If you are a climber, then climbing rope is your lifeline. What is the maximum load that a climbing rope can support? Will your climbing rope tear off at any time soon?
Taking a closer look at the answer, there are some limiting factors. If you buy a rope from a quality brand, you can assume it will be able to bear your weight easily. In fairness, that’s a fairly safe assumption. Ropes manufactured by quality brands are rigorously tested to ensure they are strong enough to support standard rock climbing weights. Further, these ropes can support a lot more weight than you would put on them.
In practice, you cannot always rely on these assumptions since you will not always buy branded climbing ropes. You should better understand how much weight a climbing rope can support, considering that your lives may hang in the balance.
There are several factors that affect the working load of climbing ropes. You need to consider a handful of factors, from the types of climbing ropes (static and dynamic) to the weight supported.
This article outlines the influencing factors for choosing a climbing rope as well as the standard testing procedures.
It’s time to get down to business! To know more about ice climbing rope check this article.
Table of Contents
General Idea of Climbing Rope Weight
Are you aware? The breaking strain of climbing ropes can be as high as 2,500kg, more than a car or even an SUV!
That is how strong this little part of the climbing tool can be and the overall strength of a climbing rope depends on its weight. Its diameter and length largely determine the weight of a climbing rope.
The skinnier the rope, the lighter it will be. The core construction of the rope can make a skinny rope heavier than a thick rope, however.
According to the types, the weight of a static rope is often given as a weight per foot. Apart from that, the standard weight is listed as grams per meter for dynamic ropes. Calculate the overall weight of a climbing rope using its grams per meter number and its length.
What to Consider When Choosing Your Climbing Rope
You can determine the strength of your climbing rope by considering the following factors:
Climbing Rope Types
Each climbing rope has a different weight capacity. As far as climbing ropes go, we mean these:
Over the course of this article, we have discussed the standard weight calculation method for each of these types. The static ropes will not stretch under the weight of any load, making them unsuitable for rock climbing.
Dynamic ropes, on the other hand, remain flexible even under varying loads, which makes them ideal for rock climbing.
Dynamic ropes come in three different types. You will find them here:
Single Ropes:
Ropes with a single strand are perfect for climbing on traditional walls, sport walls, or top ropes. The weight capacity of these types of ropes varies depending on their lengths and diameters. The diameter of a single rope is generally wider since one rope is entitled to do all the legwork. Unlike traditional two-rope systems, these ropes can be used in more climbing disciplines and are easier to handle.
Half Ropes:
A half rope is comparatively thinner than a single rope. A half rope technique distributes the load over two thinner ropes attached to different items of equipment.
It is therefore difficult to determine the weight load of one rope in isolation since the weight and forces are distributed between two thinner ropes. Mountaineering and ice climbing are popular on these multi-pitch wandering routes.
Twin Ropes:
In a similar way to half ropes, twin ropes have two ropes. This technique differs only in that the two ropes used are attached to one piece of equipment and location. By using this technique, the weight can be distributed differently. It is both the thinner ropes and the single ropes that support the load.
Dynamic Weight vs. Static Weight
To understand the difference between static and dynamic weight, you need to know what affects your rope’s weight-load capacity.
Static weight refers to the idle weight in general. As an example of static weight, you can consider the situation when you are hanging on a rope without moving. You now need to figure out the maximum static weight a rope can support without breaking.
In contrast, dynamic weight refers to moving objects. As you climb, you add weight to your body with the force of your fall. Because of this, you must ensure that the dynamic weight can support you and your load in case of a fall.
It is important to consider both the static and dynamic weights when determining the rope’s weight capacity.https://91499d8343fc0ea521561b3af5c706ca.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
The factors that affect the weight capacity of the climbing rope
The following factors can directly affect your climbing rope’s weight-bearing capacity:
Diameter of the rope
Different rope types have different diameters. Single ropes, for instance, can range in diameter from 9.4mm to about 11mm, with an average diameter of 10.5mm.
Similar to half ropes, twin ropes usually have a thickness of 7mm to 8mm, with a diameter of approximately 8mm to 9mm. Alternatively, static ropes have a diameter ranging from 9mm to 13mm, measured commonly in inches.
A rope with a larger diameter typically carries more weight. The bigger the rope’s diameter, the more weight it can support. Although climbers want thinner ropes to deal with challenging climbs, they prefer higher-quality ropes.
