Highlights

• Made in USA, 100% Polyester
• Double braid rope, can be spliced
• Cover: High-tenacity polyester (braided jacket)
• Core: High-tenacity polyester (braided core)
• Low stretch and high breaking strength
• Sizes: 1/2" to 1" diameter
• 3/4" Breaking Strength: 16,000 lbs (for comparison)

Description

Strong Rope: Our premium, double-braided or “braid on braid” polyester rope is made in the USA from 100% high-tenacity polyester yarns. Double braid polyester is a great choice when you need a very strong and durable rope with very low stretch and the longest service-life. It is made by expert rope makers using modern braiding equipment and meets or exceeds the standards set by the Cordage Institute specifications for high-performance ropes.

Handling and Performance: Double braid is typically the strongest construction of rope and has a braided inner core and a braided outer jacket. This rope construction is torque free and will not hockle or kink, and can be spliced easily. Polyester has excellent abrasion resistance and ultraviolet degradation protection. Our premium double braid polyester ropes are also resistant to rot, mildew, marine growth, chemicals and petroleum products. These high-strength ropes are soft, flexible, and easy to handle.

Our Double Braid Arborist Bull Rope is the same rope as our Double Braid Polyester Rope. Visit this page to find smaller sizes from 3/16" to 1" in diameter. 

Custom Colors: Our ropes are white with blue and grey tracers. This design is unique to Right Rope and looks great in any application. Other colors are available upon request, including plain white, any solid color, or combination of colors. Extended lead times and minimum runs may apply to custom colors.

Alternate Arborist Bull Ropes:

For a stronger rope that allows for shock-loading, upgrade to a rope with a polyester jacket and a nylon core. 

• Great: TreeBLITZ Arborist Bull Rope
• Better: V-HEX Arborist Bull Rope
• Best: Husky Arborist Bull Rope

Watch our 2 minute video for more guidance on how to choose the right rigging rope for your tree work.

Important Safety Tip

We recommend a 5:1 safety factor to determine the rated capacity or working load limit. To find the working load limit, divide the tensile strength by 5 for the diameter you choose. See specifications for tensile strength and working load limits (WLL). Do NOT exceed the working load limit. 

Breaking Strength vs. Safe Working Load Limit

One of the most important parts of rope safety is understanding the difference between tensile strength and working load limit. The Breaking Strength, or tensile strength, is the force needed to break a new piece of rope under perfect conditions. Safe Working Load Limit, on the other hand, is the safe amount of weight the rope can handle during real-world use, without sustaining damage. If you stay at or under the SWLL you have a much lower chance of a break, which means a much lower chance of an accident.

Typically your SWLL (or WLL) will be the Breaking Strength of the rope divided by 5. This is called the safety factor, and the more dangerous the use case for the rope, or the less ideal the use of the rope, the higher the safety factor should be. For example, a 1 inch piece of HMPE rope has a breaking strength of 110,000 lbs., but for a low-danger operation its Safe Working Load Limit is up to 22,000 lbs (110,000 divided by 5).

For operations where a rope failure would be catastrophic, such as causing certain injury or death, a safety factor of 12 should be used. For this high risk operation, the same piece of HMPE now has a SWLL of 9,166 lbs (110,000 divided by 12). Finally, that same piece of HMPE being used for a low-risk operation but with a figure-eight knot on a bight (non-ideal use of the rope) should have a safety factor of more like 7, putting SWLL at 15,700 lbs.

Knowing how to calculate your safety factor and SWLL takes some experience, the ability to recognize real-world physics, and the history of your rope. Read on to learn more situations that may weaken your rope.

A final important thing to remember about SWLL is that exceeding the SWLL may weaken or damage the rope, often in ways that are not immediately obvious. The more often you exceed the SWLL, the easier it will be to break the rope. Respecting the working load limit is one of the most reliable ways to avoid accidents and get the most our of your gear.

How Knots and Splices Affect Rope Strength

Many rope users don’t realize that knots reduce rope strength significantly. A bowline or clove hitch can reduce breaking strength by about 40%. Certain knots can reduce strength by up to 60%! Knots create sharp bends and friction points that concentrate stress on the rope fibers. Some knots slip under load, and others can jam so tightly that they damage the rope permanently. The best knot you can use is a figure-eight knot, which only reduces the strength of the rope by about 25%. Make sure if you are using any knots that you factor that in to your SWLL, increasing the safety factor by a representative amount.

In heavy rigging, lifting, and towing, splices are much safer because they preserve most of the rope’s original strength. A well-made eye splice maintains eighty-five to ninety-five percent of the rope’s strength, especially when paired with a thimble to maintain proper bend radius. Rope safety means knowing which knots to use, when a splice is the better option, and how different tying methods affect load capacity. If you have doubts about your ability to calculate the proper SWLL, speak with a seasoned professional, and err on the side of caution.

Should I buy polyester or nylon?

There are some differences between double braid polyester and double-braid nylon.

Polyester has better abrasion resistance and UV resistance than nylon as well as much less elasticity. If you need a low stretch, durable rope, go with this polyester.

Our double braid polyester has a melting point of about 490 degrees Fahrenheit, and starts to lose strength at around 240 degrees Fahrenheit.

Nylon is slightly stronger, but is much more elastic or given to stretch. This can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on your application. If you need a high-stretch rope go with Double Braid Nylon, not this polyester.