Eduard

Hey Bad As a firefighter and a climber you need to learn the difference between static and dynamic ropes. A static rope is not necessarily weaker than a dynamic rope. The important difference between the two is that a dynamic rope stretches to absorb the impact of a lead fall and a static one does not, at least not nearly as much. Static ropes are commonly used in rescue work and caving or as fixed or haul lines in rock climbing and mountaineering. They are sometimes used for top-roped climbing because they are usually more durable. They must never be used for lead climbing. In the event of a fall, a static rope, unlike a dynamic one, would absorb very little of the impact force of a fall; consequently damaging and ripping out gear or breaking carabiners. Even if the gear held, a lead fall on a static rope would transmit very severe forces to the contact points where the harness met the climber’s body. On a single pitch climb, a climber might have a better chance of survival if he hit the ground before this kind of force was transmitted to his body through the harness.

Chill out Greg. I’m by no means advocating that climbing retail be regulated like SCUBA diving retail. However, when it comes to the point that someone working behind a climbing gear counter may know less than the 15 year old kid who just took a beginner course and is now buying stuff there, then perhaps the industry needs a wake up call. And maybe certain standards of voluntary self-regulation are in order. Thousands of young people are being introduced to our sport every year. They deserve to receive correct information and advice when they are purchasing gear. I am not saying that gear retailers should fulfill the role of instructors, but they should know the difference between a static and dynamic rope, for God's sake. I know that there are lots of competent people working behind gear counters, but I have seen some who don't have a clue. I feel,as a professional instructor, that I have a responsibility to the kids I have introduced to climbing. That is why I am pushing on the retail industry for a better standard of staff training.

I have seen static ropes packaged in 50 m to 60 m lengths at climbing stores just like dynamic ropes. I have also seen a display rack where they were mixed in with the dynamic ropes. If you didn't read the labels or look carefully at the sheath you would not know. I managed a climbing gym for 8 years and since we had some lead routes, I never allowed any static rope on the premises even for maintainance work. It gave me one less thing to worry about on my days off.

This is my first posting on this site. I was shocked and saddened by the news of Goran’s death. As someone involved in risk management in the climbing industry for the last twelve years I am also very concerned about the circumstances of this accident. Last year while attending the new opening of a store owned by a major outdoor recreation retailer, I noticed that the majority of the ropes behind the climbing gear counter were static. When I asked the employee who was working in the climbing department whether he understood the difference between static and dynamic ropes, he told me that he did not. I phoned the climbing gear buyer for the chain and he told me that in fact some of their stores sold more static than dynamic ropes. This seemed bizarre in light of the fact that none of this chain’s stores carries any other specific rescue, aid, caving or even bolting gear. Do all their customers know what they are buying???? Although this may not be the final answer, I find it difficult to conceive of any way four pieces of gear can have been so badly damaged (especially the Camalots), as a result of Goran’s fall, if the rope were dynamic. The argument has been made here that no experienced climber could tie into a static rope by accident because they are so easily identifiable. If this is true, then why is it that no one involved in the aftermath of this accident can seem to remember if the rope had a single (identifying a static rope) or multiple, colored strands (dynamic) incorporated into it’s sheath? I do not mean any disrespect here I am only trying to point out that an obvious explanation needs to be seriously looked at. Paul and the sheriff apparently have chunks of the rope in their possession. Paul promised to get back to us concerning the identity of the rope type: “Mitch, I seen the rope but I can't remember which it was. My parner is down in yos. climbing and won't be back til monday. Erden the rope was cut by the rescuers before they took him away. As soon as he gets back I will take a more careful look at it.” I’m not clear how the “parner in yos” is related to viewing the rope but two Mondays have passed since Paul’s posting. He has a vital piece of evidence in his possession he owes it to the community to get back to us as he promised. If it turns out that Goran was killed because he was unknowing using a static rope for leading then we will have some heavy ammunition to do something about the uninformed sale of static ropes. I do have some pull in the industry. I have been waiting for an answer to this question for three weeks now. All it would take is for someone to take a proper look at a piece of the rope. Will someone down there please, please have a look? We do need to know sooner rather than later because it may save lives.