Length of rope
Your climbing rope’s length also affects its weight-bearing capacity. Dynamic climbing ropes often range from 30 meters to 80 meters in length. Generally, 60m is the standard length of a rope, which will be adequate most of the time.
It is easy to calculate the formula if the strength of the rope is proportional to the energy required to break it. Longer ropes are considered more durable than shorter ones.
Climbing outdoors requires ropes that are about 60m or longer. For climbing in an indoor gym, however, a shorter rope of about 35m lengths should do perfectly well.
Knots
While you may be adding knots for your safety, you should be aware that knots can affect the weight capacity of your rope.
Despite the fact that knots tend to reduce the overall weight that your rope can bear, the rope itself is stronger than any knot you are likely to tie into it.
The following are the results of a study conducted by Lyon Equipment Limited on the impact of different knots on rock climbing ropes:
- The Double Figure-of-Eight Knot, which is commonly used in rock climbing, was found to retain between 66% and 77% of a rope’s full strength.
- Researchers found that barrel knots, which are used to tie ropes to carabiners, keep 67% to 77% of a rope’s strength.
- In fact, double overhand knots only retained 58% to 68% of their strength.
Your rope will be weakened no matter what knot you use. Additionally, depending on which one you prefer, you may be able to lose even more weight.
Weight Capacity of Climbing Ropes
Different types of rope have different strengths. Using Lyon Equipment Limited’s comprehensive study on a specific set of tested ropes, we can get some rough estimations.Note: all of the test ropes are 10.5mm in diameter.
Now let’s check out some common climbing ropes that have a diameter of 10.5mm:
Edelrid Ropes
Edelrid ropes of 10.5mm will be able to support weights ranging from 28.4kN to 28.9kN. Additionally, ropes with light glazing can resist forces up to 30kN. In addition, an Edelrid rope can endure a force of 27kN with minimal damage.
Beal Ropes
Beal ropes can withstand forces of up to 24.5kN with a diameter of 10.5mm and only minimal damage.
Marlow Ropes
The Marlow ropes with a diameter of 10.5mm and light glazing can withstand forces of up to 31kN, which is better than the Edelrid and Beal ropes. When testing a rope’s ability to withstand dynamic forces, the main factor that comes into play is the impact force. With a wider diameter, the dynamic ropes are better able to counter impact forces.
The length of the rope determines the force of impact during a fall. With shorter ropes, shocks are less absorptive, resulting in a greater impact force.
As part of our standard testing technique, we will talk more about impact forces.
A Few Standard Testing Procedures
The impact force test is the most crucial of these standard tests, which are conducted by the manufacturers under specific conditions. During a standard fall, the impact force measures the energy that the drop can exert on the weight of the drop. This energy is partially captured and dissipated sooner if the climbing rope is more elastic.
If the fall is violent, you will usually perceive the impact as high. Moreover, the climbing rope is released with more energy.
The impact force for both single rope and twin rope types must equal 12kN and there is a total maximum weight limit of 2,646 pounds (1,200 kilograms) whereas, half ropes must have a maximum impact force of 8kN for a maximum payload of 1,764 pounds (800 kilograms).
Here are a few tips to keep in mind
For determining the weight-bearing strength of your climbing rope, you also need to keep these few tips in mind:
- The static and dynamic weight capacities of newer ropes are higher. As they become more used, they weaken.
- Impact force causes ropes to weaken as they absorb it. Having multiple falls means your rope likely would not carry as much weight as the standard.
- You should always check your ropes to ensure they are in good shape. In case of wear, replace it with new ones.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
How many falls can a climbing rope take?
A climbing rope approved by ISO can withstand a minimum of five falls.
How strong is a climbing rope?
A single rope or half rope must withstand a minimum of five UIAA falls. At least 12 UIAA falls must be absorbed by twin ropes. Climbers can use any rope that meets the UIAA fall rating standard. It is possible that a rope with a higher fall rating will last longer than one with a lower rating.
How safe are climbing ropes?
Climbers can use any rope that meets the UIAA fall rating standard. In general, a line with a higher fall rating may perform better and last longer. Nonetheless, make sure you inspect your rope closely after a fall to ensure it has not been damaged in any way.
How long will a climbing rope last?
They can last for at least 10 years and frequently used ones can last for 3 years.
