My old climbing line had a weird wear pattern I kept ignoring

For about eight months, my main climbing line felt a bit rough in one spot, but I just figured it was normal friction wear from my hitch. I'd run my glove over it and keep going. Last week, I was coiling it after a job in Tacoma and my ground guy, Mike, pointed at it and said, 'Casey, that looks like a core shot waiting to happen.' He held the line tight and showed me how the sheath was actually bunching up over about a six-inch section, not just wearing flat. I realized I'd been setting my friction saver in the same spot every single time for a year, creating a concentrated stress point instead of rotating my tie-in. I was basically working against my own gear. How do you guys keep track of rotating wear on your lines? Do you mark them or just go by feel?

3 comments

3 Comments

shanef3411d ago

I used to think that was just rope memory until I saw a sheath fail.

grant47811d ago

Oh man, that'll change your whole outlook real quick. I mean, you go from thinking it's just a weird kink to seeing the whole thing give out and you're just standing there like... well that's terrifying. Really makes you respect the gear, or maybe just become a total nervous wreck about it. No more casual shrugs for sure.

tessadavis11d ago

Wait, so what actually happened when it failed? Like, did it just snap or did it slowly come apart?