Arbtalk.co.uk | Discussion Forum for Arborists

Today I was in a Rock Climbing shop,the thin Rope Climbing Rope caught my eye.60 meters of it weighed practically nothing.

I wondered how it would perform using it as a Arborist Rope for Tree Removals?I know it would be difficult to grip the the Rope if you had to climb up it,but if you are moving around wearing spikes and using the Rope to support you when working it might be ok.

I suppose you would have to use smaller diameter VT Cord,this might accelerate wear.

Has anyone tried it?

I wouldn't like to go near 8mm with a silky Mike, even your stubble would be a rope shredding hazard

I expect it's dynamic rope, in which case the 'sawing' action of it over branches will wear it out really quickly. Wouldn't bother.

Please explain the "sawing action of it over branches"

It is Dynamic,but with it doubled over you only get half the bounce.

I think he means the stretch of the rope constantly rubbing against limbs.

8mm rock climbing rope is meant for double roping Mike....meaning a rock climber would climb using 2 of these ropes I believe.

Exactly. And with an 80kg weight hanging on it, you get up to a permitted 8% elongation on a single, and 10% on double, ropes. So, if your weight is going on and off a 20m length of rope, the rope will be lengthening and shortening by 2m creating considerable sawing action. Same if you base anchor the rope and having it going over a crotch - the rope will be sawing back and forth in the crotch, sawing away at the cambium damaging both the tree and the rope.

Another problem with the dynamic rope comes about when you climb the rope itself - you waste a lot of energy, bit like cycling uphill on a bicycle with rear suspension.

Almost certainly a 'half-rope' used with a second rope while rock-climbing. NOT designed to be used on its own.

I do alot of large Spruce and Fir take downs.So its up to the top,rope in with a Rope guide and then back down to limb the Tree on the way back up.

I would like to think 8mm would work in this application.But it sounds like 8mm Static or semi static might work best.

It might make a decent lightweight flexible lanyard...?

I would have thought that weight wouldn't really be an issue for a climbing line, whereas it might for a lanyard.