Choosing a Tree Rigging Rope

WesSpur's selection of rigging ropes covers every job you may encounter. We stock arborist ropes from manufactures we trust to provide outstanding performance.

Double-braid rigging ropes are the mainstays of tree work, and perform best when used with a rigging block and friction management device. See our tree rigging kits for a complete setup. We have a wide range of double-braid ropes with varying strength and stretch.

Double-braid ropes consist of a braided cover over a braided core. Both cover and core are load bearing. Double-braid rigging ropes run best through arborist blocks and in lowering devices. Running them directly over the bark of the tree will cause unwanted movement of cover and core. Double-braid rigging ropes are spliceable by hand, but are not available with a bartack (sewn) eye for rigging uses.

12-strand, & 16-strand ropes are very durable, and can be run over the bark of the tree when it's not practical to use a block. They do not run as well in blocks or friction management devices.

12-strand ropes have large strands which makes them easy to grip and hold, but can cause inconsistent performance on bollards and pulley sheaves. 12-strand solid braids, like Arbor-Plex maintain a round shape, while hollow-braids like EK-12 will flatten under load and conform more to the tree, and are easy to splice by hand. Solid-braids are generally not spliceable, and bartack (sewn) eyes are not available for rigging purposes.

3-strand ropes are easy to splice, affordable, and very easy to inspect. 3-strand ropes have a simple, twisted rope construction. These ropes tend to be inexpensive and durable, so are excellent for dirty or abrasive jobs, or when natural crotches are to be used. The twisted strands in a 3-strand rope will cause rotation under load. Soft-lay 3-strand ropes, such as Pro-Master, are very easy to splice. Hard-lay ropes like Tree-Master are more difficult to splice. Bartack (sewn) terminations are not available in 3-strands.

Rope Splicing

The expert splicers at Iron Street Rope Splicing will hand-splice your double-braid & 3-strand rigging ropes. Bartacked (sewn) terminations are not available on ropes that will be used for rigging. The stitched termination are not well-suited to rigging ropes.

Buying Rope in Bulk

WesSpur sells rigging ropes by the foot - buy exactly the length you need. When measuring rope, our warehouse staff use calibrated rope counters to measure each length as it comes off the reel. This ensure our lengths are accurate to within industry standards. (Rope manufacturers accept rope measurements at + or - 5% to account for the rope stretch, tension when measuring, etc.)

Rigging Rope Life & Inspection

Regular inspection of arborists' rope is the only way to know when your rope ready to retire. There is no set life span for an arborist rope, as usage, shock-loading, dirt and grit, and even how the rope is stored will all affect the life span of the rope.

Inspect your rigging rope before each use, and retire if needed. Bear in mind that repeated loading of a rigging rope will weaken it over time.

Daily

• Inspect for consecutive cut strands
• Inspect for abrasion on sheath
• Inspect for lumps & flat or irregularly stiff spots
• Inspect for discoloration and glazing
• Inspect splices for excessive glazing

Monthly

• Wash ropes and air dry before storage

Never mix climbing & rigging ropes

Many people use 16-strand or 12-strand climbing ropes for light rigging. Rigging places extreme forces on ropes. They may be compromised and unsafe to climb on.

Once a rope has been used for rigging, it should NEVER be used to support a climber.