My new climbing rope bag turned a messy job into a smooth one

I got tired of my climbing rope getting tangled in the truck bed (you know, with all the dirt and wood chips), so I dropped about $80 on a proper rope bag. It has a tarp bottom and a grommet for feeding the rope out clean. Used it on a big oak removal in Springfield yesterday and it kept everything off the ground and running straight. Anyone have a good trick for keeping the inside of the bag clean, or is it just a lost cause?

3 comments

3 Comments

spencer6643mo ago

Honestly, I used to just coil the rope on a tarp and thought a bag was a waste. After seeing how much grit got into my last rope, I had to change my tune. That tarp bottom and the grommet really do make a huge difference for keeping things clean and smooth. For the inside, I just shake mine out and turn it inside out after each job, seems to help a bit.

henryreed3mo ago

Yeah, that "grit got into my last rope" line hits home. I trashed a good line that way, just dumping it on the ground. The inside of the bag gets so nasty, doesn't it? Shaking it out and flipping it is smart, I need to get better about doing that after every use.

norag551mo ago

Man, that's exactly what I was dealing with too. I just got a bag with a tarp bottom and it saved me after a muddy job last week where the rope would've been wrecked. For keeping the inside clean, what worked for me is I spray it out with a hose after every few uses and let it dry completely before storing. Also I always brush off the big chunks of dirt and sap from the rope before I feed it in, that cut down the gunk buildup a ton.