Do you mark your rope ends?

Along with the center mark, do you also mark your rope ends as well? This to know when you're getting close to the ends?

No. I worry about the end mark getting mistaken for the middle mark when setting up for a rappel. then you could have uneven ends, leading to a potential rap off the ends. I believe this has happened.

If you're rapping or lowering and anywhere close to the end of the end of the rope, you should have laser-focused attention on that end. Attention keeps you off the ground better than markings.

Middle marks are by definition designed to be seen by a stationary individual on a ledge or belay. The idea that you're going to reliably see an end mark while rappelling past it is naive. Just tie knots. 

Nkane 1wrote:

No. I worry about the end mark getting mistaken for the middle mark when setting up for a rappel. then you could have uneven ends, leading to a potential rap off the ends. I believe this has happened.

If you're rapping or lowering and anywhere close to the end of the end of the rope, you should have laser-focused attention on that end. Attention keeps you off the ground better than markings.

There was a time ~10-15 years ago when several manufactures went down this  rout.  It did indeed lead to several accidents and fatalities and the practice was quickly discontinued.

I've marked the of a rope before (just the tips), but only so I could better find them when the rope was laying in a pile. Used a bright color of ink, different than the middle. Since it's the very end of the rope, you're not really constrained with rope-friendly chemicals, but you should keep in mind that tape or plastidip or something similar could cause it to get jammed easier when pulling the rope. 

Thanks everyone! 

Yeah, of course my thoughts would be in addition to tying knots on the ends and doing one's due diligence to not rap off the ends, either way.

But I can see how people not doing that and relying only on the marks could lead to a false sense of safety and potentially leading to bad habits and this ultimately to complacency; in exchange for a tiny bit of convenience. So better safe than sorry.

I have a small mark at 5 meters and 2 small marks at 10 meters on a 70 meter rope so I know where to put anchors for 50 and 60 meter ropes. 

Brandon Rwrote:

I've marked the of a rope before (just the tips), but only so I could better find them when the rope was laying in a pile. Used a bright color of ink, different than the middle. Since it's the very end of the rope, you're not really constrained with rope-friendly chemicals, but you should keep in mind that tape or plastidip or something similar could cause it to get jammed easier when pulling the rope. 

I wrap the ends with a single layer of reflective tape. (Too many rappels in the dark)

I don't tape the ends, but dip them in really brightly coloured nail varnish. About a 1/2 in is fine. It's more flexible than tape. Taped ends always threaten to get stuck while being pulled.

Noel Zwrote:

I don't tape the ends, but dip them in really brightly coloured nail varnish. About a 1/2 in is fine. It's more flexible than tape. Taped ends always threaten to get stuck while being pulled.

I used a yellow paint marker to mark the butt-end of the rope and then sharpie to color about 1" of the sheath at the end, for the same reason. Works great!

There was an advertisement in Alpinist or something for ropes that change color (red) the last 15' or so of the rope. Never seen one, guess they didn't catch on. 

Game changer! Bright colored nail polish, lots of coats is what I have been doing, finding rope ends are so easy! The next rope I’m going to do two different colors for each end to help rotate wear on the rope.

Note- Don’t put nail polish on the middle of your rope, once the nail polish hardens it also hardens the rope. But I wouldn’t worry about the integrity of the last 1-2” of my rope. Credit goes to the canyoneering guide I saw with it

I mark them! But only so I remember to swap sides when cragging to spread out which end gets a figure 8 and any lead falls taken on the next few meters. 

I used a rope bag, and tie the rope ends to the little loops on the rope bag. All rope bags have them because that's what the loops are for. Never had any problem finding the ends of my rope, plus I don't need to flake it every time I move it.

aikibujinwrote:

I used a rope bag, and tie the rope ends to the little loops on the rope bag. All rope bags have them because that's what the loops are for. Never had any problem finding the ends of my rope, plus I don't need to flake it every time I move it.

Remember, green is go and red is stop (top and bottom of the pile respectively.)

Nathan Doylewrote:

Remember, green is go and red is stop (top and bottom of the pile respectively.)

I only have black and white ties