Obviously - yes they do.
However, my question is this:
I've had a certain climbing rope for about 7 years. This rope has never been used, never been outside - exposed to the sun.
It has never been left on the floor or left out exposed to collect dust.
It has been buried under tons of other gear in a moderately heated room.
Gas heat - not stove/fire that dries out the air.
Is there reason possible that this rope should not be used?

My initial thought would be 'why the Hull knot?'

Am I wrong?

Safety first!

Everyone will have their own opinion on this, but personally, I would probably climb on it and not think twice about it. But, you will be the one on it, so the choice is completely yours and yours alone.

The problem is that they loose their elassticity, and the stress on gear (and you will increase).

1. Does it look and feel like a new rope? If no it may have deteriorated.

2. Are you going to lead and take long falls or just top rope some short climbs?

One test I use for rope retirement is that when you rappel the device is covered with fuzz.

Since I don't wear my ropes out with heavy falls I usually demote them to TR use only after 10 years and retire them from climbing after 20 years.

I'm glad you asked your question. After cleaning out our garage, I found a new rope (still in the bag) that I bought about six years ago, just before we had our first kid, which pretty much explains why it never got used.

From what I've been able to find out, there have not been instances of older ropes breaking and their elasticity MAY be reduced somewhat. My first inclination, just from old habits, is to consider it suspect, but I haven't found any tangible evidence to suggest I need to.

More opinions please.

The book that came with the rope should have a unused shelf life in it. Normaly I think it is around ten years.

SpiderSavage wrote: Since I don't wear my ropes out with heavy falls I usually demote them to TR use only after 10 years and retire them from climbing after 20 years.

20 years

HandjamMasterC wrote:I thought that 8 years was about max.

Why is it people get cheap with things like rope, but wouldn't ever look for a budget cheapie brain surgeon ??

I'll tell you one thing...when I'm dangling 3000 feet above the ground, I want my rope to be as new as possible!!!!

This thread needs an entertaining story, about rope aging of course.

I was hanging out in Hidden Valley campground in Joshua Tree climbing with friends and occasionally picking up partners in the campground when no one else was around. I had this old thrashed rope which had been relegated to toproping and anchor extension, but finally it got so bad I threw it in the dumpster.

A couple days later I had plans to go climbing with Tucker, and he showed up at my site that morning saying we should go try some new route called Tail Gunner. He says to me “Bring your rack, I have a rope.” And we’re off to find another new obscurity in the Wonderland of Rocks.

Finally we locate the climb and start getting ready. Tucker pulls out the very rope I had retired to the dumpster, looks me in the eye and says “I cannot understand why someone would throw a perfectly good rope in the trash.”

I was not sure if he had seen me toss the rope, in which case his remark was directed at me, or if he had just come across it while scavenging. I didn’t ask.

Tail Gunner is a great climb, by the way, if you can find it…

Sterling gives their ropes a 10 year shelf life.

HandjamMasterC wrote:I thought that 8 years was about max.

Why is it people get cheap with things like rope, but wouldn't ever look for a budget cheapie brain surgeon ??

Totally. That's kind of my dilemma. Part of me says 'it's your rope; why risk it.' But alot of that was based on earlier beliefs about ropes and longevity. The more research I've done, that other part of me starting saying 'why not if all the newer data says it's still good.'

HandjamMasterC wrote:Why is it people get cheap with things like rope, but wouldn't ever look for a budget cheapie brain surgeon ??

Should I buy a new 11mm rope for every pitch? At some point there's "confident enough".

I'd use the "found" rope for top roping, as the second rope in a party of three, for rapping, etc.

I wouldn't throw it in the dumpster just yet as I'm sure it has plenty of utility left in it. But I would prefer a nice new line for leading. But then I usually go through at least three cragging cords per year.

There is a UIAA report,google it and you will probably find it. The main take home is an old rope in perfect safe just won't stretch like it should.

Ropes a pretty cheap.

I have another rope that is close to 20 years old. I've never taken any lead falls on it, and had retired it from climbing some time ago.
But I have towed many a car with it. Then, I found it a few years ago - all blanched and a bit crusty.

Took it to Hull Mt. for emergency towing one time.
We actually used it to get two Jeeps unstuck. My Jeep was wedged in pretty good trying to get my buddies Jeep up over a big drift. Now we were both stuck.
I'm facing downhill and my buddies Jeep is facing uphill.
So I hooked up my winch backwards, under the Jeep and winched my way backwards while I towed my friends Jeep up the hill as well.
We weren't sure what would happen. Both Jeeps are screaming, spinning the tires.
After a few seconds I begin to move backwards.
The climbing rope attached to both front bumpers starts to stretch, and stretch and stretch...

I'm inching my way backwards, the winch is howling, the tires are spinning and the rope is stretching.
The rope finally reached it's stretching end point
AND YANKED HIM UP AND OVER!
I couldn't believe it.

The rope held and didn't LOOK any worse. I was trippin' man!

Surely, if a rope loses elasticity, then it follows that its ability to dissipate kinetic energy is reduced. (decelleration rate would be increased, subjecting it to higher tensile load). Thus it would be weaker.