Why you can't use climbing rope for caving
Ropes are divided into DYNAMIC (climbing) and STATIC (working, caving). The biggest difference is their elongation. The elongation of a caving rope is low, which is why it is referred to as low elongation, whereas the elongation of a climbing rope is higher. During sport rock climbing, the rope needs to be flexible, as it reduces the impact force of the fall. In the case of working ropes, high elasticity is undesirable because they are used in activities where their strength is necessary - rescue operations, caving or working at height.
Types of static ropes
- TYPE A: the required minimum strength is 22 kN, it is designed for working at heights and above open water, for rescue work, caving and similar activities.
- TYPE B: the required minimum strength is 18 kN, it usually has a smaller diameter and more care is required during use. It is mainly used during a limiting weight, for example, on dispatching.
Even a static rope has dynamics
It is important that even low tensile rope has a certain flexibility. All static ropes are also tested in terms of dynamic performance, using a 2 m long test specimen and a test load mass of 100 kg for type A ropes, 80 kg for type B ropes.