ROPE is one of the flashier and more expensive tools in your canyoneering tool chest. Because most canyoneers aren’t made of money, they want lots of great canyon days for the cash they shell out on a rope. Ropes are made from different fibers, for different purposes, and each one carries advantages and disadvantages. Here’s my two cents on canyon ropes and the materials used to make canyoneering ropes.
Dynamic Ropes
Static (Canyon) Rope vs. Dynamic (Climbing) Rope
Dynamic rope is built for elongation, stretching somewhere in the 6 – 12% range when weighted. Dynamic ropes are essential for protecting a rock climber’s vertical fall; the “unwinding” of the interior rope twists disperses energy, reducing the force on the climber’s body. To achieve this carefully controlled stretch, climbing ropes are made of nylon, with the interior rope core (kern) twisted tightly, and the sheath of the rope (mantle) woven more loosely.
Static rope, on the other hand, is built for low-elongation; it stretches in the range of 2-4% when weighted. In a static rope, the kern strands are twisted less tightly or are straight, and the sheath is woven more tightly, reducing the rope’s elasticity. Static ropes do not protect a climber from significant vertical falls because they cannot stretch to disperse energy. Static ropes are only intended for static loads – such as a rappeller sliding down a line.
Visiting climbers often ask, “Can I use my climbing rope for canyoneering?” Technically, yes, you can use a dynamic climbing rope for canyoneering; you can rappel down both climbing ropes and static ropes, but there are important disadvantages to climbing ropes:
Static Rope
1. Dynamic ropes degrade more quickly. The loose sheath of a dynamic rope allows sand and other debris inside the rope more easily, affecting its elasticity, handling, and performance. This will this degrade the climbing rope more quickly than an equivalent static line, and will convert your sweet climbing rope into an untrustworthy, top-rope-only rope with its first canyon descent.
2. Dynamic ropes bounce. When rappelling on a dynamic line, we notice a lot of “yo-yo stretching”, or bouncing up and down as we descend; the longer the rappel, the more bouncing. Each time we allow more rope through our friction device, the rope also stretches, and the rappeller bounces. While we are bouncing on the rope, you might imagine what is happening at the top of the rappel, where the rope is moving back and forth over the cliff edge, sawing the sheath. Yikes.
3. Dynamic ropes can be difficult to pull. A dynamic rope will pull easily on a short and clean rappel. But if the pull involves much friction (multiple edges, stuck in a mild pinch, rope caught against itself, etc.), the stretch of a dynamic rope can make it very difficult to pull. While a stout tug on a static line transmits most of the energy to the problem (point of friction), on a dynamic rope most of the energy simply elongates the rope.
If you are serious about getting into canyons, you owe it to yourself, your partners, and your pocketbook to invest in a static rope or two. It won’t take too long (2-3 canyons) before the money you save and problems you avoid more than make up for the cost of expanding your rope arsenal.
Dave Buckingham guides, outfits, and waxes poetic on all things canyoneering at Zion Adventure Company. When Dave isn’t exploring desert canyons or waterskiing on Lake Powell, you might find him fixing his boat, walking his dog, or tooting his own horn (it’s a trumpet) here in Springdale.
150′ or 200′ for a first rope? Is it better to have the extra 50 feet, or will 150′ and accessory cord for pulling cover most situations? What are your thoughts?
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This is great question, because it involves a number of sub-questions:
1. Where and in what kind of canyons do you anticipate doing using this rope most?
2. Are you experienced and competent with single-rope rappel technique?
3. Is budget a big deal?
4. Is carrying extra rope weight/volume a big deal?
Personally, I always go for the longer lengths when I purchase ropes because longer lengths “last” longer over the useful life of the rope. Not that long ropes are tougher than shorter ropes, but when wear and tear inevitably creates a core-shot that forces me to chop the rope, a longer rope will lead to more useful lengths in the “second generation.” For example, a 200-footer cut in half gives us two 100-footers, which are quite useful, whereas the 150′ would result in two 75′ lengths, which is starting to get a bit short.
Either way, however, you’re going to have to buy another long rope. Over multiple “generations,” those who buy longer ropes will end up with a higher diversity of useful rope lengths. Maybe the second 200-footer wears out 50′ from the end… now we have a 150′, two 100′s, and a fifty. Once we replace the 200′ (again), we now have a nice rope arsenal to accomodate a good variety of situations. What you want to avoid is ending up with lots of 40′ – 75′ lengths that don’t do anybody much good… may as well throw them in the car for your next canoe tie-down.
Regarding using accessory cord vs. rated rope, again I recommend more “real” rope for beginners. While having 2x the longest drop length might be a bear to carry (and buy), you can do much more with real rope than accessory cord. If you come upon an unexpected situation, get a rope stuck, lose a rope in a pothole (it’s happened to me), or damage a rope irreparably, it’s really nice to have a second full-strength rope standing by. Of course, redundancy can always go overboard, and skill and wit can be good substitues for extra gear, but many beginners get themselves out of lots of trouble by carrying a bit more gear.
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It depends, of course. What Nick says is good, but I would concentrate more on what canyons you have on your hitlist, and what ropes your friends have. Longer ropes = more capability, but then again, it means carrying more stuff on the canyons that don’t require so much. May I suggest starting with two 120′ ropes and one 200′ rope as a starting point – that will give you capability for all but the gnarliest, at least in Zion.
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Thanks for the advice, guys! Since you both seem to advocate having a 200′-er in your arsenal, I think I’ll spring for the extra length up-front. And I like the fringe benefit of having longer second gen ropes that Nick mentions. I hadn’t thought of that angle.
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