Hi!
Any experience in using thin twin ropes vs single ropes in terms of friction in the belay device? I am going abroad for a month, and have twins (7.7mm...so thin) stashed there. A bit of rock climbign is planned, so I wonder....My partner feels insecure holding falls (ATC) on my 9.6mm rope, and would hate to have less friction. I used halfs frequently before, which were much better to hold, but thin twins?

Thanks,
SM

Ski Mountaineer wrote:Hi!
Any experience in using thin twin ropes vs single ropes in terms of friction in the belay device? I am going abroad for a month, and have twins (7.7mm...so thin) stashed there. A bit of rock climbign is planned, so I wonder....My partner feels insecure holding falls (ATC) on my 9.6mm rope, and would hate to have less friction. I used halfs frequently before, which were much better to hold, but thin twins?

Thanks,
SM

Twins are used a lot in my part of the world. They are nice for multipitch, and I would say that friction isn't a big problem. But your partner's comment is troubling. A 9.6mm rope is pretty standard nowadays. If he feels insecure belaying with it, then he'll likely have a hard time adjusting to the novelty of two much thinner lines.

There are special belay devices that are smaller to deal with smaller diameter ropes. Like the Reversina, a miniature version of the Reverso...

I never climb on anything thicker than 9.6 anymore and climb on 7.7 twins frequently, rock and ice. I am a trad climber, but even the 5.15 sport climbers I hang out with, prefer thin ropes to send their projects. Proper belay is proper belay, you might want to get some more experience with this parnter at home first. If a potential partner told me that, it would prob get in my head on lead trying to figure out what previous experience had got them in that frame of mind.

An ATC does not have variable friction. But still with twins you have double the rope even though it's thinner, so the friction is comparable. If there's a problem it's just a perceived one and not actual. Try using a device with variable friction like the ATC Guide or the Petzl Reverso 3. They have tapered grooves with teeth that give more friction with thinner ropes. Note that these devices don't work as well with fatter ropes than the ATC. Are they wearing belay gloves? Sometimes on raps with skinny ropes I'll pass the rope through a beaner that's on the side loop of the harness for more friction but you can't really do that while belaying.