Rappelling Rope

[James Pitts]

I am going on a trip in March that will involve a short (less than 100') rappel. I am trying to keep the amount of rope down to a minimum, of course. I want to purchase new rope for the trip but wondered if anyone knew what the current thinking is around ultralight rope? I would want serious climbing rope. I do NOT want to have an injury where I will be hiking. Also, something that I could purchase by the foot would be ideal to save on cost and also so I can get just the length I want. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Safety is a significant concern. I have a system of ascenders (Petzl Tibloc specifically) and webbing to get back the top. Most of us could belay this climb, but I want to take a small amount of gear in case I wind up with an injured hiker on my hands. The reason I mention this is that I think 8mm is the smallest rope a Tibloc ascender will work with, at least to specs of the device.

I'll probably just use a BD ATC (1.8 oz) as a belay device and it will go down safely to an 8mm rope as well. I probably could find a lighter beley setup and still might put some thought into this, but I think cutting down the rope weight will be the first order of business.

[Douglas Frick]

I sometimes carry a Beal Rando 8mm x 30m twin rope at 37g/m, which I use as a single strand for hand rope and rappel. Beal has updated their Rando offering, including a 48m length and safety rating for using the twin rope as a single strand. I'm not sure that your (or my) use is allowed on this rope, but it has worked fine for me so far.

The Petzl Tibloc works fine on this rope with a round cross-section carabiner, but you will find the BD ATC to be quite slippery on a new 8mm rope. You might consider the BD ATC-XP or ATC-Guide instead, as they have higher friction modes.

If you have any concerns or liability involved (you used the term "my hands") then you might want to consider something like the Beal Joker, a 9.1mm rope at 53g/m. This is officially rated as a single rope, as well as a half or twin rope for 'sharper' situations, and so should be reliable for rappel, ascent and belay if desired. Again, you will want to use a high-friction belay device.

[Richard Matthews]

I have used 7mm rope with a stitch plate to rappel. ATCs, etc. do not create enough friction on that sized rope.

A prusik works OK for a single pitch.

50' 7MM ROPE 15.3 oz.
20' 1" WEBBING 8.7 oz.

[David Olsen]

I would use a munter hitch on a locking carabiner for rappel
and belay. It will work with any size rope. Also practice
before hand on a less than death dealing face so you know the system well and that it will work
in an awkward or cold situation.

One of the dynamic 8 mm ropes would be more versital than
a 7mm static as you could lead on it if need be.

I made my own leg loops (3 oz.) and use it in conjunction with
a 2 wrap swami of 1" tubular web as my alpine harness. It
has a bit of light cord in the back to keep the loops up.
Lighter and more convenient than a tied harness of web.

[James Pitts]

Yeah, I was going to use a munter hitch but don't have a lot of time using one. Thanks for all the posts and suggestions. This is helpful to me.

[Neil Bender]

If you are fixing the line for a single pitch rappel, then 8mm is as thin as as most rap devices generate decent friction. 8 mm static line is available by the foot and works well for rappeling and (especially) ascending on. Even then, using 2 carabiners with an ATC, or wrapping the breaking end around your leg might be necessary if the terrain is steep or free-hanging. A Munter hitch also works but twists the rope and results in rope running over rope generating a lot of heat that goes into the rope. Whatever you use, practice with it first and consider backing up the rappel with an autoblock knot on a carabiner attached to your harness. If you have to retrieve the rope after rapping and don't want to carry 200' for a 100' doubled rope rappel, a 6mm tagline joined to the 8mm rap line makes for a good recovery/pull down line.

Don't use static line if there is any possibility that the rope will be needed to belay a lead. If that's the case the Beal Rando is about the only available dynamic line in short lengths at a reasonable price (some short dry "ice floss" ropes also come in 37m lengths, but are more expensive. I think Mountain gear carries them).

Don't forget slings for the anchor. Ideally the anchor should be redundant. Don't rely on any found slings. An aluminum rap ring is a cheap insurance if there is any chance the rope will rub badly against anchor slings and is lighter than a locking carabiner.

Most importantly know the skill level and character of everyone going on the rope. A day at a practice crag with no time pressure or summit fever (canyon fever) at play is well worth it. Remind everyone to keep loose hair and clothing away from the breaking device.

