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Rope Production Year

Original Post
Eric Hardester · · Provo, Utah · Joined May 2013 · Points: 111

I just bought a new rope to replace/supplement one I had received from my uncle about 3 years ago. I'm unsure if I'm replacing it or supplementing it because I don't know the age of the rope, like is it just looking old or is it gonna-snap-and-kill-me-any-day-now old. I cut off one of the ends to check the core, and found a purple thread inside.

Color strand in rope core

I found that both Beal and Edelweiss ropes from years ending in "7" (ie 2007) have a purple strand. Does anybody know what other rope companies use colored core strands and what year purple represents?

The Word · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 0

Ropes built now days also include a small, plastic ribbon that runs the length of the rope core. The plastic ribbon is marked with UIAA and the year of manufacture printed every few feet. If you did not find this ribbon along side the purple yarn, then your rope is quite old. It predates the now common use of the UIAA ribbon in all modern dynamic ropes. Most likely your cord is 1997 (or older) if it does not have the plastic ribbon.

Beal uses colored yarn and colored tags across their product range to identify the year they were made. Ropes, slings, harnesses, lanyards all use their color coded markings for the year they were made.

Eric Hardester · · Provo, Utah · Joined May 2013 · Points: 111

Thanks, that helps. I had a feeling it was pretty old, though only occasionally used, so it didn't look old. A 17+ year old rope deserves retirement.

rocknice2 · · Montreal, QC · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 3,847

I would top rope on it.

DannyUncanny · · Vancouver · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 100
The Word wrote:Ropes built now days also include a small, plastic ribbon that runs the length of the rope core. The plastic ribbon is marked with UIAA and the year of manufacture printed every few feet. If you did not find this ribbon along side the purple yarn, then your rope is quite old. It predates the now common use of the UIAA ribbon in all modern dynamic ropes. Most likely your cord is 1997 (or older) if it does not have the plastic ribbon. Beal uses colored yarn and colored tags across their product range to identify the year they were made. Ropes, slings, harnesses, lanyards all use their color coded markings for the year they were made.
I've cut up a lot of ropes, all of them newer than 1997 and have never found a plastic UIAA ribbon in any of them, so it's not a guarantee. The two brands that I can remember were Maxim/New England and Edelrid.
Eric Hardester · · Provo, Utah · Joined May 2013 · Points: 111

It's 10.5mm +, 60m length. Dynamic. That's about all I know about it, except I'm almost certain it's at least 10 years old. Here is a picture of more of the rope.

Old rope

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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