Nylon ropes only appeared after the end of World War II, although climbers have begun to use ropes for protection a long time ago. The earliest climbing ropes were twisted into three or four strands of natural fibers such as hemp and then twisted together. These ropes have almost no ductility and low strength. They are static ropes, and their protective effect is far from being reflected. The creed of climbing at that time was definitely “the pioneer does not fall.”
It wasn’t until the emergence of the power rope in 1930 that the modern rock climbing began. The ductility of the power rope allowed the leader to survive the climbing process even in the event of a fall. After the end of World War II, due to the rapid decrease of natural fibers, a new type of material-man-made polyamide fiber, which is known as nylon, appeared. Nylon rope is light, strong, and ductile. However, due to the winding and weaving method, the climber who is suspended in the air will continue to spin, which is extremely uncomfortable. And because of the friction of the rope, the skin of each fiber is exposed at a distance of a few centimeters, which is easy to fluff.
The emergence of the sandwich rope in 1951 completely solved these problems. The outer skin provided protection and the inner core was load-bearing, which became the concept of modern rope production.
