Your canyoning rope is your link to safety. Vertical descending could never be possible without a rope and management techniques. Therefore, caring for your rope is a very important work. Each time you take your rope canyoning you need to follow some simple rules, so you can trust it’s elasticity, endurance and effectiveness.
• Respect your rope
-Don’t step on it
– Don’t leave knots – untie them always
– Don’t forget it in the trunk of your car, in the heat and the hot sun
– Don’t use it for climbing or caving
• Protect your rope
– Always wet it before starting descending
-Don’t rappel over sharp edges without protecting your rope
– If sharp edges cannot be avoided rig your rope in the best way you can
• Learn to use your rope better
-Don’t bounce on the cliff like an action movie star
– Have control and rappel steadily
– Observe the rocks and don’t swing/shock/abuse your rope
– Don’t hurry. Be cool and rappel patiently
• Keep your rope clean
-Try to avoid mud and sand during canyoning as much as possible
– When you get home soak your rope in clean water and wash it the soonest possible
– Never use chemicals, oxidizers, bleach
– Use only a mild soap if necessary
• Keep your rope dry
-Dry your rope out thoroughly before storage
– To let it dry you can hang it loose in a cool and dry place away from intense sunlight
• Keep your rope safe
-Battery acids, oil, bleach, sharpie markers can harm your rope’s fibers
– UV rays are bad for your rope over time
– Store it in a cool and dark place, best loosely coiled, in a rope bag
Love your ropes – don’t let them suffer – especially if you go canyoning regularly. As you know they don’t last forever, so retire them soon enough for your own safety and the happiness of your fellow canyoners. Cut a long rope to smaller parts if you check it and find a ruined part. Always mark your rope with harmless rope-markers that exist in canyoning stores.
Enjoy your rope – enjoy canyoning!
