My new climbing rope frayed after just two months on a big oak job

I bought a 150 foot static line from a discount site for $180, thinking I was getting a deal. The sheath started showing serious wear after we used it for a big crown reduction on a white oak in Springfield. It wasn't a name brand, and I should have known better. I had to replace it with a trusted one for safety, so that cheap rope cost me the original price plus another $220. Has anyone else had a rope fail way faster than it should?

3 comments

3 Comments

terryb111d ago

Yeah, my buddy had a similar thing happen with a cheap rigging line. He got it for some light duty stuff, but it got shredded on a pine removal, like the core was showing in spots. He said it felt weirdly stiff right before it started to go. Total junk, scared him enough that he just cut it up for non-climbing uses.

maryh961d ago

Honestly, I've had the opposite luck with budget lines for smaller jobs. They've held up fine as long as you know their limits.

diana_king23h ago

Man, that really sucks. I've seen cheap ropes go bad fast too, especially on rough bark like oak. It's scary when the sheath just starts to look fuzzy and weak. @maryh96 has a point about knowing limits for small stuff, but a big crown reduction is a real test. That weird stiffness terryb11's buddy mentioned is a huge red flag, means the core is getting damaged. You did the right thing swapping it out, even though it hurt the wallet.