Josephine wrote:Redpoint wrote: Mammut recommends retiring it after 52 days worth of sport climbing on it,
53 days sport climbing = a bad rope. now THAT'S funny stuff.
They didn't say that exactly, I had to search all over for the book just now, but here is what they said:
"The following table gives reference values for the usability of the rope:
-Frequency of Use- -Approximate Life Span-
Never used 10 years
Rarely 7 years
Occasionally(once a month) 5 years
Regularly(several time a month) 3 years
Frequently(each week) 1 years
Constantly(almost daily) less than one year"
Wow I messed up the math too, well I just estimated anyhow, I can't believe I didn't just do 12X4 lol, and I figured if used once a week and if there is 48 weeks in a year, than you could just say 48 days worth of sport climbing.
Here is some more of what they said:
"Even some ancient ropes can still hold a <short> sport climbing fall, whilst in comparison, a brand new rope can break over a sharp edge. Therefore, the lifespan of a rope is difficult to define. It depends on the type and length of use, on shock loading and other influences that weaken a rope, in the end, with the private user, it's a personal safety decision. At the latest, if you no longer have confidence in your old, furry, unmanageable rope you should <down> it to top roping only. For commercial users keeping a --> rope log is recommended
Independant of frequency of use, a rope should be disposed of if:
1. The rope came in contact with chemicals, particularly acids.
2. The sheath is damaged and the core is visible.
3. The sheath is extremely worn, or particularly fuzzy.
4. The sheath has slipped noticeably.
5. Strong deformations are present (stiffness, nicks, sponginess).
6. The rope was subjected to extreme loads(e.g. heavy falls, clearly over fall factor 1).
7. The rope is extremely dirty(grease, oil, tar).
8. Heat, abrasion, or friction burns have caused damage."
So to conclude, it's not about an exact number of days used, hence why they said "Approximate Life Span", and it's really user discretion. Gosh I wish someone could help me get off of this forearm crank.
"It is difficult to estimate the potential damage of solvents; therefore the middle of the rope should never be marked with a felt-tip pen or similar. Although a danger might be improbable, it should never be ignored." Mammut