
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donald949
Apr 22, 2008, 4:45 PM
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The illustrations on page 3 of Gabe's link should summarize it well.
Sometimes on multi pitch a second rope is brought along in case you need to bail. Then the advantage of doubles/half or twins is the reduced weight, compared to two 11's like I first climbed with.
Twins work like a single rope. You run them up the route like a single rope and clip every piece with both ropes.
Twins advantage is lower weight and simple rope management.
Doubles/half ropes offer reduced drag on routes that wander back and forth, but are more difficult to manage.
There are some ropes that can be used as either Doubles/halfs or twins. But most are one or the other, look at the manufacturer's data carefully to see which it is.
Climb Safe. Don
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irregularpanda
Apr 22, 2008, 5:09 PM
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richardvg03 wrote: So I've been looking around and reading... why would you use 2 ropes while climbing instead of one. What are the benifits? Besides BIG WALLS! How many people here use 2 ropes?
Another great spot for (online *sigh*) climbing instruction is the tradgirl website.
Click on FAQ, then click on the advanced topics link, and there you are, how to use twins and halfs.
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CaptainPolution
Apr 22, 2008, 11:02 PM
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Reaganchung wrote: richardvg03 wrote: So I've been looking around and reading... why would you use 2 ropes while climbing instead of one. What are the benifits? Besides BIG WALLS! How many people here use 2 ropes? If you actually read about double ropes then you would learn why someone would use doubles. It is an advanced technique and pretty confusing trying to explain without pictures and i wouldnt recommend a noob trying it.
ditttttttttto
thats why I dont use them HAHAHA
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vegastradguy
Apr 23, 2008, 12:55 AM
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thomasribiere wrote: vegastradguy wrote: i would pay good money to see someone climb El Cap with double ropes.... i used to use 'em all the time, still do occasionally, but i do prefer single lines for where i climb. just depends, as do most things... Is it because single ropes are always lighter (and longer - it's common to see 80m single ropes of 9.3mm)?
nah, i usually climb on a 60m line, sometimes a 70m. its true its lighter overall, but i often carry a trail line for rappel, which negates that.
at the end of the day, i really just dont like the 400' pile of rope i have to deal with- that and doubles tend to twist like a mofo when they get old. at least with a trail line i can make two piles- one of which i dont have to really tend to.....
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