Marking Climbing Gear

Everyone's gear looks the same, especially at the end of the day when it's time to head home or to camp and there is a rush to pack up.  Mark your gear if you want to get it back. 

Marking Hard Items

It is essential that you mark your hard items.  Choose a color combo you like, since you might be stuck with it for a while.  Having a double color combo will make it less likely that you will have the same colors as someone else you are climbing with.  Bright and contrasting colors help...but are also often chosen by others.

•  Electrical Tape

  • Super easy to use and apply

  • Has a tendency to fall off and leave micro litter at the crag

  • If marking carabineers, mark side opposite of gate to limit rope rub

• Automotive Pinstriping Tape

  • Lasts a bit longer than Electrical Tape

• Nail Polish

  • You don't need expensive polish

  • Some of the really cheap stuff rubs off easily

  • Easy to find in different colors and easy to apply

  • If used in low areas, it will last longer

    • If marking carabineers, mark side opposite of gate to limit rope rub

• Paint Markers

  • Vary in quality

  • You can get fancy with markers, but there is no need

  • Like nail polish, mark low areas

    • If marking carabineers, mark side opposite of gate to limit rope rub

  • Many can be wiped off with alcohol

• Permanent Markers

  • Seems like a great option, but rubs off surprisingly easily

• Spray Paint

  • Allows for quick application

  • Results usually look pretty sloppy - decreasing the chance your gear will go missing

  • With a little effort, you can use tape or a simple template to block off areas you would like keep paint free - like where rope rubs metal

  • Automotive lacquer may be a little more durable than regular spray paint

  • Some less expensive paints can be removed with rubbing alcohol - avoid these

• Athletic Tape

  • These get dirty fast

  • Leaves behind a LOT of sticky goo

  • You can find them in different colors

  • You can easily mark them with a permeant marker 

• Hockey Tape

  • Can be used like athletic tape

  • Sticky on both sides 

  • Often comes in narrower rolls, which can be nice

• Duct Tape and Decorative Tape

  • Leaves a lot of sticky residue behind

  • You can find these in fancy colors or with fancy artwork

  • Liberty Mountain Tape

    • Narrow Duct Tape

• Etching

  • NOTE: This MAY weaken your climbing gear and make it more likely to fail

  • Can be done with a hand engraver

  • Can be done with a laser for a more professional finish

• Professional Labels

  • tagyourgear.com 

  • omniprogear.com

  • ToughTags - in UK

    • Made to order

  • Rack Tags

    • Precut and rounded vinyl tags

    • Sticks better than electrical tape

    • There are stories of this tape lasting longer than 10 years!

  • Identi Tape

    • Surgical grade ID tapes 

    • 3M #471 vinyl tape

      • Lasts a few years longer than electrical tape

    • 1/4" width

• Stickers and Packing Tape

  • If Stickers are your thing, you can protect them with Packing Tape

• Labels and clear Heat Shrink

  • Combines easy application, the look of labels, and durability

  • You can use vinyl tape or even reflective tape under heat shrink

• Colored Heat Shrink

  • More durable than tape

  • Easy to apply if you have a heat gun

  • Limited colors...but less used method

  • You can use 2 or more colors if you like

  • instructables.com/Marking-Climbing-Carabiners-with-Reflective-Tape 

Note that climbing gear gets pretty beat up and you will likely need to remark your gear over time.  If you use paint or nail polish in recessed areas of your gear, it can last a long long time. 

Marking Soft Items

It is important to note that it is easy to damage soft times such as ropes and slings.  Damage can be invisible and you won't know it is damaged until you take a hard fall.  As a general rule of thumb, soft goods should be protected against UV radiation, Acids and chemicals.  Most feel that markers and tapes should NOT be used on soft good.  There is some debate regarding possible safe options such as acid free tapes and acrylic paints, but is not clear which ones are truly safe. 

Markers

The UIAA posted the following: UIAA - Notification about the marking of ropes by end-users

Notification Concerning the Marking of Ropes Tests done by the UIAA Safety Commission and some rope manufacturers have shown that marking ropes with liquids such as those provided by felt-tipped pens can damage them; even with those markers, sold specifically for marking ropes. The test results have shown a decrease of up to 50% of the rope strength, more correctly: of the energy absorption capacity of the rope (expressed by the number of falls in the standard test method in accordance with the UIAA Standard101).  

Therefore the UIAA Safety Commission warns against marking a rope with any substance that has not been specifically approved by the rope manufacturer of that rope.  

