How long is a rope good for?

I have a rope I've been using for the past 4 years. We climb an average of 12-18 days a season, a weekend warrior. Does rope actually degrade over time or only by number of big falls? As I'm flaking it out it still feels fine. Should I buy a new rope?

Geoff on Bowen wrote:I have a rope I've been using for the past 4 years. We climb an average of 12-18 days a season, a weekend warrior. Does rope actually degrade over time or only by number of big falls? As I'm flaking it out it still feels fine. Should I buy a new rope?

Climbing friend,

Do not be buying a new rope unless there is a soft, or spot most flat in the core, or other irregularity in the core, or the sheath is coreshot through, or if the sheath is excessively fuzzy.

The rope will get a little weaker and stiffer over several years even sitting in closet, but it will never do the breaking unless you expose it to acid/bleach/solvents.

It degrades over time by sitting, UV rays, and by use in the climbing sport, falls, hanging, rubbing on rock, etc.

Do not let your rope run over a sharp edge, or you will surely do the dying.

You may do the taking of several hundred low fall factor falls on your rope at least, as long as you continue to inspect said rope for core irregularity/flat spots/soft spots and coreshots.

This topic has been covered multiple times. The interwebs has tons of information on this.

Yes it degrades, a rope that has never been used has a shelf life of about 8-12 years.

From REI's web site.
Replacing: Ropes must be replaced when damaged or old. General guidelines:
Heavy sport climbing use with repeated falls: 3-6 months
Heavy trad climbing use with few falls: 1-2 years
Weekends: 2-3 years
Occasional use: 4-5 years
Huge falls or other damage: immediately!

Most rope manufacturers will change the color of the ropes year to year. You can research how old your rope is if you know the model and color. It might be older then you think.

Geoff on Bowen wrote:I have a rope I've been using for the past 4 years. We climb an average of 12-18 days a season, a weekend warrior. Does rope actually degrade over time or only by number of big falls? As I'm flaking it out it still feels fine. Should I buy a new rope?

Your rope is fine, yes ropes do degrade over time, but we're talking like 50 years time, not 4 years. Most rope manufacturers recommend no more than 5 years of use, and 10 years of storage for a rope (for 15 years total life unless damaged). You can be fairly certain that they are erring on the side of being extremely cautious with those numbers. 12 to 18 days per season means that I wouldn't even consider that rope to have a year of use.

Edit to add: I'm certainly not advocating using a rope for 50 years, but with light usage 10 to 15 years is no problem.

Super Fluke wrote:This topic has been covered multiple times. The interwebs has tons of information on this.

These comments are on the verge of humorous to annoying. Sometimes its just nice to discuss in real time. Not to mention, over time, information and opinions can change.

To answer the op, Beal recommends a total life of 15 years. I think they break it down to 10 in use, 5 in storage, maybe its 5 in use and 10 storage. Search their website. This assumes no damage, just wear and tear.

I have a question. I bought a 70 meter 9.8 Edelrid and took the ride hundreds of times over the course of 6 months. I cut it every time I found a soft spot that failed the tear drop test. I am now down to a 40 meter rope. So I bought Blue Water 10.2 and expect to put it through the same abuses. Will the bigger diameter make the Blue Water last longer or should I just expect to keep buying a rope every three months while taking whips on 5.12+ and 5.13 sport routes?

B. Climbin' wrote:I have a question. I bought a 70 meter 9.8 Edelrid and took the ride hundreds of times over the course of 6 months. I cut it every time I found a soft spot that failed the tear drop test. I am now down to a 40 meter rope. So I bought Blue Water 10.2 and expect to put it through the same abuses. Will the bigger diameter make the Blue Water last longer or should I just expect to keep buying a rope every three months while taking whips on 5.12+ and 5.13 sport routes?

Climbing friend,

What a strange rope type you may have! I huck my meat repeatedly off the climbing rocks and have not developed any spot soft in my sterling rope in over 2 seasons!

B. Climbin' wrote:... while taking whips on 5.12+ and 5.13 sport routes?

Oh, on 12+ and 13 sport routes! That's the key bit of info. Yes, you should expect to replace your rope every 3 months when whipping on 12+ and 13 sport routes.

Ropes last much longer on 11+ and 12- sport routes and also on 14's. There is something about those 12+'s and 13's though....rope destroyers for sure.

B. Climbin' wrote: while taking whips on 5.12+ and 5.13 sport routes?

It is important that you mention the grade here cause the laws of physics are way different on 13's than 11's. And now that your rope is only 40 meters does that mean you only climb 20 meter routes? Spray much?

