Rappelling With A Dynamic Rope: The Complete Guide

Taking part in rappelling is a fun way to spend the day outdoors, but this activity is extremely dangerous. As such, safety is of great importance in rappelling, and a rope is the most important part of our safety.

So, can a dynamic rope be used for rappelling? Certainly. Rappelling with dynamic ropes is wonderfully useful, and in certain circumstances, they may even be preferable to static ropes. Dynamic ropes are designed to bend and stretch when stressed; this makes them ideal if you plan to use them for activities requiring a lot of movement.

Dynamic ropes are needed for activities like rock climbing, ice climbing, and alpinism. It’s perfectly safe and acceptable to rappel with a dynamic rope in these circumstances. It is possible, however, to prefer a static rope in certain situations. A static rope or dynamic rope should be chosen based on the conditions you will encounter, such as whether there will be water or wear on the rope.

Static vs Dynamic Ropes

Before you begin rappelling or climbing, it is important to understand the difference between static and dynamic ropes. You can be one step closer to death or life in the mountains by bringing the appropriate rope along with you, even if they seem to look the same.

Dynamic ropes differ from static ropes in their inner core, which is made of a different material. The core of the climbing rope is covered by a sheath. The core is protected from wear and tear by the sheath, which is braided on the outside. It is often brightly colored and is made of tightly woven nylon fibers. A rope’s core, on the other hand, is composed of woven polymer fibres which give it its tensile strength and ability to bear weight.

These polymer fibres are woven together in dynamic ropes so as to stretch under load. Under tension, this allows the rope to lengthen and thereby soften the impact. If you look at it in climbing terms, this means that your rope can stretch out in an elastic fashion when you fall, bringing you to a stop gradually. As a result, climbers are able to survive fifty-foot falls.

In contrast, static ropes do not have this flexibility. A static rope goes taunt when a load is applied because its fibers are unable to stretch. Consider how this relates to climbing. One of two things will happen if you take a big fall on a rope that doesn’t stretch: either you will put too much force on the rope, causing it to break, or you along with the static rope will come to an abrupt halt. An impact of this kind can result in severe whiplash and other nasty spinal injuries.

You should always know the type of rope you have before heading out to go climbing. When hauling gear or jumaring up routes, static ropes are good, but they shouldn’t be used for fall protection.

When To Use A Dynamic Rope

As we know there is a huge difference between a static and dynamic rope, let’s consider the original question. There are many situations where a dynamic rope may be necessary, as you can see. Assume you need to bring one rope on a climbing expedition and have only enough room to do so. There’s no way for you to hike off the top of your climbing route, so you’ll need to rappel down. Dynamic ropes are not only acceptable, but also necessary in this instance. You’ll only have the dynamic rope on the rappel down, and you’ll need it for climbing.

Therefore, even if you don’t expect to fall on it, there’s nothing wrong with using a dynamic rope for rappelling when it’s not essential. Rappels are perfectly possible with dynamic ropes. Nevertheless, there are some things you should consider before using your dynamic rope for rappelling:

Cost

Dynamic ropes are made with a great deal more dedication and craftsmanship than static lines. Thus, dynamic ropes tend to be more expensive than static ropes. Dynamic ropes are usually priced between $3.50 and $4.00 per meter. Static ropes can be purchased for $2.50 per meter. When you are dealing with tens of meters of rope, and ropes are a piece of equipment that needs to be replaced frequently, this price difference adds up.

It is handy to have dynamic ropes, but they are not always necessary. It may be better to save some money by just getting a static rope if you’re just going rappelling or caving.

Wear and Tear

To control and slow yourself down when rappelling, you use a device that creates friction against the rope. As an example, some devices use the rope to twist several times in opposing directions, such as the Figure 8. Some rope speeders slow the rope down by biting into it with metallic ‘teeth’, like a Black Diamond ATC or a Petzl Ascender.

These teeth are perfectly safe to use, and can actually make the rappel easier to control.   However, they do cause your rope to wear out faster. When you purchase expensive dynamic ropes, this becomes a bigger problem. It’s probably best to use the static rope if you’re going out for the day and are certain that climbing won’t be involved.  

Presence of Water

As dynamic ropes become wet, they lose their strength under tensions, making them unsafe for climbing on. Despite popular belief, you can still use dynamic ropes for rappelling even when they are wet. No matter how much water the rope absorbs, it’s perfectly safe to use, so long as there’s no sudden force applied to it.

It does not, however, mean that you should go around slapping your dynamic rope around in the water. Ropes that get wet can rot at the core, which is detrimental to their lifespan. If you’re going somewhere wet, you might want to leave the dynamic rope at home in consideration of the cost factor.

Rappelling With Both

The following question is seen a lot on the internet: can a static and dynamic rope be combined for a rappel? Definitely, though you need to be sure you know what you’re doing. If the two ropes stretch at different rates, your rappel can be inequitable and endanger. Make sure you follow the proper steps if you’re going to rappel with both a static and dynamic rope. A great resource for rappelling with one of each type of rope can be found in this article.

That’s it for now! You may be able to use dynamic ropes for rappelling, in fact, it is highly encouraged in some situations. Even though dynamic ropes may not be completely necessary in every situation, they are safe, strong, and perfectly acceptable to rappel on.

Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs):