Climbing rope: How to choose

A climbing rope is a vital part of our lives (not counting boulderers). Several times a day we swing on it, fall, project and put our own life into it. That's why it's nice to know what kind of rope we have and what kind to buy when what we have wears out.

Types of ropes

Before we get into the manual on how to choose a rope, we first need to know what types of climbing ropes we actually have. There are 3 main categories of ropes.

Cable parameters

All ropes have their own parameters that make it easier for us to navigate our selection and determine where we can pull them. The basic parameters of ropes are: thickness, length, weight, dynamics and, of course, rope safety.

1. Rope thickness

Also known as rope diameter, that number is one of the most important on ropes. In most cases, the rule applies - the thicker, the stronger. It's relatively logical and exactly the reason why climbing walls they use horribly thick and clumsy ropes for Top Roping. This category is given in millimeters and is divided into 4 main categories.

Half ropes

It is relatively logical that the half rope is narrower (usually two are used). They are mostly around 7-9 mm.

Up to 9.4 mm

These "narrow" ropes are perfect for multi-lengths and trips where every gram and every movement really counts. At the same time, however, they are not rated for as many full-fledged falls (they cannot withstand that much), so they will have to be replaced sooner than a thicker rope.

At the same time, there is minimal friction in the circuit breaker, so the circuit breaker should really pay attention to what it is doing.

9.5 – 9.9 mm

The golden mean of cables and just what most of us have at home. These ropes are slightly thicker and much more multifunctional than narrow ropes. You can climb on them top rope, traditionally but also to project or fall comfortably. 

10 mm and more

We don't expect the average climber to buy this rope, as it is already relatively thick for a comfortable belay. But they are excellent for frequent top-roping, projecting and especially for permanent lines in climbing centers.

2. Rope weight

The weight of the rope is quite easy to explain. The narrower the rope, the lighter it tends to be. Static ropes therefore weigh the most and half ropes the least. But what still plays a role is the structure of the center (core) of the rope. A stronger center weighs more.

Dynamic ropes (all but static) have a standard weight written on them or on the packaging.

3. Rope length

Like weight, length is a pretty straightforward concept. Dynamic ropes range between 30 and 80 meters as standard. For most of our climbs, a rope of about 60 meters is sufficient. 

But it also depends on the type of climbing we plan to do. Outdoor climbing usually requires longer ropes. For example Hlubočepské plates they ask for a rope up to 70 meters long. On climbing walls, ropes between 35-40 meters are usually sufficient. However, it is necessary to say that it is often a condition of entry to have a rope with a minimum length of 50 meters.

4. Dynamics

Dynamic ropes are the basic type of ropes. This refers to how much the ropes will stretch when falling. The momentum gradually decreases with the number of falls of the climber. Dynamic rope falls are enjoyable for both climbers and belayers.

There is a security "dilemma" associated with the dynamics. Too much tension on the rope when falling on the first can lead to a collision with an edge or the ground. On the other hand, a too stiff rope tends to be uncomfortable for both parties involved.

5. Security

Safety is a standardized factor for all climbing ropes. The rules and standards are set by the International Climbing Federation (UIAA). The standards cover four main areas – fall, impact force, static extension and dynamic extension.

Fall rating

The UIAA tests ropes on a fall simulator with much higher forces than we as climbers are capable of developing. For a rope to pass the test, it must go through at least 5 of these standardized falls. Double-rope (rope with two centers) then at least 12.

Impact force

Impact force measures how many KiloNewtons (kN) the climber, belayer and belay are exposed to during the first standardized fall. The greater the number, the less force the rope absorbs (it is static) and the harder the fall the climber will experience. Static rope = more kN = harder fall. Dynamic rope = less kN = softer fall

Static and dynamic extension

Static elongation is how much the climbing rope will elongate when 80 kg of weight is suspended from it. For dynamic ropes, this number must not exceed 10% of the length of the rope itself.

Dynamic extension, on the other hand, deals with how much the rope extends with 80 kg during the first UIAA standardized fall. The maximum stretch here is set at 40% rope length

Rope protection

If you are going on sandstone and traditional climbing, it is a good idea to have the rope protected and treated. Especially for traditional climbing, such as in Divoká Šárka, protection against abrasions is necessary. Another good aspect to look at is "impregnation". "Dry" ropes are impregnated, so they absorb water more slowly and remain dry and light. This also includes a certain protection against the winter.

But we're not qualified to go into explaining rope protection for traditional climbing, so we'll just leave it at that. The ropes have their specific protection described in the product features.

How to choose a climbing rope

Now that we know what climbing ropes we have and what all the numbers on the packaging mean, we can start choosing. First of all, every climber should honestly say what the rope will be used for and how often it will be used. New climbers would be better served by a thicker rope closer to 10mm and about 50 meters. On the contrary, a narrower rope of around 70 meters cannot harm seasoned sport climbers. Come and go through 3 basic questions with us and choose a rope.

How long do I climb?

The first question that concerns the selection of a rope is how long you have been involved in our sport. If you're relatively new and this is your first rope, you might be better off investing in something thicker and sturdier with a good safety rating. At the same time, great momentum is not something you need just yet.

When you are already seasoned climbers and this is your second or xth rope, it is already possible to go to narrower and more dynamic ropes. It is more likely that you can handle the rope in the belay and you are used to larger ones falls and the associated dynamics.

Where do I climb?

The second question is where you climb. As we wrote, where you climb will affect the length and thickness of the climbing rope. A simple dynamic rope of basic radius is enough for climbing walls. But if you climb rocks and are from Prague or central Bohemia, for example, a 60-70 meter rope is not a bad choice. On the contrary, climbers from England, where heavy trad is dominantly climbed, or climbers from Yosemite would rather go to half ropes and take two.

The basis is to really know what the rope will be used for. A dynamic simple 60 meter long rope is the recipe for almost any place.

How do I climb?

This is where we get into the issue of climbing styles. Traditional climbing prefers half ropes, sports single longer ropes and climbing centers prefer dynamic single ropes. At the same time, if you know that you climb the top-rope dominantly (and you enjoy it), it is better to go for a more static, thicker rope. But at the same time, you have to remember that top-rope is not everywhere allowed outside!

Choice

Now that everything is answered, it's time to start making choices. You should probably already know what kind of rope you need, so let's go straight to the table of types and links

	Sport climbing	Traditional climbing	Climbing wall
Dynamic	Tendon Master Standard, 9.7 mm	Tendon Master 7.8, 7.8 mm	Tendon Master-Pro, 9.7 mm
"Static"	Tendon Master 9.2 Pro, 9.2 mm	Beal Joker Unicore, 9.1 mm	Tendon Ambiton, 9.8 mm
Top-rope	Beal Virus, 10 mm	———————-	Beal Antidote, 10.2 mm
Budget rope	Simond Edge Dry, 8.9mm	Rando Dry, 7.5 mm	Simond Indoor, 10 mm

Words of confidence at the end

We have full confidence in you, dear reader. The rope is best chosen by feel. So I recommend seeing them on the climbing walls and touching them, or going to a shop like Hanibal and having some shown to you. They are professionals and know what they are talking about!

And if you want to support us, go to Hannibal through our affiliate banners on the website and throw us a few crowns to support the website. Thanks!

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