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General Climbing Discussion

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Double, twin or single rope ...? 19-May-2004 At 5:38:15 PM trent

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there is enough movement to cause severe melting of the rope.

If you start out using the rope as a twin (clipping each rope to each piece via a single biner) you clip every piece in that manner. If you start out clipping only one rope per runner that is how you clip every runner. Think about it. You have just led a right trending rising crack where you clipped the first 5 pieces with the right (R) rope. The climb then heads up a blank face with bolts so you clip the both ropes into a bomber ring through the same biner. you move up and then suddenly peel off. Both ropes are running throught he same biner on the previous bolt but because the R rope is running through 5 pieces before that it has way more friction than the L rope. as a result the R rope will begin absorbing the fall before the L rope does. because of this it will start to come under tension (while the L isnt) and will indeed slide against the L rope. and every one knows that rope on rope friction is not cool.

There was a case in the American Alpine Journal of accidents where a guy on a free route did the above and as a result pretty well completely burnt throught the sheath of one of his ropes. It is a real threat. Yes lessening impact forces is the major reason to keep half ropes separated but cord melting is another.

saying all this my edelrid 8.3mm halfs were tested as singles and managed to take 5 UIAA single rope falls each. ive taken plenty of single cord dives on my halves and they keep coming back for more. just always keep them separate or at least running through separate draws on a bomber piece.