What to do with old climbing rope? We have an answer! Certain items of your old climbing gear should never be used once expired or worn-out, mostly climbing ropes, helmets, and carabiners. Even an unused piece of rope is unsafe for lead climbing after 10 years – and the weak rope can break at any point of active use.
But don’t hurry to throw your old ropes away. Old climbing ropes can be used for many things that also add something extra to your home and life.
Here is only a fraction of ideas for the use of an old climbing rope. Feel free to explore the creative usage of old ropes beyond that.
But if you intend to rely on the old climbing rope with your weight, like with nets and ladders used above the ground, please, keep in mind the state of the used rope.
- What to do with old climbing rope? Ideas for you: Climbing rope rug
- Washing line
- Rope coaster or pot holder
- Beer koozie or can cooler
- Climbing rope basket
- Pet equipment
- Dog leash
- Dog chewing toys
- Cat scratching post
- Furniture
- Rope shelf
- Rope ladder
- Rope/tire swing or hammock
- Jump rope
- Climbing rope bag
- Rope chalk bag
- Climbing gear storage
- Rope net
- Hand-made climbing rope jewelry
- FAQs
- Can climbing ropes be recycled?
- How should a climbing rope be retired?
- What can I do with old climbing equipment?
- Is it OK to buy used climbing rope?
- Conclusion
What to do with old climbing rope? Ideas for you:
Climbing rope rug
Easy to make, fresh-looking, and durable, a climbing rope rug makes a classic new life for your retired rope. A rope rug is good for long bathroom or front door use.
Making it won’t require much equipment, just a nail, and a wooden board.
There are many ways and patterns to weave or knot a climbing rope rug, and even more for a thinner rope, or you can just stick with gluing it (pun intended).
Washing line
If making a DIY rope rug feels like too much, there’s a lazy yet super useful way to use an old climbing rope – for drying your washed laundry outside. For the normal clothespins to fit, remove the core from the rope sheath. And with a package of those monstrous plastic clips big enough for any rope, you won’t even have to do that.
Rope coaster or pot holder
The thing about climbing rope is that its fabric has a very distinct weave, which combined with the vibrant colors makes it a great decorative material. It will also protect your table surfaces from heating.
This way, you can keep your old climbing rope around for ages – as a stylish kitchen set of coasters or pot holders.
To make a rope coaster, you’ll need a rope itself, a sheet of cork, a hot glue gun, a pair of scissors, and a lighter – for melting the edges to keep the synthetic fibers together.
It’s more work than making a rope rug, but still not hard. If you don’t have a glue gun around, you can sew the parts together and then burn the edges more extensively.
Beer koozie or can cooler
Also with the help of a lighter, you can sculpt your rope into a customized can cooler or beer koozie. Once you shaped it and things are glued together, add a holder – and be proud of your work.
Those are great presents for almost any not-so-formal occasion, and pals who gather together not only for climbing but also drinking, love to keep their beer cool this way.
Climbing rope basket
Climbing rope or not, having the skill of making baskets always impresses people. And making a basket out of a piece of old climbing rope isn’t even that hard – we already know how.
Essentially, you need to unite making an enlarged coaster and a can cooler into one basket-shaped item with a bottom and walls, which will serve you for a long time looking cool and creative.
Pet equipment
Using the old climbing rope for pet items is a lifesaver: not only it serves a good purpose but also is way cheaper than the (just as disposable) new store-bought stuff. Your pet will be thrilled with it, and will happily destroy it.
The difference is that no cash will go on a toy or new rope.
Dog leash
They use the same climbing rope to make and sell leashes, it’s a better dog leash for large breeds, and you can make one by yourself.
With an old climbing rope and a working retired carabiner, making a dog leash takes just a few steps.
You’ll need a piece of rope 2 feet longer than your desired leash length, and knowledge about how to make a figure-eight knot. The rest of the process is making two good figure-eight knots, one for a carabiner, the other one for a hand loop, and burning the ends.
The rope dog leash doesn’t restrict movement the way the flat dog leash does, so it’s both recycling the old rope for you and having more fun outside for your pet.
Dog chewing toys
Another option is a dog toy. Pups love to bite and pull them. A rope toy knotted by a monkey-fist knot will last for a while around a growing or small pup. Or, for a dog toy to be even sturdier, braid the rope before knotting it. Usethe monkey-fist knot alone, or add figure-eights to play with the shape.
The toys made with monkey fist knots can look like tennis balls or be more suitable for pulling games. Either way, it’s a lot of joy for a dog.
Cat scratching post
Prefer cats? You still have a use for your old climbing rope. It’s easy to construct a lasting scratching post for your cat by wrapping the rope around the stick and securing the structure. Or you can make your old worn-out scratching post new and ready to be scratched again.
Furniture
Using the climbing rope for crafting furniture is more skill-demanding, but this way you can flesh out the most intricate designs that flirt with the indoor climbing vibes.
