Dear All, is there some one that can tell me to test a secondhand rope as I have bought 1 at a very low price from one of the cash converter stores I took it as for a secondary rope but would like to know if there is any way of testing the strenght of it as it is a 11 mm thick rope I can see that it is worn, but seems to be in good nick.

Kind Regards Wynand

As a rule of thumb, never buy a second hand rope (unless maybe from a very good friend who can tell you how old, how many falls its has taken) and no, there is no sure way to test a rope (without breaking it that is).

- Make sure you inspect every centimetre of the rope visually and by hand (you want to feel the rope by squeezing it between your thumb and index finder, feel for soft bits or any unusual 'lumps'. Also look for abrasians, sheath wear (if you can see the core, thats not good). Fluffyness indicates wear.

- Setup a toprope (using as much of the rope as possible) have someone climb up a few meters (+- 10m) and then have them take a 'gentle fall'. Older ropes will stretch significantly more (compare the stretch you get on the 2nd hand rope to your new/primary rope). If it stretches far... be wary.

If you have any doubts about the rope, try selling it to Drifter (sorry Drifter I couldn't resist!)

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Climb ZA - Administrator

Hi Wynand - rather use it for skipping it seriously isnt worth the effort of testing it - save up and buy a new rope

If you are not 100% sure of its condition

1) You risk hurting yourself
2) You wont trust the rope and your head wont let you reach your potential when you climb

Wynand the people here are right buying a second hand rope you don't know the history of is really not a good idea. If you really need your own rope then rather save a bit every month until you can afford your own rope otherwise find a climbing partner who has there own rope which they bought new and know the history of.

Also if you bend a rope and the two parts of the rope touch each other and there is no loop then the rope is finished. I don't know if you know what I mean.

Think about this for a second: In climbing, there is almost always a desire for redundancy. The only thing in a climbing system (yeah and you can argue here peanut gallery) that is often not redundant is the rope (especially if you're sport climbing, duh).

Do you want to have your life hanging from someone's second hand rope? That's your choice, but if you saving a coupla bucks results in tragedy, well that's evolution in action right there.

I've climbed with you before, and you already have a rope (A brownish+yellowy one if I remember correctly?). What do you mean by 'secondary'? Is the importance of not decking 'secondary'? If not, sell the rope to Drifter.

Drifter will only buy it if it comes with a free rope bag

...coffee 1, keyboard 0

Thanks guest.

By Secondary I mean a second rope as I have got one you are right but it will be a bit safer and it will push me to climb higher grades as i will feel a lot safer on two ropes but the one that I have bought at a small fee might be rubbish as some might say then it was a waste of money I however will still climb with it as I have done some basic tests of my own to try and see the strenght of it and of course it wont be without my yellowish one. Dont you agree say I climb with both ropes and I take a fall with the secondary rope hooked in at the last point of protection and the rope snaps I still have the primary to stop my from falling sure I will take a bit longer fall but will hopefully not plunge to the ground.

Kind Regards Wynand

read this

http://www.uiaa.ch/web.test/visual/Safety/SafComdownloads/About%20aging%20of%20climbing%20ropes.pdf

Hey Wynand it sounds like you're climbing with two single ropes. You should certainly NOT be clipping two single ropes into the same piece of protection, whether it be a bolt or a piece of gear (the same applies for half ropes). The ropes are designed to stretch to help absorb the energy of your fall and to reduce the force placed onto the protection and you. If you are clipping both ropes into the same piece of pro you can do yourself some serious harm if you take a monster whip!

It is seriously unlikely (dare I say impossible) for a rope in good condition to snap holding a 'normal' or even an extreme fall. I stand to be corrected but I don't think there has ever been an incedance where this has happened (I have heard of one where a rope snapped under body weight but after a detailed investigation traces of batery acid were found on the rope, it also happened in a gym).

So if you're doubtful about the integretiy and/or history of either of your ropes, retire them and buy a new one. There is really no need to climb with two single ropes (especially sport climbing). Also, if you're hoping to push grades why hold yourself back with the weight of an additional 11mm rope?

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Open hand, open mind...

Wynand, single ropes are designed to be used AS A SINGLE ROPE!

These ropes are manufactured according to strict specifications, so that the impact force does not exceed a certain critical value during a fall. By using your two single ropes as twin ropes (if I understand you correctly), you will basically double the impact force because you half the elastic properties by using two SINGLE ropes and the end result will be a very stiff back...

My advice....take your \"cash converter\" rope and convert it to a tow rope for your car...

Thank you all very much for your input on this rope story, you have led me to make up my mind which is not to use it for climbing.

Kind Regards Wynand

The boys at Search & Rescue will be happy to hear
Happy climbing

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Climb ZA - Administrator