Typically made from nylon, climbing ropes can be the deciding factor between life and death. That means there’s no room for low-quality materials or substandard design. For maximum strength and safety, the special kernmantle rope structure was developed.
Read on to find out more about climbing rope construction.
What is a kernmantle rope?
A kernmantle rope consists of an internal core (kern) of fibres protected by a sheath (mantle) of fibres in a different form.
Today, most climbing ropes are made of nylon. In the past, natural fibres such as flax or hemp were used in rope construction, but nylon is by far the most common material nowadays.
Both the core and the sheath of a kernmantle climbing rope are normally made of nylon. A synthetic fibre invented nearly 100 years ago, nylon is white or colourless, soft, and has excellent abrasion resistance. It also has a good strength-to-weight ratio and high durability.
The rope’s core
The core is where the rope's strength lies, thanks to the many nylon fibres twisted together.
This structure is more organised than it sounds. Many thousands of nylon fibres are wound together into nylon strings. These strings are then braided together into nylon strands. Finally, several of these strands—the exact number varies depending on the rope—form the internal core of the kernmantle rope.
That’s a lot of nylon packed tightly together to give your climbing ropes superior strength in a lightweight package.
The sheath
The sheath is the protective outer layer of your climbing rope.
Like the core, the sheath is also made from nylon, but this time in a tightly-woven flat construction. This allows it to wrap around the core so that the nylon sheath’s abrasion resistance can protect the core from the elements.
The sheath will also often be a different colour to the pure white found in the core nylon. This means any wear and tear is easy to spot as it will expose the white core of the rope. If you can see the core of your climbing rope, you should replace the rope immediately.
Depending on how the rope is intended to be used, other synthetic fibres will sometimes be incorporated for their specific characteristics and properties. But nylon remains the primary fibre in the vast majority of modern climbing ropes.
Here at Safety Harness Direct, your safety is our #1 concern. If you’re climbing or working at height, we offer a selection of high-quality Safety Ropes & Cords to keep you secure.
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