I've know a few high level climbers who have gotten hurt badly or killed because they took the basics of a safe rappel for granted, so forgive me if this seems too pedantic.

[Summit CO]

If his rap is close to 100' then the Beal Rando is too short.

[Brett .]

James, I am researching this very issue for my replacement rope. Im replacing my HEAVY and unnecessarily strong BluewaterII+Plus 7/16"x150' with a 7.7mm ice twin rope.

I learned a simple rappel technique I'll explain below, but first let me repeat what I recently learned in "The Mountaineering Handbook"[Connally]; Security is more critical than Strength when rapelling. The strength of modern cordage is more than enough. The most force you could put on a rope during a rappel is about 1.5KN for an 75kg person; so any kernmantle rope above 5mm is more than enough. Even 8mm accessory cord is about 12KN. So, you could rappel a doubled 7mm for a feeling of security, or single 8mm for example. Most people I rappeled with in the past learned on a double, and are comfortable with only that; what about the members of your group?

Technique:
Im assuming you want to minimize weight and number of items carried, and maybe cost. You could use one of the techniques the US Army teaches (I learned in Air Assault School years ago) for simple group rappels. With this system you won't need any ATCs, friction devices, or single use harnesses. All you need is one rope, one 4 m rope "swiss-seat" and locking carabiner per person, and whatever you need for your anchor; let's assume one sling and one rap ring. Plan on abandoning your anchor.

Assume a single-line rappel.. Each person makes a swiss-seat with 4m of 8mm rope, ties in with a Munter or Super(double)Munter if the rope is thin or wet. First guy down uses an autoblock knot to self-belay (requires more equipment), or just goes on down without one. Each guy after the first gets a fireman's belay from the previous one down. Last guy down pulls the retreival cord (maybe 3mm?), thus abandoning the sling and rap-ring in place.

Rope:
For a 100 foot rappel you might need 40m or so, including anchor and belay use (and that knot at the end of the rope!). So, you could buy the Beal Rando 8mm x 60m at REI for $109, cut 5 sections of that rope, at 4m each, for each member of your party (charge them $2 for their new "harness", and I assumed 5 guys), and you would still have a 40m section left over for your rappel. Total weight of the rope and 5 swiss-seats: 1.9kg!

For future hikes, that 40m section would be a useful length (not too short, not too long, not too heavy) to carry as a contingency to negotiate obstacles on YDS Class 3 or 4 hikes. Carry the 3mm x 40m retreival cord (REI:$19.80,) and a simple anchor, and suggest each member of future hikes carry at least one locking biner and a 4m harness; very light.

What I chose to replace my old rope is the Beal 7.7 Ice Twin "Can be used as a single rope on abseils". It is long enough to double up on any rappel I want to do, and if the rappel you mentioned is a little less than 100', you could double it there too? Its only $67.50 for a 60m rope! That's a smokin' deal.
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/climbdetail.cfm/BE112

I do not know how much experience you have; probably more than me, so forgive that explanation if it was all obvious to you.
I found the book I mentioned an _Excellent_ text for the simple 5.1 climbing and non-vertical rappelling I do. I highly recommend it. (And 'Freedom of the Hills' of course)

References:
How to tie a swiss seat:
http://home.arcor.de/varn/rappel/swiss_seat.htm
I use a 4m rope and put another overhand in step 6; seems more comfortable for me.
Army TC 21-24; Rappelling
http://www.ajrotc.net/pubs.html

[Christopher Plesko]

Love the insight Brett. I've got that book but I'm not too far into it yet so I better read faster! I am also looking at carrying some light gear to rope up exposed class 3 and class 4 climbs for my wife. She has climbed easier class 5 stuff but on some of the 14ers the exposure makes her nervous and I think she'd feel a lot safe roped up even though a fall is extremely unlikely. Plus they'd be handy on a couple traverse rappels I'm wanting to do :)

Thanks!

[Brett .]

Christopher, forgive the suggestive title, but yes, why not rope up on class 3 or 4 if it has dangerous exposure. Its good practice for when you really need it. I roped up my girlfriend on some class 5.0 sawanobori (canyoneering), and it was just good peace of mind. An "Ounce of prevention" can be had for 20m of 7mm, 2 biners and two 4 m harnesses.