Living rooms like this look incredible, though far from what you would normally find in the buying guides.
DIY projects include rope-top chairs, backless stools, couches, etc.
Rope shelf
A climbing rope shelf won’t read as an attempt at a bespoke design, but it still looks pretty creative. To keep even more of that climbing spirit alive, hang it on some carabiners.
Rope ladder
Need to go “upstairs” without the stairs, like with a house tree or an athletic playground? Making a ladder from your old climbing rope won’t compromise safety if done right. Static rope is better for making the thing solid.
Rope/tire swing or hammock
Yet another simple and fun addition to your backyard is a tree swing. You can opt for a hard board seat or simply stick with an old car tire – your kids will be happy.
And if you decide to keep the adults happy as well, try hammock – warm days will be amazing for everybody. Though, in some cases, you might want to use a new climbing rope here.
Jump rope
Probably, the simplest way to have fun with a piece of old climbing rope is to use it as a jump rope. It’s fun and a great cardio exercise. A piece of rope, two little cuts of PVC pipe, and two steel washers are all it takes to make the thing!
Climbing rope bag
The old climbing rope makes a great strap material for bags – both sewn out of old jeans or knotted with the macrame technique. You can use all sorts of strong fabric to make a grocery bag or a bag for heavy things, or you can design a unique decorative shoulder rope bag that stands out.
Rope chalk bag
If you climb regularly, you’ll need a new chalk bag at some point. There is not much use for your old climbing rope in your current rock climbing gear, but you can use it as straps for your hand-made chalk bag.
You won’t even need your old rope intact and strong. Quite the opposite, you’ll have to remove the rope core for the chalk bag straps to be light and flexible.
Climbing gear storage
Whatever you lack in your equipment storage: shelves to place pieces of the new and old gear, or strings to hang your constantly misplaced collection of carabiners – it’s all solvable with some old climbing rope.
Rope net
You can use a climbing rope to make a net good for an unconventional fence, or for turning your playground into a place for kids to climb.
Either way, you’ll get rid of a big chunk of old climbing rope without wasting it.
Keep in mind that for safety reasons the old ropes you use for children’s games must be intact inside and out, even if the height is small. The old climbing rope already in the process of deterioration might be too weak to endure kids’ activities long-term.
Hand-made climbing rope jewelry
Bring climbing to your style! Tiny pieces of old rope can make a great new climbing-themed jewelry item, like a pair of earrings or a bracelet.
For those who can appreciate it, the way the tiny bits of someone’s old gear can have a second life like this is poetic. Now it’s a new kind of gear, but it carries the same spirit.
FAQs
Can climbing ropes be recycled?
With the current rules in the USA, it’s unlikely for recycling plants to take a climbing rope, as only green rope is allowed, and nylon/polyester won’t do (not the same as in Europe).
But several rope manufacturers do practice recycling rope. The largest are Sterling and Millet. They take in most brands of climbing rope if not all.
Also, you can donate your old rope to charity. Some organizations recycle rope into all sorts of things from rugs to pet toys.
How should a climbing rope be retired?
There are rules regarding the retirement of a worn-out or old climbing rope. Damaged or used at the extremes of load rope must be retired immediately. Frequently used rope is good for less than a year.
Climbing rope used more than once a month is safe for 1-3 years. If it’s used once a month, the limit is 4-5 years.In case of even less frequent use, 7 years is OK.
And for an old climbing rope that was never in use, after 10 years it’s too late. An old nylon fabric deteriorates by itself over time, and UV rays or pressure speed up the process.
Yet, there are plenty of ways to use old climbing rope that is in a good state, as well as possible upcycling projects for worn-out ropes.
What can I do with old climbing equipment?
You can DIY a range of things with your old climbing equipment, mainly ropes, and carabines. It includes macrame-like knotting, sewing, or gluing things like rugs, baskets, shelves, pet toys, you name it. And if you are feeling ambitious about your projects, ask around for more in your local climbing gym – some if not most climbers never throw away or re-use it.
Or you can always reach out to a rope recycling company (likely a rope manufacturer and not your usual recycler), or donate it to a charity.
Is it OK to buy used climbing rope?
No. You never purchase used safety items for your climbing gear. A used rope may have safety issues impossible to find on the spot. You have no idea how it was used and stored, and what wear factors it was exposed to.
Plus, even the most carefully stored rope has a shelf life of 10 years, and you cannot make sure a person who sells it doesn’t try to get rid of a piece of desperately old climbing rope.
Conclusion
Old climbing rope is perhaps the most valuable part of the retired gear, even if it’s good for anything but climbing. The number of ways you can apply it in your home and backyard is mind-blowing. You can always find your way or take extra inspiration from others – for design, entertainment, and gaining skills.
Read More: Old Climbing Ropes