It is not possible for the UIAA Safety Commission to test all markers that are commercially available and can be used for marking ropes. Furthermore it would be impossible for the UIAA Safety Commission to keep such information up-to-date. In addition, the effect of any rope marker seems to vary with the make of rope. Hence, all the UIAA Safety Commission can do is to warn mountaineers and climbers.  

Issued: April 2002 

This post is quoted a lot on the internet, supposedly quoted from Scott Newell at BlueWater in 2002: cascadeclimbers.com/forum/topic/2665-rope-marking-its-back 

MARKING OF ROPES

That marking a climbing rope with a felt pen can damage it was first reported in 1998. The German Alpine Cub tested a Sharpie felt pen (made in USA and sold in Germany), which apparently was advertised for use on climbing ropes (to mark the middle of the rope, for instance). In the tests the ropes were marked and the marked area was placed at the orifice plate in the standard UIAA drop test. Five unmarked samples held 10 - 12 falls, while three marked samples held 6 - 8 falls. This information was published at that time in the Gazette of The Alpine Club of Canada as well as in The American Alpine News.

Last year this topic re-appeared on the Internet as well as in Climbing and Rock & Ice. In both magazines the use of felt pens was recommended for the (middle) marking of ropes, while the Internet correspondence centered on the damage. The press, despite being told about the possible damage, did nothing about it. Among the users there was doubt about the sources of the information.

Last year two rope manufacturers (Lanex and Mammut) and the German Alpine Club visited this problem again. Various samples of non-dry and superdry rope were tested using a variety of felt pens (Sharpie was not among them). Testing was done seven to 30 days after application. Reduction varied from zero to 50 % in the number of drops held. Superdry ropes generally had less capacity reduction than non-dry, possibly because the saturation was less. However, one particular rope sample had an insignificant increase in capacity for the non-dry rope, but a 35 % reduction for the superdry. This rope, by the way, was the only one, which did not have a reduction in capacity for both the non-dry and superdry sample.

Middle markings, which come with a new rope and were applied by the manufacturer, are safe. Do rope manufacturers sell trustworthy markers? Mammut tested the "Rope Marker", a pen sold by Beal. The reduction was 50 % for the non-dry and 17 % for the superdry rope. Mammut tested five days and four weeks after application. The capacity reduction was more for tests done four weeks after application.

Sanford, the manufacturer of the Sharpie pens, will apparently not guarantee a consistent product. The ingredients of the pen may vary. There is no "standard" formula for the chemicals that are contained in the markers. The company has also stated that "Sanford will not endorse or in any way recommend use of these markers for rope climbing (sic), and will not accept liabilities, which may arise from its use.

Per the information post above, neither a Sharpie or Beal rope marker is recommended for marking rope. 

Mammut UK recommend using the “Edding 3000” for refreshing the middle marking on ropes.

Placing a dab of acrylic paint on the information tag used on your soft good probably won't cause any harm. 

Tape

The adhesive in tapes often become acidic over time as it degrades.  Acid is known to damage rope, especially nylon rope.  This results in damage at a molecular level.  Do the adhesives in tapes damage rope?

For ropes, you can mark the ends with tape.  Weakening the very end of a rope should not matter.  For longevity, clear heat shrink (Beal Rope End Kit) can be used to seal and protect your tape.  Adding data such as your name, contact info and rope info may be helpful later.

Marking circular slings is a little trickier since you can't get tubular heat shrink around them and because your marking or label will eventually come in contact with hardware and could get caught or snag it. 

People use athletic tape or labels (tagyourgear.com) to mark their gear, but there is a concern that adhesives will muck up or damage soft goods or will get caught in hardware.  You can use two layer of athletic tape - one with adhesive side up around your gear and one layer adhesive side down to cover the adhesive.  There are other ways to minimize adhesive contact if this is a concern, such as by folding the ends over to create a nonstick loop around your soft gear. 

If using paint or nail polish, it is possible to mark the tags on your soft goods, but you will probably cover up important info on the tags. 

Sewing

People have sewn on ribbons or a design on the information tag on soft goods.  Ideally don't sew into the soft good itself, but if you do, Don't use a cutting needle.  Use a needle with a bult tip. 

Whipping

Whipping the end of your rope is one way of marking it.  Use your choice of colors.  Slings can also be whipped with microcord, or heavy duty thread.

You can also whip rope and slings with more than one color.  You can use cords with multiple colors or multiple cords in different colors - there are multiple ways of using different colored strands in your whip.  This makes the whipping stand out even more and makes it more unique.