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If you search for how many falls a rope can take or how many times it can survive falls, the answer you’ll be getting is 5. This answer is, however not accurate and does not apply to every case. Each rope is manufactured by different climbing rope manufacturers and varies in quality and standard.
When you climb, the rope is the most important part that makes your climbing successful and safe. These ropes stretch under tension and are the ones to absorb the falling energy. If a rope does not stretch and absorb any fall higher than 3 feet, then it will cause you severe injury. Therefore, a climber must know how many falls their ropes can bear.
After reading this article, you’ll know how many falls a climbing rope can take, the standard rope falling test, and some ways you can opt to extend the life of your climbing rope.
Factors To Consider Before Investing In Good Rope
When you go to climbing rope manufacturers, you just don't randomly pick a rope. There are some factors that you need to look at before investing in a good rope. Those factors are.
● Strength
● Durability
● Weight /length
● Flexibility
● Dynamic/static strength
● Handling/knotting
● Resistance to moisture and chemicals
Standard Rope Fall Testing
There's a special test known as ‘At least 5 falls’ that can tell you whether your rope is safe to use for your next climbing or if it is time for you to buy another one. For the test, you need your rope and heavyweight.
The weight is dropped from a certain height along with the rope. If the rope holds the weight five times, then it is considered safe for real climbing, and you can pack it in your backup to take with you on your next climbing adventure.
Although this test is usually authentic, real falls are a bit different. You never know from what height you’ll fall. So, it’s better to be more cautious.
Proper Understanding Of The Fall Factor
To have a better understanding of how many falls your rope can take, you first need to understand what the fall factor is. The fall factor stands for the measurement of the safety of the rope during the climbing. It is the relationship between the fall distance and the free-stretching rope. There are two kinds of fall factors: a lower fall factor and a higher fall factor. A lower fall factor is much safer as less energy is absorbed by the body in this fall. During a high fall factor, a lot of energy from the fall is not absorbed by the rope but is absorbed by your body, which can result in injuries.
Kinds Of Fall Factors
Following are the different kinds of falls and their ratios:
Pretty soft fall – 0.2
If the climber has a 10m rope and falls from 2m, then it is considered a pretty soft fall, in which the fall factor is 2/10.
Fall factor – 0.15
If the climber is higher and falls from 3 m, then the fall would be even less than .2, even though he was higher.
Hard fall – 1.0
This fall is considered as the hard fall from low in the route.
Risky fall – 2.4
This fall is dangerous as it can lead to multiple injuries, and the ratio in this fall is about 2.4.
Challenges Faced by The Rope During Fall
Here are a few changes that the rope goes through during a fall:
● The friction that is caused by carabiners and the rocks of climbing sites can reduce the ability of the rope to absorb energy.
● Bends occurring in rope also increase the fall factors.
● Longer falls are extremely dangerous as the chances of hitting ground and obstacles increase.
How You Can Reduce Fall Factors
Here's how you can reduce the fall factors:
● Don't let any bend come in your rope.
● Increase protection by enhancing safety on multi-pitch routes.
● Make sure to distribute the forces effectively so that you have a secure stance.
● Make sure that you use protection gear
● Keep recording the number of falls that have occurred, and replace your rope if needed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, to have a safer climbing experience, make sure to invest in good quality ropes that are manufactured by reputable climbing rope manufacturers. Santong is one of the best climbing rope manufacturers, and its ropes, like Static Rope, can bear up to 5 falls. If kept with safety, the number of falls can increase to 7 or 8. Just know that your rope is your loyal, trusty climbing companion that needs proper care.
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