Greg D wrote: It is important that you mention the grade here cause the laws of physics are way different on 13's than 11's. And now that your rope is only 40 meters does that mean you only climb 20 meter routes? Spray much?

Come on Greg. Guideline #1.

Aleks Zebastian wrote: Climbing friend, What a strange rope type you may have! I huck my meat repeatedly off the climbing rocks and have not developed any spot soft in my sterling rope in over 2 seasons!

I was under the impression you just flashed routes, so there was no need to retire the rope? ;)

Climbing friend,

I know you are impress by my meaty arms, back, shoulders, and neck meat, but I don't always flash every attempt, and sometimes if I do flash, I may huck my meat from above the anchors!

Aleks Zebastian wrote: Climbing friend, Do not be buying a new rope unless there is a soft, or spot most flat in the core, or other irregularity in the core, or the sheath is coreshot through, or if the sheath is excessively fuzzy. The rope will get a little weaker and stiffer over several years even sitting in closet, but it will never do the breaking unless you expose it to acid/bleach/solvents. It degrades over time by sitting, UV rays, and by use in the climbing sport, falls, hanging, rubbing on rock, etc. Do not let your rope run over a sharp edge, or you will surely do the dying. You may do the taking of several hundred low fall factor falls on your rope at least, as long as you continue to inspect said rope for core irregularity/flat spots/soft spots and coreshots.

Wait, wait... did Aleks actually provide a reasonably correct and informative answer here? What is happening to the world?

Greg D wrote: It is important that you mention the grade here cause the laws of physics are way different on 13's than 11's. And now that your rope is only 40 meters does that mean you only climb 20 meter routes? Spray much?

No the grades are not important, but yest, the laws of physics are different. I don't whip as hard as much on 11's. I whip much more often on harder routes. And yes, a shorter rope makes it harder to climb taller routes so an answer like, "BUY A STERLING!" would have been more appropriate. Confuse an honest question for trolling much?

B. Climbin' wrote:I have a question. I bought a 70 meter 9.8 Edelrid and took the ride hundreds of times over the course of 6 months. I cut it every time I found a soft spot that failed the tear drop test. I am now down to a 40 meter rope. So I bought Blue Water 10.2 and expect to put it through the same abuses. Will the bigger diameter make the Blue Water last longer or should I just expect to keep buying a rope every three months while taking whips on 5.12+ and 5.13 sport routes?

IMO "hundreds of" falls, even short sport falls = get a new rope.

Thanks for all the replies. I usually only keep my rope for 5 years. But this beal seams to look a lot better than my Eldrid did. Different manufacturers I guess. Just wanted to see how often the rest of you all chuck your ropes for new ones.

B. Climbin' wrote:I have a question. I bought a 70 meter 9.8 Edelrid and took the ride hundreds of times over the course of 6 months. I cut it every time I found a soft spot that failed the tear drop test. I am now down to a 40 meter rope. So I bought Blue Water 10.2 and expect to put it through the same abuses. Will the bigger diameter make the Blue Water last longer or should I just expect to keep buying a rope every three months while taking whips on 5.12+ and 5.13 sport routes?

All other things being equal ... It depends somewhat on the strength of the rope itseld which is related to the UIAA fall number

Im sure someone will argue that and i await the multipage flame fest in anticipation ... Ive already gor my sources lined up

;)

The age of the rope is mostly irrelevant for practical purposes unless it's extraordinarily old. I would have absolutely no problem taking a whip on a 10-year-old rope if it was in good condition. Even the UIAA stated the absolutest oldest rope they could find still held at least one UIAA fall, and that rope was not brand new either but rather quite used.

My criteria for retiring a rope is simple. Aside from chemical alteration, if the rope is not coreshot or otherwise clearly damaged, it's still serviceable. I dont count years of age, number of whips, exact diameter, or sheath filaments broken, if the core is not visible I am fine climbing on it. If the core is visible I have to decide if I want to chop the end and keep using it, or just get rid of it all together. If the rope is still in reasonable condition overall, I'll chop the end and use it as my hangdoger rope. If the rope is pretty worn, I'll call it and trash it.

Geoff on Bowen wrote:Should I buy a new rope?

Only if the color clashes with your quickdraw motif.

60 or 70 meters.

haha sorry couldn't resist.

Read the fine print when you buy all of your climbing gear!

The manufacturers will tell you how to use it, how not to use it and when to retire it. Not all of it is intuitive, and many folks are using equipment as the manufacturer intends - like a Daisy Chain as a Personal Anchor!