Last week here on Fujisan we had a climber slip and tumble more than 1000 meters. He was just a sack of broken bones by the time he stopped. In summer, you can choose a class 2 route (a singer once had a grand piano carried up for a concert), but in winter Fuji can have fatal exposure due to ice. I don't know if that climber had an axe, but he probably did and couldn't self-arrest. He was solo. Two other solo climbers that same weekend had to be resuced by helicopter. Why didn't they climb together? Who knows..

In the "Mountaineering Handbook", Connally explains you only need 5 or 6 knots for mountaineering, and some basic equipment. Its fun to learn, and even my GF practices knots on the train; some of them are the same as she uses on her kimono obi!

[Christopher Plesko]

Why not rope up myself or why not rope up my wife? In certain cases I'd do both, in certain cases neither and in many cases I'd lead the climb without protection, establish an anchor at the top and belay her up the climb. Free soloing is not something I'm a huge advocate of but I've climbed and led up to 5.10 so scrambling up class 3/4/easy 5 sections without a rope is within my personal comfort range and doesn't usually bother me. Now in adverse conditions (tired, weather, extreme exposure) I agree that roping up for both my wife and I is a good idea. I'll likely carry a rope and few pieces of pro/slings on the more challenging 14ers next year. Gotta do some more reading tonight too.

[David Olsen]

Are you talking Steve Roper 4th class? Where a slip
means likely death?

[Christopher Plesko]

3rd/4th to me is just scrambling with 4th meaning you are going to have to pay attention more to finding holds whereas 3rd you are going to use your hands but it's not so much for upwards travel. There is so many different definitions of 3/4 class that it's hard to know what one individual person means.

I'm comfortable on good rock without a rope up to the low class 5 stuff baring the conditions I mentioned above. My wife is comfortable without a rope at a much earlier point.

[Tom Jones]

My expertise is more in the realm of backcountry rappelling, specifically canyoneering, though I also backpack lightweight-style on occassion. While all the comments are true to some extent, the REAL answer to all this stuff is "it depends". Mostly it depends on YOU, your training, and what you know about the specific rappel.

Setting up the anchor for the rappel is a significant concern. Established route or obscure, rarely-travelled backcountry classic? What kind of rock? How certain is your beta? You will want to bring enough webbing to be sure to set up your anchor. Me, I'd bring 9/16" supertape if you can find it, or 11/16" if you can't find the 9/16". Any smaller is suspect and could lead to problems if the geometry and circumstances are other than ideal. you will also want an aluminum rappel ring.

Webbing that is in place can be inspected to ascertain if it is still in good enough shape to use. If not, please replace and pack out the litter. Please do not leave an uncertain piece of webbing in place, and add another layer.

For general use, 8mm static ropes are in common usage, and can be purchased by the foot. Do NOT purchase accessory cord, as rappelling is not something it is designed for, and the rappelling properties of it are widely variable. You can use a pull cord on the other side to pull it down – if it is a clean shot a 3mm pull cord is probably sufficient, if it is possible to have problems with the pull, then a 6mm pull cord is probably called for. You will want to block the rappel line against the ring – if you don't know how to do this, you can look here:

http://canyoneeringusa.com/utah/tech/blocks.php

For one rappel, deep in the backcountry, I would use a simple swiss seat, using 11/16" tubular webbing, and a munter hitch around a single biner. I would add gloves for additional safety, but a munter is a fairly high-friction 'device' so it could work well. (Ahem. However, weight has a lot to do with it. Got some corn-feds along? I'd revise the list if folks are pushing over 200 lbs. Plus-size weight and lack of expertise are a dangerous combination. Yes, a bottom belay can help, but…)

A big question is the expertise level available. Going light involves some improvisation and getting towards the limit of things. Without someone there with experience in these specific issues, it is better to carry a little extra weight and be safe. Obviously.

I sell things for canyoneering and, given it is the off season (way off at the moment, all I have is inventory to do), I'd be delighted to chat with you (with or without expectation of a sale) any time. 435-648-3089

Tom Jones
Canyoneering USA

[Summit CO]

Tom Jones thank you for that great post!

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