As you have noticed from our guide, we mentioned words like ‘single’, ‘half’, and ‘twin’ in association with ropes quite often. This may raise the question of what do these terms actually mean when the topic of discussion is climbing ropes.
Let’s starts off with single ropes. You will often find them falling in the category of 8.5mm to 11mm in diameter ropes that range within 50 and 80 meters in length. They are the most commonly used ropes due to their key purpose of supplying the climber with a gear that will accompany any sort of pitch climbing. Designed specifically for catching falls with no need for the usage of the second rope, single ropes are the go-to option for the majority of the climbers.
Half ropes, on the contrary, are presented by a set of two ropes that occupy the 8mm diameter spectrum. These ropes are mostly used by alpine climbers who often stumble upon zigzag routes, sharp rocks, or are venturing to descend of a wall or a vertical cliff. They are used either in tandem to significantly lower impact force rate or separately on both the left and right sides of the course to avoid the drag of the rope. A supplementary amount of rope management is required when handling half ropes, which is why they are not the first option most of the time. If, however, a party of three is headed out for a climb, half ropes are the best solution.
Twin ropes are usually merely a half-millimeter thinner than their siblings half ropes and are considered by many much easier to operate with. They are meant to be used together at all times and are thus perfect for climbing in pairs. You can either dive into ice or alpine climbing: both categories fit the rope’s principal role of supporting you while providing you with more stretchiness and less force.