Getting twists out of a climbing rope!

This is my first rope and I am getting all these twists that get quite annoying while belaying. How do I get rid of these and prevent them in the future. Thanks. 

Get on a tall climb and let that thing hang all the way out.  

Most likely the twists are from the way the manufacturer's factory coils the rope before packaging it. Repeatedly flaking out the rope usually fixes that, though how many times you need to do it can vary. If you can get it to the top of a cliff where the whole length can hang in the air, that should work too. 

You can just wrap your rope around a tree, pole, mailbox, etc., put your rappel device on it and walk backward (or pull the rope through it) through the length of the rope. A full rappel should undo the twists.

Here's what I do, works every time. Set up a high point and attach a tube-style belay device. Take side A and run it through the device until you get to the other side, side B. Now flip the stack, and start with side A, run the rope through the device again. Repeat 3-6 times until you notice the twisting is gone. The key here is to start with the same end every time, otherwise the rope will not untwist. I realize this is a confusing description, but I can't think of another way to write it. 

Doug Simpson wrote:

Here's what I do, works every time. Set up a high point and attach a tube-style belay device. Take side A and run it through the device until you get to the other side, side B. Now flip the stack, and start with side A, run the rope through the device again. Repeat 3-6 times until you notice the twisting is gone. The key here is to start with the same end every time, otherwise the rope will not untwist. I realize this is a confusing description, but I can't think of another way to write it. 

Hey Doug. It worked great. Took about 6 run throughs to work. My issue was i wasn’t using the same side like you mentioned. Appreciate it!

Doug, I like your idea. By high point are you suggesting something like mounting the belay device to a garage rafter and pulling the rope pile thru it?

Yes, exactly, Patrick. In the past, I have plugged cams into my hangboard, made a masterpoint and used that. See my example here -note that this is just cord for demonstration. 

Lots of good advice for removing the twists already, but the way to avoid the problem with your next new rope that's factory coiled is to carefully unroll the coil like a wheel when you are first flaking it out.  It won't have any twists that way.  

JJ Burns wrote:

Lots of good advice for removing the twists already, but the way to avoid the problem with your next new rope that's factory coiled is to carefully unroll the coil like a wheel when you are first flaking it out.  It won't have any twists that way.  

Sound advice. But watch out - some ropes now don't need that approach (read the tags).

When at a crag I just hang a draw on the 1st or 2nd bolt and pull the rope through a couple times.  

Also done same thing in garage or basement. 

You're gonna need one of these

https://alpine-climbers.myshopify.com/

A few things I do with a new rope to help with the twisties:

1. Uncoil per mfg recommendation

2. Climb several routes that are half the length of the rope and rap the rope.

3. If top roping I will pull the rope through until the end is off the ground each time and rotate sides for each person (if appropriate). Sometimes I will pull it through and the pull it back the other way.

4. Any time I am pulling the rope I always start with the shorter side flaking it into the rope tarp when moving between climbs or packing up for the day.

5 Store the rope in a tarp stacked instead of coiled.

I just pull the rope all the way through the other direction after cleaning a route. If you do it every time, no kinks, the more times you forget the more the kinks. 

I don’t know if this is the case. When lowering on a GriGri, if the rope is pulled over the right side across the rounded edge then it causes serious twists and pig tailing. This can be prevented by lowering directly in front of the device. It’s the same concept as to why munter hitches twist the shit out of ropes. I used to experience this a lot until I switched up my lowering technique. Hope that helps!

I believe the front of the grigri is stainless steel, which is a clear advantage over the Al sidebar. Def have to pay more attention but worth it, imo

If it continues to happen, pay attention to how you pull the rope through the belay device, when you are belaying. I've noticed that it's possible to put a 1/4 turn of twist in the rope every time I pull in rope, due to the action of my wrist.

Oh man wait til you hear about this excellent product the RopeX

Doug Simpson wrote:

Here's what I do, works every time. Set up a high point and attach a tube-style belay device. Take side A and run it through the device until you get to the other side, side B. Now flip the stack, and start with side A, run the rope through the device again. Repeat 3-6 times until you notice the twisting is gone. The key here is to start with the same end every time, otherwise the rope will not untwist. I realize this is a confusing description, but I can't think of another way to write it. 

This has worked every time for me