Page 47 - D. Raleigh "Knots and ropes for climbers"

Kernmantle ropes have many applications beyond climbing. Firemen, spelunkers, roofers,
roughnecks, criminals, and other people use them every day for working in high places. The ropes they
use look much like climbing ropes but in fact are radically different. Their ropes are static, like steel
cable. Fall on a static rope, and the sudden jolt of being caught is enough to snap your neck.

Climbing ropes are dynamic. They are woven and braided so that they can absorb much of the force
of a fall without unduly stretching like my old Goldline or a rubber band. The dynamic property of a
climbing rope sets it apart. All other ropes are unfit for climbing.

How do you know if you have a climbing rope? Climbing ropes look distinctly different, having
multicolored sheaths. Static ropes are typically a solid color, usually white or black, with maybe one
band of contrasting piping. More telling, all climbing ropes will be certified by the Union
Internationale des Association d'Alpinisme. The UIAA is an international body that sets guidelines for
climbing ropes and equipment. Ropes approved by the UIAA will not break in normal situations.
Reputable climbing shops will sell only UIAA-stamped ropes, but some frauds do make it to market.
Check before you buy. A UIAA-approved rope will state so on its hangtag, and there will be a UIAA
logo taped to both ends of the rope.

SINGLE ROPE
1

Rope Diameters

Single ropes are those designated by the UIAA as safe for single-strand use. This is the sort of rope
that rock and big-wall climbers find the most suitable, largely because it is the simplest rope to manage
and is the lightest in weight. Single ropes come in diameters from 9.8 to 11 millimeters. Sport
climbers, to whom every ounce is the enemy, typically use 9.8- to 10-millimeter ropes, since these are
the lightest. That these skinny ropes also wear out quicker than fatter ropes is of minor concern to