How much rope is enough?

By Allen Macartney

I’m addicted to rope. Once my wife and I were hiking the beach in Cornwall, England. Lying on the sandy shore was a 15-metre length of thin, blue polypropylene fishing rope, which was irresistible. Despite my wife’s protests, I stuffed it into my pack and still have it for camping trips.

That’s my ropey way of life, so it often seems half my pack is filled with different types, colours and lengths of rope. I’ve got thick, yellow polypropylene rope, long thin lengths of nylon cord, cotton twine, parachute cord, even hemp. Each has its purpose. Some springy (for tying down tarp corners or tent flies), others ideal for a boat’s bow as a painter for tie-up – because they float.

NYLON CORD

This stuff is cheap, strong, light and won’t rot, though it degrades if left out in the sun too long. About the size of a shoe lace, nylon rope or cord is slightly stretchy. Cyclers, hikers and backpackers love nylon cord for its wide

range of uses. I keep four or five three-metre lengths of it in my fanny survival pack. It weighs almost nothing and takes slightly more space than a toothbrush. Once, when paddling solo on the Yukon River, a bolt holding my canoe seat broke. My nylon rope fit perfectly through the bolt holes, and within minutes the seat was fixed. It lasted all the way to the Arctic Circle.

POLYPROPYLENE ROPE

There’s no rope better for a canoe or kayak painter than polypropylene; it floats, and won’t rot when wet for prolonged periods. Usually yellow, it’s strong and cheap, and comes in a wide range of sizes. My favourite is 3/8-inch. A four-metre length tied to the bow takes little space. A six-metre length in my kitchen pack stretches between two trees to hang my tarp.

COTTON TWINE AND HEMP Few people carry these old standbys anymore because they rot quickly and don’t carry much weight. But hemp holds a quick knot well, so I keep several short lengths in my tent pocket for tying up sleeping bags or sleeping mats.

PARACHUTE CORD

No wise camper ventures far without a stash of good parachute cord. I love it! But not all parachute cord is created equal. Cheap imitations abound. Real parachute cord (a.k.a. “550 Cord”) has a military specification that requires seven to nine interwoven strands of separate cord surrounded in a tough, braided nylon sheath. Its minimum breaking strength is an impressive 250 kilograms. Offered in a selection of colours (e.g. white, black, camouflage, fluorescent orange), it has myriad uses.

Need emergency thread? Cut a length of parachute cord and strip out the seven to nine central cords. They’re tough! The cheap imitation stuff is still good for looping around flashlights, GPS units, folding saws, fishing pliers and folding knives for a firm grip. It’s also excellent for improvising a broken guywire, repairing a tent or hiking pole, or for wrapping a knife handle.

KNOT-FREE PACKING

Before packing your rope away, loop it around your open hand or arm (the longer the rope, the larger the loop) and tie it off securely. Ropes seldom tangle with this method.

So how much rope is enough? I’m not sure, so I just keep on packing more and more. 

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