Warning: my old climbing line was way too short and I didn't know it

Vera Nelson · 2026-04-02T09:35:05.880756+00:00

I was working on a big oak in Springfield and had to make a weird reach. My ground guy said, 'You're pulling your rope tight every time you move, man.' I was basically choking my tie-in point. How short is too short for a main climbing line?

aaron_adams5mo ago

Yeah, that's a scary feeling. Honestly, the rope length thing is less about a specific number and more about having enough to reach your next tie-in without pulling yourself off balance. If you're constantly stretching, it's way too short.

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blairc902mo ago

Totally relate to that. It's kinda like how people obsess over the exact amount of gas in their tank but really it's just about not getting stuck on the side of the road, lol. Feels like half the stuff we overthink is really just about knowing your limits and having enough slack.

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zarat385mo ago

My buddy once had to downclimb twenty feet from a pine.

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aaron_adams5mo ago

I mean people climb on way shorter ropes all the time though.

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