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+--- Thread: 550 parracord for climbing? (/showthread.php?tid=6799)
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RE: 550 parracord for climbing? - Hex - 20 April 2014
ah parcour, the french art of running away
RE: 550 parracord for climbing? - Grumpy Grandpa - 21 April 2014
Please, never consider using 550 paracord to attempt an abseil. In my early days of climbing, I once set up a static abseil for a group using 300ft of 9mm, thinking I could belay it from multiple anchors from the centre of it, then use one side for descent and the other for safety. Then, because if you set it up, you test it, I did the first descent on the single 9mm.
Long before the ground, accelerating at a fair rate of knots, I was using both (gloved) hands behind me to brake and slowed just enough to call it a soft(ish) landing. If you'll excuse the expression, it 'frit the shit' out of me!
I quickly re-rigged with an 11mm main descent rope and used the double 9 for safety. A good lesson learned and I hate to think of the potential consequences had I not tested it first.
You would have to be in seriously dire straits to consider abseiling (or climbing,) on something as thin and weak (in those applications,) as paracord...
SUF - if you take you're time and don't rush a descent (friction burns are very unpleasant,) a classic abseil will see you down using only the rope - no harness, no slings, no krabs...
It's actually common (at least, in my day,) to use the same rope for both activities, as long as you maintain your inspection and record keeping regime. After all, abseiling is a legitimate part of climbing activity, (being used as a method of self-rescue, not as a separate sport,) and you don't carry two separate sets of kit in the mountains...
Please excuse the shoddy grammar...
RE: 550 parracord for climbing? - CharlesHarris - 21 April 2014
The only time I have successfully seen paracord used in a static abseil was when it was braided into a SEVEN STRAND rope in a class, demonstrating how to braid cordage, the paracord being used so that all the troops gathered around could see. We started with a 1000 foot spool of paracord, which was then braided into a single rope, and used for the class to descend from a CH53 helicopter.
The 7-strand rope was stretchy, like a bungi-cord, but got the job done. It was a good demonstration.