UKC

I've heard all the previous posts on half rope vs singles etc. I'm using a single rope at the moment and as yet I not needed double ropes, especially once you add a little smart extending.

Even routes that go to from one face tend to leave the second belaying around the corner from you and resulting in rope drag with halves.

I'm just curious is they're any routes that you must have them?

In reply to Lukem6: There are no routes you 'must' have doubles for. there are routes that double are highly recommended.

In reply to Lukem6:

Twin ropes are not double ropes.

Climbing ropes fit into three categories:

- Single
- Twin
- Half (also known as double)

In reply to needvert: I'm happy you picked up on that. I must now go hide in the peaks

In reply to Lukem6:


A route where something bad has happened. E.g. your leader has fallen off and hurt themselves and you need to use the other rope to effect a rescue or to go for help. Unfortunately this is is not something you can predict in advance!

In reply to Lukem6:

I use double/half ropes on just about all trad routes. Just makes more sense the vast majority of the time - much better for routes that have some variation in line ie most of them but if you want some examples: Diagonal, Holocaust, ...ohh just most routes!

Much easier to rationalise placements/groups of placements rather than faffing about extending them - it doesn't take much of a sideways pull to dislodge some runners.

In reply to Lukem6:

one where you HAVE to abseil 50m or 60m. Other than that i cant think of a reason you HAVE to have them.

I like the simpliciity of singles but appreciate the flexibility of 2 ropes. So i use both systems.

In reply to Lukem6:

Doubles also make it easier to better protect your second, with a little bit of thought.

In reply to Lukem6:

Yes, loads

In reply to Lukem6:

Its a very British thing, but very useful for lots of reasons. Done many pitches over 40m for instance?

Take Valkyrie at the Roaches (2nd pitch), quite hard to do on a single without lots of drag unless you're really confident. But a by product of that, if you have an unconfident second for instance, is that you could leave the right one free after the spike and then when you top out, they effectively get a top rope for the traverse.

In reply to Lukem6:


... where you should be careful not to use your twin ropes for sports climbing

In reply to Jonny2vests:

There's not many of them around but useful/essential well below that!

In reply to Bulls Crack:

The bizarre thing is, 40m+ pitches are very common here, and no just straight in splitters, but doubles are not.

In reply to Bulls Crack:

I do 40m pitches all the time. Sometimes from running pitches together, but often just big single pitches in the Lake, Gimmer and loads of places. Lots on Gogarth too. And Pembroke.

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Plenty on the sea cliffs I'll grant you - still not that common inland

In reply to Bulls Crack:

Plenty in the Scottish mountains!

In reply to Lukem6:

Most long alpine routes are far better with a single rope, notably ridges. A light - even 7mm - length of rope can be carried for abseils. Moving fast is often the difference between success and a night on the mountain. Also not placing protection every couple of metres and probably why I've never much appreciated ' UK trad'.

In reply to higherclimbingwales: "There are no routes you 'must' have doubles for. there are routes that double are highly recommended. "

I seem to recall J Woodward used 3 ropes on Beaugeste. I think you could claim that it is more than 'highly recomended' for that one