Rope Bags

To take care of your new rope, one of the best things to do is get a rope bag. will greatly extend the useful time of your rope. There are many different options and features to suite the different forms of rock climbing found in mountaineering. Sport climbing, technical, competition, big wall all expose your rope to different elements during the approach, and climbing out. During the haul in, using a good bag will protect your rope.

• Rope Bag protection
• Convenience from a Rope Bag?
• What to look for in a rope bag
• Rope Bag Features

Metolius Porta-Cord Rope Bag - 1100cu in

Price: $54.90

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Possibly the most versatile rope bag ever made, the Metolius Porta-Cord Rope Bag acts as a rope tarp at the crags, summit pack in the mountains, and rope bucket on a big wall climb. A 3 x 3ft tarp keeps your cord out of the dirt, and it stashes in the Porta-Cord Rope Bag's hydration pouch to act as padding when you're using this rope bag for a peak-bagging trip. Two large side pockets hold descent shoes or extra layers on a multi-pitch trad climb. This rope bag even includes tough top handles that double as haul loops and let you rig up a rope bucket to reduce belay clusters on an aid climb.

Mammut Rope Bag Pro

Price: $44.95

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The Mammut Rope Bag Pro totes your line from route to route and provides a large tarp to keep your cord out of the dirt. When you're ready to send the next project, just roll the rope up into the tarp, cinch down the drawstring, and toss this Mammut rope bag's padded strap over your shoulder.

Black Diamond Super Chute Rope Bag - 1525cu in

Price: $39.95

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Thanks to its tough nylon construction and innovative funnel-shaped tarp, the Black Diamond Super Chute Rope Bag keeps cord-chewing dirt and grit from prematurely wearing out your life line. Barrel compression straps and padded shoulder strap make for comfortable, compact carrying, and the spacious interior holds ropes up to 80 meters in length.

CAMP USA Cocoon Rope Bag

Price: $39.90

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Stash your lifeline safely in the CAMP Cocoon Rope Bag. Ripstop nylon keeps your most vital piece of equipment from harm, and easy carrying on one shoulder or both allows for shifting of gear responsibilities among partners. Easily accommodates a 70m rope.

Blue Water Fast & Light Rope Bag

Price: $27.45

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Your rope deserves a good ride, but the local limo service doesn't service the crag. Get the next best option when you stash your cord in the Blue Water Fast & Light Rope Bag. Sporting a slim design that's not bogged down by unnecessary pockets or an oversized tarp, this is a rope bag that performs up to high standards.

Rope Bag protection

The quality and strength of a rope degrades over time. The amount of useful time you get out of it depends on how well you protect it from the elements. Ultraviolet (UV) light and dirt act to weaken it with prolonged exposure. For example, if you're actually on the rocks for a total cumulative time of 2 hours out of a 6 hour session, there is only the need to have the rope out of the bag for a small percentage of the time. Dust particles and rays can't work their way into the fibers as easily if the rope is enclosed. While a trash bag is better than nothing at all, rope bags have features climbers need to make hauling, hiking, storing the rope much easier. Many of them have tarps that unfold and lay on the ground for uncoiling and tying in. The bag itself may have pockets and gear clips and can serve as haul bag for long hikes into the site. Back straps provide easy carrying to the next site.

Convenience from a Rope Bag

Rope bags make it unnecessary to coil the rope. Lay the rope on the tarp and tie the ends to the rope bag's loops. Loops allow the ends to fasten to the bag to prevent the rope from getting knotted with itself. Just untie one of the ends and pull. The rope comes out of the bag freely and without knots.

What to look for in a rope bag

• Nylon, Cordura, Durathane, Vinyl-laminated material including various leathers. The wide variety of material types provide advantage for various application or use. All material should be water repellant to keep the rope dry in the bag.
• Rope bag sizes vary from 3 feet, or 1 meter, to 5 feet, or 1.5 meters.
• Some rope bags are designed for a specific purpose. "Use" is listed.
• 14 to 16 ounces (400g - 500g) is typical for a rope bag. Many haul bags can be used for protecting the rope plus carry much more gear. Haul bags are heavier of course. They weigh about 8 pounds.
• Varies from a year, to lifetime.

Rope Bag Features

Rope bags have features that make it easier and more enjoyable to haul your climbing gear in to the crag.

1. External Pockets: Give you a place to keep your wallet and keys while hiking in or on the approach to a crag. Many offer zipper enclosures to keep them from falling out; some are internal to the bag.
2. Padded Straps: Let you carry the rope with less strain on shoulder.
3. Compression straps cinch the rope into a compact volume.
4. Zip, string or Velcro bag enclosures help quickly close the rope bag and make it ready for hauling.