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beyond_gravity
Jan 13, 2002, 1:57 AM
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I'm sure this has been asked before but I cant find it anywhere. I'm wondering when you guys retier your ropes? Like if the UIAA rating is like 12 falls, do you take 12 falls then retire it? or judge it by shealth slippage? I'm starting to take Bigger and bigger falls and i'm not sure when to ditch my rope.
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treyr
Jan 21, 2002, 2:21 PM
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I would never retire my rope after 12 falls. Normally you would retire a rope ever 3-5 years depending on how often you use it
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woodse
Jan 21, 2002, 2:52 PM
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This topic is posted somewhere else I'm pretty sure but the retirement of a rope depends on MANY factors including falls. The other post has a wealth of info, I'll try to find it and direct you to it.
woodsE
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jono13
Jan 23, 2002, 6:37 AM
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i heard it depends on rope use, where its stored, number of falls, and damage. i just got a 10' mammut rope, ive had it fro 2 years, its fine, but havent taken alot of falls on it, hard to say
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addiroids
Jan 23, 2002, 6:48 AM
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When it breaks.
TRADitionally yours,
Addiroids
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theamish
Jan 23, 2002, 2:32 PM
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Unless you're incredibly heavy I doubt you will ever cause the kind of damage in a fall that is used to measure uiaa fall factors. You have to ask yourself after a fall .. was it an edge fall? If so how harsh was the edge. Did you pendulum back and forth? how much of the sheath was left on the rock. I've seen guys duct tape sheath damage (not a good idea) and still fall without a problem. The best course of action in your decision on retiring ropes, in my opinion, is check it before or after each outing. This is tedious but so are broken bones. Take your rope and visually inspect it for sheath damage, as you do this look for flat spots. pull up the flat spot between your thumb and fore finger making a small loop with the suspected damage at the top of the loop if the top of the loop folds flat against itself at that point you more than likely have core damage. If it's close to the end of the rope cut it off and throw it away or make a non climbing gear sling out of it. It doesn't hurt to check your rope with the squeeze test over it's entire lenght every now and again either. As others have said, age also plays an important factor along with uv rays, dirt, etc. get some good rope wash and use it .. if you climb around a lot of sandstone or muddy areas it really extends the life of your rope. And last (of this long winded oration) if your in doubt find someone who is experienced and whom you trust and get there opinion.
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rck_climber
Jan 23, 2002, 5:02 PM
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Here, check out this thread, it also references a couple other good spots to find this info:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=5426&forum=40
Hope this helps.
Mick
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passthepitonspete
Jan 23, 2002, 5:29 PM
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Dude,
Keep it simple.
Retire the rope when you begin to doubt its security.
Study up, find out when a reasonable time is, but if you're taking whippers, and you think it "might" be time to retire your rope....
....then you are probably right!
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beyond_gravity
Jan 24, 2002, 10:57 PM
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Do ropes break? or do they just get steched out?
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traide
Jan 24, 2002, 11:19 PM
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I wholeheartedly agree with ptppete. This goes for any gear, ropes included. If you are in doubt of the condition of that piece of gear, whether it will hold you or not in a fall, then you shouldn't climb on it. Even if it is probably still okay to climb on, the doubt that you will have in your mind while you are climbing on it will affect your climbing.
best rule of thumb i've ever heard: "if in doubt, replace it."
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ratstar
Jan 24, 2002, 11:54 PM
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traide is a puthy (say it out loud and you'll get it) boy. But he does make a good point. Retire it if you feel like you can't trust it.
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metoliusmunchkin
Jan 25, 2002, 12:16 AM
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I agree completely with Pete. If at any point in your climbing rope's career that you should consider its retirement, you are most certainly correct, that its time it took a breater, and that you put it to better uses, like a rug .
It all depends upon the fact that how many fibers of the ropes structure has been damaged. When you find that your ropes (while studying them closely in your own free time) now contain a few 'week spots' where the rope seems to be wearing.
Its up to you.
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ravens_wing_jim
Jan 25, 2002, 12:54 AM
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A fall that could be refured to as a rated
fall, is one serious whipper that you dont
want to take anyway.
Sport climbing is harsh medicine on ropes
due to the fact that multible falls are
common.
But these are hardly ever what could be
called a rated fall.
If you have a rope that has a 12 fall rating,
there are many little falls to be had in that.
Just be aware that those many little falls
add up.
what you should be keeping an eye out for
is, a real fuzzy sheath(if you can see any
of the core,toss it), check for flat or lumpy
spots, if you find them toss it.
But probably the most usefull advice is...
When in doubt...toss it out.
Its far better to fork out $100 - $200 dollars on a new rope,
than to stick your family with thousands
for your funeral expences.
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theamish
Jan 25, 2002, 6:54 PM
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I'm sorry but I can't agree with the advice of those that are saying, in so many words,
"use your own judgement". Obviously if a working knowledge of when to replace his rope were present he would not have had to ask this question in the first place. Guess work, in my humble opinion, should never replace knowledge, particularly if it means your safety or the safety of your climbing partners, I will agree "if in doubt throw it out" but without knowledge you may never formulate a doubt. Check your equiptment and know for sure its in good condition.
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