How to mark a rope

[huntinkyhl]

I know this is a debatable topic, but I want to know what you guys think. My random searches on the internet got me no where.

How should I mark the center of my rope?

Can I use a permanent sharpie marker?

Tom, it's one of your ropes, care to chime in on what you recommend?

Thanks

[DOSS]

what brand is the rope.. I know most of the rope makers out there have a suggestion for their ropes.. such as blue water and the laundry sharpie.. you might want to hit up the rope manufactuers website for specifics.

I would suggest colored floss weaved into the sheath.. you can see it, feel it and when you have to cut 10 feet off one end of your rope for some reason.. you can move it to the new center.. a drawn on mark on the rope is hard to see in the dark :)

[qedcook]

I usually use a piece of athletic tape wrapped around a couple of times, but not too thick or it will snag. Not only does it mark the middle, but it can come handy in a bind.

[huntinkyhl]

It's an Imlay rope.

That's why I wonder what Tom will suggest.

Thanks for the replies.

[nelsonccc]

It's an Imlay rope.

That's why I wonder what Tom will suggest.

Thanks for the replies.

Ive always just used a normal sharpie. I make it about an inch long and all the way around. It stands out nicely and ive never had an issue locating it.

[Shan]

I ended up sewing a contrasting thread into the center of the rope per my boyfriend's request (it was his rope). The sharpie was wearing off.

[oldno7]

Ive always just used a normal sharpie. I make it about an inch long and all the way around. It stands out nicely and ive never had an issue locating it.

X2 and they fade in a short time if by chance the center mark becomes relocated.:mrgreen:
I've used this on Bluewater and Imlay ropes with no apparent damage.

[ratagonia]

I know this is a debatable topic, but I want to know what you guys think. My random searches on the internet got me no where.

How should I mark the center of my rope?

Can I use a permanent sharpie marker?

Tom, it's one of your ropes, care to chime in on what you recommend?

Thanks

Professionally, I say use a marker made for that. The Beal Rope Marker works great, if you can find them.

Personally, I use a sharpie once in a while, but it does fade pretty quick. Polyester is very robust to chemicals other than strong acids, strong bases and chlorine.

Personally, I see little reason to mark the middle of canyoneering ropes. I sometimes mark them for special projects, to help speed things along, but in general, I use techniques that negate the utility of having the middle marked.

Tom :moses:

[huntinkyhl]

Thanks for the responses.

Care to shed some light on the techniques you use that negate the utility of having the middle marked?

I'm assuming you're talking about using Rope bags/silo's and only pulling out enough rope to hit the bottom and rappelling single strand. How do you know when you've hit bottom on rappels where you can't see the bottom?

[ratagonia]

Thanks for the responses.

Care to shed some light on the techniques you use that negate the utility of having the middle marked?

I'm assuming you're talking about using Rope bags/silo's and only pulling out enough rope to hit the bottom and rappelling single strand. How do you know when you've hit bottom on rappels where you can't see the bottom?

Yes.

If the rap looks long, the usual process is to pull out the top of the rope, anchor it and drop the bag. The bag hitting the ground is taken as a good sign. After one person is down, then the rope length can be set. Then the pull side can be set up, one way or the other.

In other words, it depends.

Tom

[trackrunner]

How do you know when you've hit bottom on rappels where you can't see the bottom?

you could also rig a contingency and lower out more rope if it doesn't reach

[accadacca]

Orange construction spray paint? :ne_nau:

[Scott Card]

Ever since I quit double rope rappelling (last century) I have not marked a rope. I use Tom's method. And yes, I hate it when the rope bag doesn't hit bottom. :haha: I guess marking the middle would be encouraging when you are stuffing the rope. At least you know that you are half way done stuffing the rope when the mark passed the biner attached to your chin strap.

[oldno7]

Marking your rope has advantages for srt as well.
I'm not the best judge of rappel length, many times I can see if my rope is on the bottom, having a mark on my ropes at the halfway, lets me know if the rope I'm using is long enough, or in need of extending the pull side.
Blocking one end of your rope and tossing the whole bag down has it's drawbacks as well. Every rap is different, best to use what is called for in each situation.

[ratagonia]

Marking your rope has advantages for srt as well.
I'm not the best judge of rappel length, many times I can see if my rope is on the bottom, having a mark on my ropes at the halfway, lets me know if the rope I'm using is long enough, or in need of extending the pull side.
Blocking one end of your rope and tossing the whole bag down has it's drawbacks as well. Every rap is different, best to use what is called for in each situation.

I also have a superstition that as soon as I mark the middle of the rope, the next canyon will coreshot that rope, so then I will have a shorter rope with a not-middle mark.

Tom :moses:

[chabidiah]

I usually pee on it and rub some dirt into it. You can smell it and feel it in the dark:naughty:

[Wasatch]

I mark mine in the middle with a Bluewater marker. It's an easy way for anyone to find the middle without having to know special techniques or whatever.

[Iceaxe]

I mark the center of all my ropes with a black sharpie. I usually make my center mark about 3" long so it's easy to see from a distance.

There are literally hundreds of different reasons to mark the center....

a couple of reasons I haven't seen mentioned yet... If you have to deploy a second rope in an emergency it's nice to have some reliable height/length estimates. When writing up beta I only have to physically measure to the mark and with a little 1st grade math can establish an accurate height for the rappel. Yada, yada....

[ratagonia]

I have the Beal Rope Marker back in stock. It works much better than a Sharpie, as it puts down a LOT more ink.

http://canyoneeringusa.com/shop/product.php?productid=16276&cat=0&page=1

Tom

[moabfool]

I know the masters have spoken, but I read up on the subject a few years back when I was faced with the same question. On one rope manufacturer's website they said that Sharpie generally doesn't swithch out their solvent and is pretty safe, but they cautioned that other marker brands do, and that many common solvents will degrade the fiber of the rope. They also said to use the Nuclear Grade Sharpie (I'm not making that up) which is used in making (wait for it) nuclear fuel. That's because Sharpie is very particular about the sort of solvent they use in that particular line of marker, or so they said. That's all well and good, but I'm sitting 50 yards from a production line that makes nuclear grade zirconium and I have yet to see a single "Nuclear Grade" Sharpie in the 10 years I've worked here. I'm not saying they don't exist, but if the nuclear fuel industry isn't using nuclear grade Sharpies I wonder who is. In other words, just buy the rope marker from Tom. That advice and $1 will get you a cup of coffee.