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TRing on an old rope

Original Post
A M · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2015 · Points: 25

I recently got a Bluewater rope that is probably 8-10 years old. It has never been used, and has spent those years sitting in a rope bag in a garage. I've inspected the rope and it looks and feels to be in good condition. Now, I'm certainly not about to go out and take any whippers on this thing, but I would like to know if it would be safe to use for TR soloing. TR set up would be a camp lift backed up with a micro trax.

Thanks

Justin Barrett · · Russellville, AR · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 88

If you're questioning if it's okay to climb on, you probably shouldn't climb on it.

Turn it into a rug or something BDSM-kinky, since Valentine's day is tomorrow...

Nathan Self · · Louisiana · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 90

Many have used worse.

that guy named seb · · Britland · Joined Oct 2015 · Points: 236

Sounds fine to me, I have lead on a. 11 year old 10mm now 11mm rope,.it was like cable and I was terrified to fall on it but this rope had taken allot of whippers on it. So I think you will be fine to top rope on your new 10 year old rope.

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492

Everyone's "risk tolerance" is different, but I would be 100% comfortable on that rope.

Suburban Roadside · · Abovetraffic on Hudson · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 2,419
DO AS YOU WISH, ROPES DONT 'BREAK' THEY SHRED !
Austin May wrote:I recently got a Bluewater rope that is probably 8-10 years old. It has never been used, and has spent those years sitting in a rope bag in a garage. I've inspected the rope and it looks and feels to be in good condition. Now, I'm certainly not about to go out and take any whippers on this thing, but I would like to know if it would be safe to use for TR soloing. TR set up would be a camp lift backed up with a micro trax. Thanks
It's your life line,
LIFE-LINE
I'm a constant user of old ropes. 10- 20 yr old ropes, Cords that are 11m work-horse, cables.
Sure they have lost some properties, dull, fuzzy in spots, hand and elasticity are what I watch.
Any change in either would cause me to, Cut the rope into anchoring lengths.
I'm saying this with no other information and it may be fine for group use or anchoring,
Still.....

(The By the book answer:. . . Not that it means much)
No way dude,
and I climb on two strands of a 40 yr old 9m 150 foot rope, regularly! That rope,
a rope that has been with me in 3 different bedrooms, (in bins or packs in closets)
So I know the history of the care & use of my cords and have full confidence In them

I never ever leave a rope in a garage ever .!

If it has "spent those years sitting in a rope bag in a garage." Where? On the floor ? Rope Bag? That's a plus. Temperature changes? no worry. What types of contamination has it been exposed to? You say it is "new" what does that mean?
Still in its origanal factory coil & plastic ? (That's what New means) Has it had any exposure -
do you know ?

When it comes to Soloing:
The big factor in useing things (when alone) is knowing that your system is sound.
You need to have full confidence that you have made as sure as possible that there is
no chance of a catastrophic failure. Any nagging doubt can and will cause you problems - loss of focus. Or a less than aggressive approach to what you chose to Top Rope.

,ED-IT; ( the next day.)
Yeah what everyone says . (C -blind faith)
that works!
And true enough
If you tear or break a rope you have 'bigger'
issues.

As by the consensus method

Go for it

Buy this rope,
Daniel Winder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 101
Austin May wrote:8-10 years old... in a garage.
Nope. Few things cause me not to trust a rope but that's one of them.

Edit: Michael beat me to it!
Chalk in the Wind · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 3

If you tie it off to have two independent strands, and you use one as the main and the other as the backup, you'll be fine.

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346

There has never been a case of a climber dying because he climbed on a brand new rope that was simply too old. Nylon is one of the most common synthetics in the world and it's used in virtually every application in existence.

The main concern with using otherwise new but aged ropes is not that they are going to spontaneously fail, but that their impact force may have increased with time. However, that's really not much different than with a rope that has been used in service as intended use of a dynamic rope also often increases the impact force of the rope.

In any case, I would not only have zero problem TRing on it, I would feel comfortable taking it to the project and whipping on it all day too. I've climbed on ropes older than 10 years and they caught whips the same as any of my other ropes did.

Kevin Mokracek · · Burbank · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 342

It's fine. I wouldn't hesitate to use it. I'm still top roping on a rope that's 25 years old and in beater shape. It's pretty damn tough to break a rope.

Tony Monbetsu · · Minneapolis, MN · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 616

I've top-roped on some pretty fucking gnarly ropes. If it's going to distract you from the climbing, don't do it, but I really doubt it would be an issue. Give it a good inspection when you use it to make sure it looks good; any problem spots should show up long before they cause an issue.

Tylerpratt · · Litchfield, Connecticut · Joined Feb 2016 · Points: 40

If it wasn't left in the sun I would probably whip on it.

