Beginner rope question - spliced ends

[JudoChop]

Looking into purchasing Samson Arbormaster as my first climbing rope. Spent a lot of time reading up on the rope threads here to make a decision, so many different kinds that have good reviews so I went and looked at all the sites. Mainly it came down to Wesspur offering 20% off arbormaster hawkeye. Being in Canada that 20 % offsets the 30% extra in currency exchange I have to pay lol.

My question is about splicing, should I get the rope with an end spliced? 5 inch or tight splice? hand spliced or sewn? What is the difference in the two ways? Should a beginner like me just get the rope with no splice so im practicing my knot tying more?

I will be taking an Arborist Climbing course this spring and wanted to start piecing together some of the gear ill need. Maybe some very low height practice in my yard prior to the course to get comfortable with my knots.

thanks!

 

[treesmith]

Tight eyes are more secure on the biner, less flop and less chance of it moving around to the gate etc.

One thing I know though is its very hard to get a non spliced end stuck in a fork, I'd take a spliced eye any day though

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[Geordie]

I've been climbing exclusively on ropes with no splice. The advantage is that when you nick up your rope you can cut off the nicked section (unless it's in the center), and still have a useful section of rope. With a spliced eye any damage to the rope means losing the eye if you decide to cut it.

Now, that said, I am more and more desirous of some spliced rope because you can't use the hitch climber pulley safely without it, and it looks like a really efficient way to take in slack. I'd say go for the splice.

Hitchclimber:

 

[ATH]

Yes, get the splice. Tight eye. One end.

A splice is faster, safer and less bulky than a knot.

Like treesmith said, tight flops around less.

Also like treesmith said, it is easier to not get an unspliced end stuck. I also use a Dan House rope sleeve sometimes and the spice will not fit through, so it is good to have one end only.

Regarding Geordie's point about nicking the rope and cutting it short...you could still do that. yes, you'd lose the eye, but how is that any different than starting with not eye and then still having no eye. At least you got to enjoy the eye while you had it. Better to have eyed and lost than never to have an eye at all

As far as sewn or spliced: Take your pick. Sewn takes up less of the rope, but feels just a little bulkier at the stitch. Spliced is not as thick right at the base, but goes further up into the rope. If you can't decide between the two (and I don't think one is a clear winner), sewn is cheaper.

 

[treesmith]

I nicked my 30m imori about 12' from the eye, cut the end off and gained a spliced eye lanyard which would otherwise have cost $100au, still annoying but kind of worked out.

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[JeffGu]

You can also learn to splice, and the nicked rope thing won't be an issue. But yes, get a tight eye in one end.

 

[Del_]

I've never used a climbing rope with a spliced eye and don't intend to. I tie to a biner with an anchor hitch. Spliced eye tress cord, yes.

 

[BC WetCoast]

I'm going to be the dissenting voice here. Given that you are just learning, I would suggest you don't get a spliced eye and learn how to tie termination knots. Most of our junior climbers use triple fishermans, although some use the anchor bend. If you were a working climber, I would have a different opinion.

 

[ATH]

You can also learn to splice, and the nicked rope thing won't be an issue. But yes, get a tight eye in one end.

I've only tried splicing a used rope once. Learned my lesson. I do splice new rope for my lanyards...

 

[JeffGu]

That's true... used rope is lots harder! Still, a useful skill and passes the time on a boring winter day. Fun to make stuff.

 

[treesmith]

I go spliced eye for simplicity and ease using an ART ropeguide. For years I climbed on an english prusik and bowline so definitely get that side of it. If you can't get out of a tree safely with just a plain rope and one biner then you need to spend time on the basics for sure. All new guys should, it worries me a little when I see the new guys coming in and going straight onto mechanicals and whizzbang systems

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[benjo75]

I am currently in the same situation. I think my next rope will have one tight eye. I have climbed almost 20 years with no eye on my ropes. Works fine. It's good to learn your knots first though. I have recently started using the hitch climber with VT. If you clip your termination end into either of the top two holes in the pulley, the termination knot will catch on top of your friction hitch and it will not grab. So I tie my termination knot into a second biner and clip it into the rope bridge of my saddle. I use the Micro Pulley 2eye on my rope bridge. That allows for both biners to connect to my bridge cleanly. Plus is nice for leaning side to side.

A tight eye will work better for advancing the climb line using the throw weight. Now I'm having to untie my termination knot, then pull the rope over the next limb with the throw line, then re tie the knot. If I hit a nice smooth crotch with the throwbag, then I will just unclip the biner and clip it to the throw weight then pull it over. It's a lot faster that way.

 

[JudoChop]

thanks very much for all the replies, this site continues to be a great source for advice and information! I plan to stay away from all the mechanical devices until I've become very comfortable the basic.

 

[Geordie]

One exception, a micropulley to help advance your friction hitch makes things so much easier. I'd highly recommend using one, and it won't hurt your ability to learn knots or get out of the tree using a simple method.

 

[jamesmcsparron]

For a long time I have believed that a climbing ropes needed two ends spliced to make them more efficient when working through trees, pruning, dead-wooding etc. This was when I was a bit-o-a-lad and thought all climbers were judged on their speed. However, as an older climber who now believes that rather than running down to the meadow and bulling one of the cows, it's much better walking down and bulling them all and to that extent has seen the value in having only one spliced end on your rope for anchoring into those tight spots and then having the other end reliant on a knot, which you can untie so you can be sure it will not snag on a fork when pulling your rope down from a pruning expedition. Well it's beginning to feel like an expedition after those cows!