Understanding the difference between ropes

When it comes to rock climbing, choosing the right rope is crucial for safety and performance.
There are three main types of ropes used in climbing: statc, low elongation, and dynamic, each with specific characteristics designed for different purposes.
Understanding the differences between these ropes will help you choose the right one for your needs.

Dynamic Ropes:

These ropes are suitable for Lead and Top-Rope climbing and are designed to absorb impact in potential fall scenarios. These are typically EN892 and/ or UIAA 101 certified and will have more elongation than static or semi-static ropes.

These ropes are constructed of Nylon 6 in a kernmantle construction (core and sheath) and are used in sport, trad, big wall and ice climbing these are also lead ropes and some top ropes in climbing gyms. More on that below.

Static Ropes and Semi-Static Ropes:

These ropes have an entirely different testing process and purpose. There are multiple types of certifications for static ropes for a variety of purposes, such as NFPA 2500 and EN 1891. Static ropes are classified by having no more than 5% elongation, and the specific elongation desired depends on the application. Static ropes can be suitable for top-roping, but are NOT acceptable for higher impact scenarios such lead climbing. Due to the smaller amount of elongation in static ropes, they are ideal for hauling, jugging, canyoneering, and a variety of rope access applications.

Static and semi static ropes are constructed in a variety of different ways with a variety of different materials. The most common are Nylon and Polyester. The HTP Static is a popular extremely low stretch rope that’s constructed of 100% polyester. The WorkPro is a more balanced, super-strong static rope series that combines a nylon core with a polyester sheath where both the core and sheath share the load evenly.

Sterling designed the ReVo Semi Static rope to offer minimal sheath slippage, as well as a balance of incredible durability and a suitable amount of elongation for top roping specifically in a gym setting. The ReVo is certified EN 1891 Type A. The ReVo is rapidly gaining in popularity for it’s rugged durability in new, taller, high-traffic gyms across the US.

Determining the right rope for your needs depends on the type of climbing you plan to do and the specific requirements of the activity.

For more about certifications, check out our blog post called “A primer on Certifications”