A rope is one of the few pieces of climbing equipment that isn't redundant. In other words, there's no backup: If your rope fails, you're probably going to die. Modern climbing ropes are made of kernmantle, or sheath-and-core, construction. The core or kern is the strongest part of the rope, a series of white strands in the center of the rope that, ideally, you'll never see. The colorful sheath protects the core and, on some ropes, is designed to bear some weight, too.
UIAA
If you see the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation, abbreviated in French as UIAA, logo on a climbing rope, it means that the rope has passed the UIAA's exacting safety standards. All ropes sold by prominent manufacturers and distributors in the United States meet UIAA standards. You may also see the "CE" mark, which represents the European Community safety organization's standards as well.
Appearance
The middle mark on a climbing rope quite literally marks the mid-point of the rope; being able to find the middle of the rope quickly is helpful when rappelling, being lowered or setting a top-rope anchor. Some ropes sport an obvious pattern or color change at the midpoint instead of a middle mark. The end marks, usually about 20 feet from each of the rope, warn you when you're running low on rope for a rappel or climb. Not all ropes have end marks.
Uses
Rope manufacturers offer super-skinny single ropes to cater to the most aggressive sport climbers, while beginners and all-around climbers may prefer a larger-diameter, more durable workhorse rope. Ice climbers or rock climbers on long pitches may use a pair of slender twin ropes, clipping both ropes into every piece of protection. Rock climbers on long, wandering routes that create a lot of rope drag use two half ropes, clipping alternate ropes into each piece of protection.
Rope Diameter
While 11mm was once the standard in climbing ropes, 10 and 10.5mm ropes are now more common for single-rope use. Half ropes are usually each 8 to 9mm in diameter, while twin ropes are slightly more slender, at 7 to 8mm diameter.
Types
Occasionally you will encounter a static climbing rope, meaning that it doesn't stretch at all under load. These ropes aren't designed for use while leading climbing or top roping, because even a short fall on a rope that doesn't stretch at all puts immense stress on your anchor, equipment and body. Instead, use static ropes for hauling gear or rappelling.
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