Rappelling cord or rope is a vital piece of equipment when rock climbing. The rope's fibers do not provide much elasticity, making then strong and reliable when climbing and using the rope to advance up a rock wall. But these qualities also make rappelling cord an ideal rope to use as a safety line. Safety lines are an emergency measure and can undergo a tremendous amount of stress if you lose your footing and find yourself dangling off a cliff. Fortunately, using a rappelling cord as a safety line is an easy process.
Step 1
Choose a spot in your climbing surface to use as an anchor. Crevices, boulders and trees can all be useful and safe.
Step 2
Place tube wedding around the anchor point. Use a carabiner to close and lock the wrap around the anchor point. The carabiner should be one made for climbing purposes these can often withstand 1,000 or more pounds of pressure.
Step 3
Clip your anti-slip tension device onto the carabiner and put the rappelling cord through the line holder on the tension device. Ensure that you are familiar with the device's function, as some equipment performs differently than others and must be set up with slight variations in this process.
Step 4
Place the rappelling cord through the fixed anchor points you have established. Tie the safety line back through your harness to secure yourself during the climb. Use a climber's knot, such as a double figure-eight knot, to attach the rope to a carabiner on the harness.
Tips and Warnings
- Practice this safety line process at home before doing it during a climb, where anxiety and nerves will be much higher.
Things You'll Need
- Rapelling cord
- Carabiners
- Tube webbing
- Anti-slip tension device
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