Dynamic ropes are an important part of a rock climber's safety equipment. Dynamic ropes stretch in order to dampen a climber's fall. Learn how to use dynamic ropes in this climbing video.
Dynamic rope stretches or elongates to dampen falls
Dynamic ropes have higher impact force
Record the number of falls using each rope
Consult your local outdoor specialty store
Josh is an avid climber that resides off the coast in central California. He has managed for a mountaineering sports company for several years and loves the sport.
JOSH HARING: Hi, this is Josh and today I am going to talk about dynamic rope. As I mentioned earlier, there are two types of rope, static and dynamic. Now, the neat thing about dynamic rope is it actually stretches and elongates to dampen falls. There are two main types of dynamic rope, dry and non-dry treated. Dry-treated ropes would be used in ice climbing or places where weather is a factor. In a dry-treated rope, the entire core of the rope as well as the sheath of the core is treated to be really waterproof. In a non-dry-treated rope, sometimes only the core is treated to be water-resistant. It is important to keep the core clean so any type of coating is a good thing. The other neat thing about dynamic ropes, as I mentioned is that they do stretch and they do elongate. So if you fall on a dynamic rope, the rope itself is going to absorb the impact of that fall. So they have a higher impact force than a static rope would have. All dynamic ropes are going to have ratings such as impact force and number of falls that that rope can actually take where it is accepted that the rope would not break. It is important that you record, and some rope companies even actually have registration of rope that you can record the number of falls that you have taken on that rope. It is important that you record those falls, so that if that number exceeds the suggestion by the manufacturer, you retire that rope. If you are ever in doubt about whether a rope or not is safe, retire it. It is not worth the risk. Dynamic ropes are used on all sorts of climbs. From top roping, sport climbing, mountain climbing, just about anything where you are going to be climbing and there is a potential for fall, you will be using a dynamic rope.
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