Canyoneering Beta

How is canyoneering rope made? How strong is canyoneering rope?

We encourage you to watch the ATS produced film below from a trip to the Sterling Rope Company’s factory in Biddeford, Maine. Sterling Rope Co. is the industry leader in producing rope and sewn products for canyoneering.

This video shows the process for construction of a climbing rope, but the same process holds true for canyoneering ropes, just with a different sheath fiber and braid pattern. Most canyoneering ropes contain a Technora or Polyester sheath. Technora is a para-aramid fiber in the same family as Kevlar and Twaron. Para-aramids have an outstanding strength-to-weight ration. You have probably heard of Kevlar before and know of it as the material that protects people from bullets. In the same manner, technora does a great job protecting canyon ropes from bullets sharp edges and other forms of abrasion.

“Off the spool” Canyoneering Rope Strengths:
TPR: 5703 pounds
HTP: 5058 pounds
Canyon Tech: 6655 pounds
Canyon IV: 4652 pounds

We specify “off the spool” strength because as soon as you tie knots and hitches into your rope, the overall strength begins to diminish. (see %’s below)

How should I store my rope?
Store your rope in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Inspect your rope after each use for core shots and impacted sheath strands.

How should I clean my rope?
Use “rope wash” or a mild soap mixed in water. Or, just rinse off your rope. Canyoneering rope is designed to get wet so a good spray will usually do the trick.

Is my rope safe if it is fuzzing up?
Yes. As the technora and polyester sheath on a canyoneering rope wears away, you will begin to see fuzzy parts of the rope. If the rope has been used correctly (e.g. not towing a car), then it is considered safe to use until the core is exposed (core shot). At that point, you can either retire the rope by cutting it up and throwing it away, or you can tape the core shot and cut it out of the rope. Obviously, the durability where the fuzz occurs has begin to decrease so care should be taken to keep that section from running directly over sharp edges.

If I run out of webbing in a canyon, can I use my rope as an anchor?
Absolutely. Rope is very strong as illustrated above. You can cut your rope up all you want if the situation should arise. Be aware that without tape, your rope will likely fuzz out at the end.

How much strength does my rope lose when I tie it into a knot or hitch?
NO Knot 0%
Double Fisherman’s 30%%
Bowline 25%%
Water Knot 40%%
Figure 8 25%
Clove Hitch 40%
Fisherman’s 40%
Overhand 40%