Leaving my ropes/gear in the car..

Hello MP-

I've recently transition from dirtbagging on foot to dirtbagging out of a car. I have plenty of storage space, and rather than leave my climbing gear at a campsite, its been in my car. However, summer is winding up quickly here (Lander, WY) and it is getting pretty warm during the day.

I know heat and UV rays are bad for nylon, what do you do to protect your soft gear in the car?

I have a big cooler with no food in it.. would that do the trick?

thx mp

i had been wondering about this too..

i looked at my bd quickdraws (nylon) and the only temp warning they gave is not to expose to temps above 212 F. I dont think i've ever had water boiling in my car while it was sitting in the sun so i figured i was safe.

that said id be interested in what people have to say as well.

I'd suspect UV to be the hardest on your gear. The heat of a closed car will definitely accelerate delamination of shoe rubber, but I doubt it gets hot enough to really hurt nylon or other gear. A cooler would work to help regulate the temp - not a bad idea. So would a blanket or old sleeping bag.

I cant speak for other stuff, but I know I took my shoes in to Evolv here in LA and they said some small but noticeable rubber delamination from the upper was due to hot/cold cycling.

Be very careful of exposure to car battery acid or its vapors. Some vehicles have the battery in the trunk.

The only thing I'd really be concerned about in a car during the summer heat is shoes. On a 95 degree day in direct sun, a car will heat up to 140 on the inside - definitely enough to ruin shoes over the course of a couple days.

Harness, ropes, and other softgoods will be fine. Otherwise, every car owner in Phoenix would have to replace all their seatbelts every summer.

I'd be careful for your helmet too. I don't think it would lose its effectiveness, but all the pads on the inside curled up on me.

Your biggest concern is getting your stuff ripped off while in the car.

Jon H wrote:The only thing I'd really be concerned about in a car during the summer heat is shoes. On a 95 degree day in direct sun, a car will heat up to 140 on the inside - definitely enough to ruin shoes over the course of a couple days. Harness, ropes, and other softgoods will be fine. Otherwise, every car owner in Phoenix would have to replace all their seatbelts every summer.

Agreed. The temperature in a car isn't hot enough to damage nylon, and the windows block out most of the UV light.

Another concern regarding shoes -- sitting in a hot car makes the odors much more volatile. I kept mine in the car all winter, but now that it's warm again, I need to drive with the windows open for a few minutes every time I go somewhere.

i think stich nailed it. i'm assuming you don't have homeowners' or renters' insurance if you are dirtbagging. you need to build a secure area into your vehicle that can serve 2 purposes - keep you gear out of the sun (and more important visibility), and something that if they DO get into your car, they can't steal your shit.

about 7 years ago we got home really late one sunday night from the creek and left our stuff in the truck (with a locked topper). i woke up literally 3 hours later to go to work, and the rear window of our topper was smashed and some stuff was taken. luckily, i have a locking tailgate, and we have our mattress on a frame that prevents entry to the lower area of the truck bed. things could have been a LOT worse.

Tint your windows (for sun protection, theft prevention, and easy glass cleanup if its broken), sunshades, and renters insurance to cover you stuff.

I swear there was a quote in an old (late 70’s) Chouinard catalog that warned against leaving gear in the trunk. My know-it-all friend summarily dismissed this as "poppycock.”

Many things happen to our gear as we use it - none of which contribute to increasing its strength. Question is, do these events significantly reduce the performance of our gear? Differing metals subjected to temperature fluctuations or fabric that might off-gas more quickly at higher temperatures. These might concern us. Are these significant impacts on our safety as we use this gear? Maybe, most likely not.

The question might be, do we get that icky feeling of doubt as we launch out on a lead - "Is my gear OK?" That can be enough to ruin the experience and the experience is the only reason to be out there.

Anarkissed wrote:Any thoughts on storing in a car in the cold?

OMG. This is like asking if it's OK to use your rope outside!
Your gear will be fine.
The bigger problem with storing gear in a vehicle isn't temperature but theft.

Marc801 wrote: OMG. This is like asking if it's OK to use your rope outside! Your gear will be fine. The bigger problem with storing gear in a vehicle isn't temperature but theft.

I could be wrong but I've never heard of cold temps affecting gear at all. Most climbing gear is appropriate for alpine and ice use so with that in mind I think the only thing you have to worry about is your climbing shoes feeling like icy rocks next time you put them on.

I'm thinking about going climbing in the desert. Will my gear get too dried out and turn my rope brittle? Being a Northeast ice climber my gear is used to being in humid or wet conditions. The change may be a shock to the gear.

rocknice2 wrote:I'm thinking about going climbing in the desert. Will my gear get too dried out and turn my rope brittle? Being a Northeast ice climber my gear is used to being in humid or wet conditions. The change may be a shock to the gear.

It will probably take some time for your gear to get used to a desert climate. I would be cautious with your gear the first few days of introducing it to drier climates.

Nylon does not start to deteriorate until about 350F (although Dyneema looses strength around 180F). The only real concern with leaving gear in the car is theft.

rocknice2 wrote:I'm thinking about going climbing in the desert. Will my gear get too dried out and turn my rope brittle? Being a Northeast ice climber my gear is used to being in humid or wet conditions. The change may be a shock to the gear.

It will dry out. So sprinkle the rope with water each night. If you won't be using it for several days, soak it in a tub of water for an hour or so. That'll keep it moist.

Gunkiemike wrote: It will dry out. So sprinkle the rope with water each night. If you won't be using it for several days, soak it in a tub of water for an hour or so. That'll keep it moist.

You can also apply a liberal amount of sunscreen. Not only will it help the rope retain moisture, it will also help protect it from UV rays.