Timeline for Can you use pre-owned climbing rope for hiking and/or emergency uses?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
20 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 7, 2022 at 5:15 | comment | added | Joshua | @Michael: We have a rope that we keep for knot practice. It used to be used for rappelling despite no longer trustworthy for leader falls. It was retired from all load-bearing work after finding a flat spot when coiling it up after rappelling. You can't see the damage at all, but you can feel it. It's a beautiful rope and when it's not being used for knot practice it's on display along with the better ice axe. | |
| Feb 6, 2022 at 9:55 | comment | added | Michael | How much can a rope really be abused without it being visible? I’d love to see some people try and test. | |
| Feb 5, 2022 at 17:18 | comment | added | Manziel | Actually no. If you need a rope it is potentially deadly. And then short roping can be deadly too | |
| Feb 4, 2022 at 15:54 | comment | added | crasic | @Manziel, statements of safety for any system , including short roping or body belay really depends on the terrain, exposure, and conditions . I think the OP may be talking about something much lower angle with less exposure than you may be picturing . | |
| Feb 4, 2022 at 12:17 | comment | added | Hobbamok | Even WHEN stored properly, ropes and gear degrade over time (just a lot more slowly). So if you buy some stuff without knowing its age it could have gotten significantly weaker despite perfect storage | |
| Feb 4, 2022 at 8:38 | comment | added | Manziel | A lot of stuff could be counted as a "confidence rope". While there is little to say against a properly (!) fixed rope, e.g. attached to a thread, serving as a hand-rail this is not the case for short-roping other people using just a rope only. Short-roping is a dangerous technique for both persons and should only done with the appropriate training and experience. It is also questionable how much it will actually hold without using a harness. Anyways, this is definitely not a suited technique for the average hiker | |
| Feb 4, 2022 at 8:33 | comment | added | crasic | @Joshua In the USA these are sometimes called "Handlines" and are legitimate technique and used and trained in mountain rescue for low-angle situations, e.g. helping someone out of a ravine, where the fall risk is non-fatal. It is also covered in "Mountaineering" Freedom of the hills for a variety of alpine uses. Whether or not it is effective , or if a tie in is required depends on the terrain and the goal. For low-angle terrain with single human loads 8mm rope is sufficiently strong for individual use or low angle abseils. | |
| Feb 4, 2022 at 8:17 | comment | added | phipsgabler | I can, too, confirm the "confidence rope" thing. I remember it being discussed recently in Berg und Steigen, and the German-speaking alpine associations have different opions on it -- IIRC, the Swiss teach it to mountain guides, whereas the others are more critical. At least it is a tradtional method used in rope parties. | |
| Feb 4, 2022 at 2:19 | comment | added | Joshua | The "confidence" rope is a real thing and I don't know why it got that silly name. If some members of the party can get up a short section without a rope and some can't, an upper belay can prevent a dangerous fall without ever developing enough force to pull the belayer out of his stance. I have actually stopped a fall from such a belay. The reason this works is the length is short (view) and the belayer can anticipate the fall and check it before it develops. | |
| Feb 3, 2022 at 20:22 | comment | added | Chris H | @JonCuster I'd be on a bike at that point. The only gravel I could find to drive on is a few short access roads. The fire roads in our forests are gated. | |
| Feb 3, 2022 at 20:20 | comment | added | Jon Custer | @ChrisH - where I live, nominally benign forest roads (not pavement) can get very interesting very quickly. I don't do rock crawling, just get into the middle of nowhere... | |
| Feb 3, 2022 at 20:18 | comment | added | Chris H | Not at all @JonCuster. Different use cases. I only drive a campervan and in benign conditions. But if I had access to a retired static line I might use it to pull a car by hand to practice some force-multiplying techniques. | |
| Feb 3, 2022 at 19:26 | comment | added | Jon Custer | @ChrisH - you, offroading. Should have been clearer... | |
| Feb 3, 2022 at 19:13 | comment | added | Chris H | @JonCuster if you're talking about the sort of stuff you'd carry for off-roading, you're of course right. I was thinking of rather simpler towing gear | |
| Feb 3, 2022 at 19:09 | comment | added | Jon Custer | @ChrisH - Not properly rated recovery gear. Stuff that can handle multi-ton loads safely is not cheap. | |
| Feb 3, 2022 at 19:08 | comment | added | Chris H | Regarding the "confidence rope"...you should never ever use a rope without an appropriate belay technique just because it boosts your confidence.. Maybe "confidence rope" isn't a good term, but as a (temporary) hand-rail, used rope is quite reasonable - but static rope would be better. For thing like hauling kayaks up a bank you could use an old climbing rope, but the chances are you're carrying something better anyway | |
| Feb 3, 2022 at 19:06 | comment | added | Chris H | And, @JonCuster, car towing stuff tends to be far cheaper than climbing kit. | |
| Feb 3, 2022 at 18:50 | vote | accept | willowen100 | ||
| Feb 3, 2022 at 18:40 | comment | added | Jon Custer | My recovery kit for my car includes a 'snatch strap', which is a dynamic strap. I would never use a used climbing rope however, when a real rated strap (and rated recovery points) are available. Too many things can go wrong. | |
| Feb 3, 2022 at 15:38 | history | answered | Manziel | CC BY-SA 4.0 |