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Rope for climbing stick aider?

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18K views 25 replies 16 participants last post by  patriotoutlaw  
#1 ·
What diameter rope are you guys using for aiders on your climbing sticks?

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#4 ·
For a given construction and material...strength is directly related to diameter. So...yeah, diameter does matter.

@OP - 550 cord would probably do just fine. Since it's doubled, you get double the weight rating, which would be 1100lbs which would technically not be enough for life support, but these should not be the last thing between you and the ground(use a life line or be tied off in some manner). My suggestion would be to order some 'para-max' cord which is 1200lb tensile strength cordage and it's cheap on amazon. Doubling that up to 2400 should give you a solid 10x safety factor(depending on your weight) which is just barely enough for life support work(this is assuming you tie good knots that don't reduce the tensile strength too much)

If you want to spend more, get half inch climb line. You definitely don't need anything bigger than that.
 
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#5 ·
I would advise strongly against using paracord for this application. There are a lot of factors not being taken into consideration.

My first piece of advice would be to hop over to saddlehunter.com and check out the climbing methods forum there. You can search and find endless information on aiders, and other climbing methods.

A lot of it depends on how many step aiders you're looking to build. I think anything beyond a single step aider is asking for trouble for an inexperienced climber. I personally use a climbing sling girth hitched around the stick post, and laid over the bottom step. You can buy them in various lengths, they are sewn by a certified facility and rated for climbing use, they're cheap, they're light, and it takes the fiddle factor out. I personally use a 60cm 16mm climbing sling. You can use any number of things (hose, a piece of rope, a piece of webbing, etc) about 6" long and tape it to the sling where your foot goes. This will assist in keeping the loop open.

Be careful, lot's of folks are trying to go down this road, and they are not equipped mentally or physically for the increase difficulty in climbing.
 
#12 ·
I used 1" tubular nylon webbing, made a sling long enough for what I needed and used Paracord to do a cobra weave on the top section that will go over the steps to protect from abrasion and to make it easier to "find the top" in the dark.

I did the same on the bottom portion of the lower section with slightly larger, lighter colored rope. The rope is there for the same reasons, abrasion resistance, and to aid in "locating" the step portion of the aider. I used larger diameter here so I can feel it through my boot, for reassurance without having to constantly look down at it.

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#13 ·
To the guys considering going the aider route. PLEASE practice and become proficient in doing so. It is not at all like putting your foot on the step of a climbing stick.

-You do move around.
-Most guys using them make it look much easier than it actually is.
-Be prepared both physically and mentally to do this in the dark.


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