Brian L. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2016 · Points: 90

Concerning static ropes, but not a bad reference. Most importantly, it sounds like bluewater has the ability to answer your questions as to your ropes shelf life. Maybe try contacting them?

fishproducts.com/tech/Ropes…

Ken Noyce · · Layton, UT · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 2,648
Austin May wrote:I recently got a Bluewater rope that is probably 8-10 years old. It has never been used, and has spent those years sitting in a rope bag in a garage. I've inspected the rope and it looks and feels to be in good condition. Now, I'm certainly not about to go out and take any whippers on this thing, but I would like to know if it would be safe to use for TR soloing. TR set up would be a camp lift backed up with a micro trax. Thanks
I'd whip on that all day long and not think twice about it. Even rope manufacturers such as beal state that a ropes life includes 10 years of storage and an additional 5 years of use for a rope lifetime of 15 years, and you know that they are being conservative to cover themselves.
Jason Halladay · · Los Alamos, NM · Joined Oct 2005 · Points: 15,153

No problem, IMO.

I help teach an annual climbing school and each year we do a simulated lead fall exercise that involves dropping a 150lbs of weight on a cable with carabiner to simulate an eight-foot lead fall with about 70 feet of rope out.
We use old, donated/retired ropes for this and most are in the 8 to 10 year old range and had been heavily used. Up to 25 students each take a turn catching the 8 ft. fall. We don't change the rope out and the fall is in the same place on the rope for each fall. After about 12-15 falls, the sheath melts, then a few core strands each start melting as more falls take place on the core strands. In 12 years of assisting with this class, I've never seen a rope fail.

After witnessing this year after year, I have a great deal more confidence in modern climbing ropes.

Tylerpratt · · Litchfield, Connecticut · Joined Feb 2016 · Points: 40

I climb on ropes until they are lumpy and look fuzzy as hell. I stop climbing on these ropes when I get a core shot. I then cut out the core shot (hot knife) and continue climbing.

As long as the rope wasn't left out in the elements or in sunlight for the past 10 years I would absolutely whip on it.

Ropes don't break, they cut.

Edit* Just realized I posted in the thread earlier this morning. I didn't sleep much last night lol

John Barritt · · The 405 · Joined Oct 2016 · Points: 1,083

My personal observation with regard to ropes;

In 39 years of climbing I've retired 5 ropes. So my average is 7.8 years use per rope.

I currently have three dynamic ropes in service. Newest to oldest, Newest is always a lead only cord, Middle is a Lead and occasional top-rope cord. The oldest is top-rope/rap line only.

I have a new one in the wrapper that is two years old that will go into service when the oldest or most worn is retired.

One 70m static line and one 25m static line as well.

In 39 years I've seen two "failures" one was a blown sleeve with core protrusion caused by sharp rock on a friend's rope. Not completely severed resulting in a fall or injury thank God.

The second was a blown core on one of my ropes after top-rope use. It was also not a "catastrophic failure" resulting in a fall. However a hard fall on the failing core would have left the sleeve entirely responsible for the load. I cut ten feet out of the center of the rope and still use it for rigging today.

It's worth noting that top-roping use focusses wear on the center of the rope outward in either direction. So the middle takes a beating as climbers are lowered across biners repeatedly.

The argument of "unknown use" and "unknown treatment" always comes into play. I've never bought used gear from someone I don't know, but people do it on here all the time. I imagine ropes are viewed the same way these days.

"If it looks ok, use it" seems to be where we are headed. Bluewater says 10 years plus 5 so you are within Mfg guidelines assuming the seller is accurate on the purchase time period.

If you use it exclusively for top roping I recommend inspecting the center after each use. If it begins to get flat chuck it.

JB

Billcoe · · Pacific Northwet · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 930

No. If I understand you correctly, you got this rope from some unknown person who claimed to have had it stored in their garage? It was not in the plastic, but had been taken out and put in a rope bag? No, don't climb on it. Not even toproping. I've only seen one rope become 2 when some pup was rapping on it. As Michael Schneider says above and I agree with his post, it "shredded". Kid might have weight 145 lbs max and the rope failed while he rappeled. Kid had his femur sticking right out of his jeans. Blood everywhere. Thank the dear lord it was a short (not tall) cliff.

If you can answer me - what has been stored in the Garage along with the rope for that time. Can you verify that the rope was never out of the rope bag? That it indeed only 8-10 years old? It's probably fine, but even if it's a 2% change it has had some chemical accidentally spilled on it by the guys kid, you most likely wouldn't be able to tell by looking at the line. What's a new rope cost? What's your life worth?

Caveats, I climb on my old ropes all the time. I just retired one of my lead ropes at 10 years old, LEAD rope, a 9.1 joker. 10 years. I have no problem climbing on my own old ropes. You pays yer money, you takes yer chances, but that's how I feel. If you choose to climb on it, you owe it to your partners to share this info.

Brian Malone · · Olney, MD · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 3,689

I like this crowd...
Anyone want to buy a rope? I have a lot to choose from.
Write me directly for great prices.

Thumer · · SLC, UT · Joined Jul 2015 · Points: 250
rockandice.com/lates-news/w…

I'd climb on it. "There isn't a single recorded instance of a rope ever breaking due to just being old"

Beal recommends a rope could be used up to 10 years after sitting unused for 5 years. Total life time of 15 years.
Matt Kuehl · · Las Vegas · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 1,712

It will only be safe if you use an equally old harness.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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