UKC

Suggestions for what to do with old ropes guys? I have one that is 12/13 years old now. Mammut galaxy superdry 50m. Is it safe to ab off do you reckon? Unchaffed, core feels good, bearly used.

Also saw a video of someone making a rope door mat out of it but that seems like too much work. 
 

keep the tips coming!

I donated the last rope I retired to climbing dirt bags who recycle them into chalkbags, belts and bags. They're lovely people trying to get a cottage industry with an environmental conscience off the ground and that gets my vote. 

Use at as a rope... just not a climbing rope! Cut it into the lengths you need for anything. Bit of a lateral thinking exercise to fill a page with ideas...

From dog lead to car tow rope (braid a long section to four or six strands). Bell pulls. Chair backs. Stirrup seats. Handles. Bunk ladders. Chew toys....

A lot of people use their retired ropes as an ab rope.

My wife’s’ cats have been effective in destroying the scratch posts we bought them very quickly. So I cut away the old nylon rope and wound a climbing rope around the spindles of the scratch post. It was glued to the spindles and each loop of rope. I have created a bomb proof post that even these moggies have so far been unable to destroy.

I'd maybe retire any rope used by a bear

Seriously though, it will probably be fine for top roping and abseil use if there is no sheath damage and the core feels fine along the full length and it's been stored in the dark away from any chemicals likely to damage it. Read more on the link below.

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/ropes--a-guide-for-climbers-and-mountaineers

In the end after reading up on things you want to recycle it, there are companies that do this like Green Peak Gear

https://greenpeakgear.org

Also some UKC users may have an intermediate use for it if it's in good condition.

Doh! I edited from barely to bearly too 🤦‍♂️ Thanks for the ideas!

We made a lovely doormat. 

Yep.

I gave mine to a fisherman for his boat. Sailors might also find a use for them.

If it's a bit trashed and you are not comfortable using it even for abbing, how about a DIY fall tower [1]? We used older ropes that nobody wanted to climb on anymore for it, since they inevitably got trashed in repeated FF2 falls. Why not ask around local clubs or friends and have some fun in catching big falls out of it? Different belay styles and devices, very nice especially for the newbies [2]. It can still be recycled into chalkbags later.

[1]: obviously with a sand bag, not a climber, old quarry bolted just for that, without any viable routes - no harm done to any crags.

[2]: just mind the safety and redirect well enough, nobody wants a loaded sand bag on a suspect rope coming fast directly at them 

You need to be clearer in what you are suggesting here as testing old ropes using climbers on FF2 would be a truely terrible idea. I wouldn't recommend it for a new rope... the forces are huge and can hurt the falling climber and the belayer. The reason old ropes are best retired from lead use but remain safe for other uses is they can lose elasticity and increase those shock loads.

You are right! Sorry about that - I should have been more clear and highlight the dangers and need for a proper system. It's not something anybody without proper understanding of it all should try at home. Unfortunately I cannot edit or delete my post anymore, as it's >30minutes old

Something like this?

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If it's a bit trashed and you are not comfortable using it even for abbing, how about a fall tower [1]? We used somewhat older ropes (ones that were still viable, not core shot, not sheathed, just not good enough for normal use) for it, since they inevitably got trashed in repeated simulated falls. Obviously with a bag of sand, not a live person at the falling end (!) and a well made and safe system - there are many things that could go wrong with a fall tower and big bag of sand, especially with big FF falls, that could seriously injure or kill, a heavy sandbag falling any height has a lot of energy, ropes tend to snap or cut the sheath at such FF with redirects, a hard bag of sand exerts quite higher forces on the ropes and bolts than a softer, same weight "climber" equivalent, et cetera! 

Why not ask around local clubs if they have a safe system set up? Different belay styles and devices, can be good training especially for the newbies [2]. It can still be recycled into chalkbags later.

[1]: obviously with a sand bag, not a live climber on the other end of the rope! Old quarry bolted just for that, without any viable routes - do not do it at a crag!

[2]: mind the safety! Wear helmets, redirect well enough - nobody wants a loaded sand bag on a potentially suspect rope coming fast directly at them! Poor bolts flying out, badly loaded crabs, blocks coming loose, et cetera!

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Or mods, could you perhaps please delete it outright? Not wanting to give anybody the wrong idea...

https://dirtbagsclimbing.co.uk/shop/climbing-chalk-bags/

Looks like my old rope has been used on the one in the picture!