Rant: My climbing line snapped on a simple oak removal yesterday

I was about 20 feet up on a red oak in a backyard near Eugene. Nothing crazy, just a dead branch removal. Heard a pop and my line just let go. I hit the ground hard but luckily only my ankle got twisted. No idea how old that rope was, but I bought it used from a guy retiring. Never again. I am going to buy new ropes from here on out. Anyone else had a line fail on them?

3 comments

3 Comments

sagew501mo ago

Whoa man that is a scary story, glad you're mostly okay! I had a climbing line snap on me once and I hit the ground so fast I think I scared the tree. Now I treat old rope like expired milk, I just don't trust it.

adam_lewis1mo ago

Did you get a chance to test the ropes regularly before they snapped, or did they just fail without warning? People don't realize how fast UV and dirt can eat away at strength even if the rope looks fine on the outside. I check mine with a magnifying glass for little white fuzzies now before every climb.

caleb_thomas931mo ago

Good point on the UV and grit, though I wouldn't rely on just a magnifying glass - a good bend test and feeling for stiffness is way more reliable for catching internal wear. That little pop sound is honestly the scariest noise in tree work.