Ropes

[walkinTas]

I'm wondering how many of you carry a rope, and what do you carry/recommend and why?

[Son of a Beach]

I only carry a rope if I have reason to believe there could be a need for pack-hauling. So far the only walks I've carried and/or used it are the Western Arthurs and Federation Peak. On both occasions we could have got by without if necessary, but it sure adds to the confidence on those really tricky bits.

I'll definitely be carrying a rope for pulling the packs across the Irenabyss in a few weeks time.

I always carry string - not sure why... have never used it... but I'm sure if I didn't have it something would break that required string to fix.

[Joe]

i keep some very cheap nylon rope. its small enough that it could be called thick string. It weighs nothing cost me nothing and would be good enough to get me out of trouble if i needed it. Its still got its wrapper on having never been needed...but it always gets put in.

[norts]

i carry about 20 metres of prussic cord, only on walks that I will think I will need it, ie Mt Anne circuit, Western Arthurs.

Roger

[tasadam]

I always carry a fair length of builders line - the white stuff. From a hardware store on a red reel. Fairly strong and very light weight. No good for pack hauling but great for emergency guy rope, clothes line, or bootlace if it came to it (tho I normally carry a spare lace as well).
When we did Overland track, the line was left behind in the huts and the clothes lines above the heaters in Kia Ora and Windy Ridge are now much better equipped...

Only time I carried rope was for the Irenabyss crossing - worked a treat.
Well, okay, technically I didn't carry it...

[norts]

I always carry some hoochie cord to string up if I need to dry some clothes or air the sleeping bag.

Roger

[scubabob]

something the Army taught me, a bit of string can just about fix anything. although my civie hiking experience is very limited, i never go anywhere without a few metres of rope and some thinner string , can be used for everything from tent ropes, food traps to spare shoe laces

[tas-man]

I usually carry 6 x 3metre lengths of 1.6mm braided nylon for clothes lines, storm guys, or ties to set up my ground sheet as a lunch break shelter in wet weather. On longer trips I carry 10 metres or so of 3.2mm nylon sheathed venetian blind cord that is great for pack hauling or heavier duty activities. One use for this that I have only tried once in an emergency was a "controlled" rapid descent into a river in PNG where there was no way to descend a cliff line riverbank that was about 5 metres high at its lowest. I "absailed" into the water using a doubled up length of venetian blind cord wrapped many times around a karabiner that I used as a hand hold while feeding the cord with the other hand. Its scary to recall things you did in your younger days when "invincible."

[DarkenRahl]

I carry about 10 meters of neon green para cord when out backpacking. Especially when I'll be away for awhile. Has all sorts of uses and takes up little weight or room.

[wayno1007]

I have taken a 6mm cord of usually 20 metres long as this can be used in a pinch to abseil on (double). The breaking strain of Edelrid and similar is around 1000kg which is 10 times the expected weight of a person. On my Solo Frankland range traverse, I packed it then decided the rope was too heavy and bulky so I removed the core and heat sealed the ends again. This sheath was awesome as it flattened like tube tape and allowed good grip for lowering and hauling both my pack and seperately, me. I have no idea of the breaking strain but suspect it could be as low as 250kg when new.