Trying to make decisions on rope lengths.

I currently have a one year old, bi-pattern 70m rope. Though most of the routes that are in range of my nearest outdoors access are 15m or less. So I can comfortably set up top ropes with 35m.

I found a pretty good deal on an 80m, which I bought. It has no bi-pattern.

So now I'm trying to decide to cut either one into shorter lengths. My approaches aren't miles long, but I'd like to keep weight down, as well as make rope management easier for quick weekend trips. And then keep one rope longer for situational use.

I guess keeping the 70m intact and splitting the 80m into two 40m lengths seems easy, though there is some appeal to having a single 80m rope, too. So maybe 80m and two 35m lengths by cutting the 70m in half. Though then the temptation is to cut the 70m into uneven 30m and 40m lengths for more options.

Any thoughts in hindsight from those that many have already done something similar?

Thanks!

-rxb

Why not cut the 80, and have a 30, a 50, and a 70?

Trying to make decisions on rope lengths.

I currently have a one year old, bi-pattern 70m rope. Though most of the routes that are in range of my nearest outdoors access are 15m or less. So I can comfortably set up top ropes with 35m.

I found a pretty good deal on an 80m, which I bought. It has no bi-pattern.

So now I'm trying to decide to cut either one into shorter lengths. My approaches aren't miles long, but I'd like to keep weight down, as well as make rope management easier for quick weekend trips. And then keep one rope longer for situational use.

I guess keeping the 70m intact and splitting the 80m into two 40m lengths seems easy, though there is some appeal to having a single 80m rope, too. So maybe 80m and two 35m lengths by cutting the 70m in half. Though then the temptation is to cut the 70m into uneven 30m and 40m lengths for more options.

Any thoughts in hindsight from those that many have already done something similar?

Thanks!

-rxb

I don't like the idea of cutting the ropes into different length, because if you cut your 80m rope into 30 and 50, you will have to keep track of which of the identical-looking ropes is the shorter one. I See potential for mistakes with bad consequences in you accidentally grab the 30m rope thinking that it was 50m.

Personally, I would not have bought the 80m rope if I had a perfectly good 1yo 70m rope. Good deal or no. Sales and good deals happen with predictable regularity. If you were thinking of retiring your old rope within couple months, and came across a good deal on a new rope, that is one thing. But if you are planning to have another year or two out of your 70m... I wouldn't have bothered.

So, my 2 cents would be to put the 80m into a clean dry closet bin, and let it sit there, uncut, for couple more years, if you can't sell it to a buddy of yours who can use it right now. Who knows, by then you might move, or you might be traveling to other destinations and climbing routes that require longer rope length.

I don't like the idea of cutting the ropes into different length, because if you cut your 80m rope into 30 and 50, you will have to keep track of which of the identical-looking ropes is the shorter one. I See potential for mistakes with bad consequences in you accidentally grab the 30m rope thinking that it was 50m.

Personally, I would not have bought the 80m rope if I had a perfectly good 1yo 70m rope. Good deal or no. Sales and good deals happen with predictable regularity. If you were thinking of retiring your old rope within couple months, and came across a good deal on a new rope, that is one thing. But if you are planning to have another year or two out of your 70m... I wouldn't have bothered.

So, my 2 cents would be to put the 80m into a clean dry closet bin, and let it sit there, uncut, for couple more years, if you can't sell it to a buddy of yours who can use it right now. Who knows, by then you might move, or you might be traveling to other destinations and climbing routes that require longer rope length.

Yeah, admittedly, the uneven split thing was a potential concern for the exact reasons you mentioned. In a perfect world, I would re-label them perfectly and obviously. But in the real world..

But the whole point of buying the new rope in the first place was to cut smaller lengths and make my "local" crag more manageable - less weight for the approach, less hassle for moving between multiple, short routes. And the logic was something like; a single 40m rope is $100…a single 80m rope was $170, so I'll buy that, cut it in two, and sell the other half to a buddy.

Though now that the rope is in hand, before I pull the trigger, I'm wondering if someone has experience or rationale to make the rope cutting choice in a certain way.

+1
Cutting down an old rope for top roping is one thing. Buying a new rope with the intention of chopping it up is just senseless.

But if toproping is all he is doing at the moment? And he doesn't have an old rope, because he just started climbing?

I do think it is pretty silly to cut a brand new 80m bc you want to "save some weight" on a short approach to a local crag.

But at a local crag here, for example, the routes are short, and TR setup is a bit of a pain-- you have to walk to the top and anchor off trees, there are no bolts. So people usually set up as many TRs as they can all at once, while they are at the top of the cliff, and then swap ropes with whoever else is there. In such situation, having two shorts instead of 1 long rope is nice.

Don't cut your ropes. Just makes a mistake likely. And if they are too heavy, go do some fucking squats.

I think we're in agreement. I agree about the usefulness of several shorter ropes in the scenario you describe. Doing that with a brand new rope is what seems short sighted.

I think we're in agreement. I agree about the usefulness of several shorter ropes in the scenario you describe. Doing that with a brand new rope is what seems short sighted.