Fall Factor Explained: Same Fall, Very Different Catch

Here is a thing that surprised me. Two climbers can fall the exact same distance and one of them gets a gentle catch while the other gets a proper jolt. Same rope. Same fall. Different result.

The reason is called fall factor. It sounds like a maths exam, but it is dead simple. I handle retired climbing rope all day, so I got curious about what it actually goes through.

What is fall factor in climbing?

Fall factor is the height you fall divided by the length of rope you have out. That is it. Fall factor explained in one line: how far you drop, split by how much rope is there to catch you.

A longer rope stretches more, so it soaks up more of the fall. A short rope has less stretch to play with, so it hits harder.

Why does a bigger fall factor hurt more?

Because the rope is a spring. All that falling energy has to go somewhere, and the stretch of the rope is where it goes. Less rope means less spring, so the force on the climber and the gear goes up.

This is why a fall high up the route, with lots of rope out, feels softer than a fall just above your last bit of gear near the start. The wee scary one low down can be the nastier one.

In a climbing rope, the highest you can really get is about 2. That is when you fall right past a belay with nothing clipped in between. It is the one every climber tries to avoid.

What does this do to the rope itself?

Every hard fall stretches the fibres in the core. They do not spring all the way back. Do it enough times and the rope slowly loses some of its stretch and its strength, and you cannot see it from outside.

That is why ropes retire on a date, not on looks. I wrote about that in how a retired rope loses half its strength silently. A rope that is too tired for a climber can still be perfect for something that never takes a fall.

So what happens to a rope after all those falls?

It comes to my workshop in Aberdeen. The climbing wall retires it, I cut it, clean it and sew it into things that just sit there looking good. A recycled climbing rope belt never takes a fall. It holds up your jeans. Easy life after a hard one.

If you want something small, the rope keychains start at £2.90. For the climber in your life, have a look at our gifts for climbers. And if you are not sure what size, the gift card is the safe pick.

Quick reminder. Fall factor is general rope knowledge, not a safety course. Learn it properly from a qualified instructor, and always follow your rope maker's guidance.

Stay classy and remember,
Make Waste Useful.

George