UKC

Hi all,

A simple question really, can you buy thin (~8mm) dynamic rope off the reel, by the meter from anywhere? I am after a short length, 2 or 3m for life sustaining activities, so buying some old knackered rope and cutting the end off is not an option. I realise dynamic rope this thin is fairly specialised so may not be easily available in short lengths.

If anyone was interested in why I want it, I am looking to make a light weight specialised srt kit for caving, and need to make some cows tails (attachment points). Thin dynamic would be perfect, as there's the possibility of taking a FF2 fall onto them. They would obviously be used very carefully, for occasions where there may be a single pitch, hours into a cave on expedition, and a full scale kit is unnecessary weight.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

In reply to Subterranean:

If 9mm will do:

http://www.needlesports.com/Catalogue/Rock-Climbing-Equipment/Cord-Tape/Cor...

In reply to slab_happy:

Thanks for the link, I have seen 9mm before, I was wondering if i could get it any thinner. I understand the weight difference will be just a few grams, with less abrasive resistance, and probably more expensive, but when putting something quite so specialist together, I thought I would see just how light I could go.

In reply to Subterranean:

If it was me I'd be going for the 9mm. Based on the grounds that I would like something a bit more hard wearing, there tends to be a lot of rock to rope contact in caving situations, and most of the time you can't always manage how not to have it; whereas in climbing I can often anticipate and manage it.

In reply to Removed User:

As I said this would not be used on my regular kit, it would be transported through the cave in a bag, probably in a solid walled plastic container (daren drum, wide neck keg) so would never have any rock-on-rope contact while not in use.

I understand the concern that when in use, a fall has the potential to put it in contact with rock, whether you want it to or not, however I feel this is managable in most of the situations, I would use it. Plus any instances like this would lead to their immediate retirement.

My normal caving cowstails are the usual ~9.5 mm dynamic, and every set I have ever owned have been replaced due to the sheath wearing, usually every 6 months or so. Never had a fall on any, and obviously none have ever got near their manufacturer recommended lifetimes, so I am familiar with how caving treats your attachment points.

In reply to Subterranean:

In that case you need some (~8mm) dynamic rope.

In reply to Subterranean:

Most cavers I know use 11mm for their cows tails, for pretty obvious reasons, they are so critical. Are you really going to save that much space in a Darren drum by going down from 9 to to 8mm ?

In reply to Subterranean: I was pretty sure you could get Beal 8.1mm by the metre but the best I've found available is Edelrid 8.3mm - http://www.bergzeit.co.uk/edelrid-esculap-8-3-half-rope-by-the-meter/

In reply to The Ex-Engineer:

You sure can, Speleo concepts do ice lines by the metre and it´s lighter and cheaper as well. http://speleo-concepts.com/assets/s2dmain.html?http://speleo-concepts.com/s... or http://shop.freeworker.de/edelrid-apus.html offer the Edelrid Apus 7.8 for more money and the same weight.

In reply to Subterranean:

I have a second SRT kit for the very same reasons. I use very light kit throughout and was using 8mm dynamic for cows tails. I got this from a set of double 60m climbing rope that I cut for 35m and 20m +5m 'tat'.

However, I now use the Petzl double sewn black 10mm. It's got a name, but it escapes me just now. I switched because the lack of knots makes it very neat, and it's good to have the extra strength. I am aware that knots add shock absorbency, which the sewn rope lacks. [well, the rope itself is dynamic, but the sewing won't give like a knot would.]
The Petzl offering is pricy at £25.

I have the second length of 8mm dynamic that has been down a cave once and used for a hand line on the very first bit of Roaring Holes. It had a couple of folk pull up on it, but not full body weight. Other than that it as new.

If you get stuck I'll swap it for 5m 10mm dynamic which I'll use for the wife's new cowstail +spare. Drop me a PM