Notes on Poly Ropes
Do you sell coils of rope?
Yes. We sells coils of polypropylene, drylon, trilead, and syngrass. Our nylon and nylon poly blends, such as our Chaos line, are spun individually and are not for sale as a coil. Coil prices can be found within each item that is available. For example, if you would like to see the price on 9.0mm white, please visit the Synco 9.0mm item as each length as well as coil pricing is listed.
Do you sell a white nylon rope with a red tracer?
No, this is not one of our products and it isn’t something we can order either, but it is made by New England Rope. You should be able to search the internet for a supplier or follow this link.
What is a treated rope / what is treat?
Treat varies by manufacturer but in general is a blend of oils that the ropes are soaked in to enhance performance, durability, and body. Typically, treating a rope will also make it stiffer but this depends on the thickness of the treat.
During the “treat” process, full coils or individual ropes are submerged in a blend of oils for a short period of time and then hung up or set out to dry. The longer the rope can dry and absorb the treat, the better, however, the rope will continue to get stiffer – so getting the right balance can be tricky.
All of our calf ropes (28′ length ropes) are treated. Untreated calf ropes can be ordered on request. Just opposite of this, all of our ranch ropes are untreated, but can be treated on request. We have seen a rise in treated ranch ropes over the past few years particularly in Drylon. And just like so many rope options are – it’s all a personal preference for the feel of your rope.
Where can I buy “old core” poly?
We would like to clear up some confusion and share a couple pics about what people refer to as “old core” poly ropes. Our Uoza brand poly ropes have been around for many, many years and a long time ago they were produced with a yellow, weighted core, called Enerl. As regulations changed over the years, the manufacturer was unable to make the Enerl core anymore (over 15 years ago). To replace this core, a silver color leaded core was created instead. Pictures have been attached to this post to help you identify what the Enerl core looks like, and we also included pictures of a regular lead core for comparison.
Availability: The remaining coils of old core were cut, tied, and sold out. We do not have any of the old core rope left to sell.
Enerl core in a poly rope. You can see the yellow at the end without opening up the strand. This is “old core” and was discontinued over 15 years ago. When the strand is opened, you can see even more of this yellow core inside the rope.
Standard lead has a metallic silver color that can be seen at the end and once opened, has a “beaded” appearance. This is the new standard for lead in our polypropylene ropes.
Notes on Team Ropes
Common Words We Use:
Lay: how soft or stiff a rope is. Our standard choices include XS (extra soft), S (soft), MS (medium-soft), M (medium), HM (hard medium), and MH (medium hard). When comparing our ropes to other brands, we tend to be softer – so if you have an extra soft from another brand, you probably want to choose a soft or medium soft with our brands.
Length: the length of the rope once it is finished. This may vary slightly as the wax and stretch process can alter a ropes length. We aim to be within 6 inches of our listed length. Most of our head ropes are 30′ with the exception of our Gator Ropes at 32′. Most of our heel ropes are 35′ in length.
Blend: the amount of nylon and poly in a rope. We have ropes that are 100% nylon and many other blends from there such as 85/15, 75/25, 65/35, and 50/50 — with the first number being the nylon and the second number being the poly.
Nylon: the basic thread that we create our ropes from. Ropes can be 100% nylon or they may be blended with poly. Nylon is available in many colors.
Poly: a type of thread combined with nylon to create a different feel. This “poly” is polyester thread. The more poly that is added to a rope, the more reactive it is in the weather, being stiffer in the heat and softer in the winter. Poly gives rope more weight and body.
Diameter: Diameter is the thickness of the rope. Our standard size is a 3/8 scant – which is literally just a little bit smaller than 3/8 of an inch. A 3/8 true (also known as a 3/8 full) is 3/8 of an inch. The 3/8 true is the largest size we currently offer, then the 3/8 scant is the next size down. Below this, is the 3/8 super scant which is one thread smaller than the 3/8 scant. Below this is the 11/32 (of an inch) and then the 5/16 (of an inch). For team ropes, we make down to 11/32 in the adult size, but we do make the 5/16 in our junior size ropes.
What is “kick” ?
Is a poly nylon blend the same as a poly rope?
No. Our poly nylon blend ropes are a blend of nylon and polyester thread whereas our poly ropes are polypropylene. These are not similar materials.
What do I need to know to order a team rope?
To order a team rope, you will need to know:
1 – what length (or if you’re going to use it to head or heel)
2 – what lay (how soft or stiff you want the rope)
3 – what diameter (the diameter / size of the rope)* *although most of our ropes are only offered in one diameter now.
4 – what rope you want OR what blend you might want to try. There are some that are better for beginners as there are that are better for advanced ropers.
And of course our sales staff is always here to guide you through if you aren’t sure what you need (800-447-6259).
I would like to order something similar to the rope I have now – can you match it?
Not exactly. We don’t usually know our competitors ropes, so whatever information you can provide definitely helps. Be prepared to let us know if you have a 3 strand or a 4 strand and then, the best way to compare a rope is by the blend – is it 100% nylon? is it a light poly blend? – this will help ensure the rope feels similar. You may be switching from bright green to purple or white to bright pink but matching the color of your rope from brand x to the color of our rope won’t get you the result you want.
I have one of your ropes, how do I know what it is?
Hopefully the tail tag is still intact but we can usually sort it out based on color and strands. Our tail tags are loaded with options and the rope you have will have the options circled.
In this example, the other side of the tag says Eclipse so that is the name of the rope. Then, this one is an 11/32 (diameter) in XXS (double extra soft lay) and is 30′ (in length).
I cut my rope shorter — how do I tie the end?
Popped and/or Broken Strands?
Another great question sent to us – what causes “popped” strands and how can I prevent them? When a strand “pops” out of place or breaks in a rope, the rope is not necessarily defective and it can happen in any style of rope. Here are a few things to consider that may cause a popped or broken strand in your rope.
We see the majority of popped and broken strands in smaller diameter, softer, 4 strand ropes. Why? Not only are there less fibers in the entire rope, but there are also less fibers per strand in a four strand rope and there are less twists in a softer rope. Popped and broken strands can still occur in a 3 strand rope, but it is much less likely. Customers who go through multiple ropes because of popped or broken strands are encouraged to choose a larger diameter or a 3 strand rope (or both) to help them get a longer life out of their rope.
Roping something fairly little and pulling the rope tight repetitively is one situation that greatly increases the chances of a popped or broken strand (or a weak spot / kink). This is very common during branding season, catching the feet time and time again and dragging them in place, as the feet are about the size and the rope will come tight in about the same place every time. During this, the rope will rub against itself (and over the burner) and this rubbing causes a breakdown of the individual threads in the strand. Once enough threads are worn down in the strand, the strand will pop out of place or break entirely.
Another situation in which a popped strand occurs is when a larger steer is roped quickly and turned around a sharp corner or stopped. This combination of speed and direction can force the rope to roll over itself pushing the strand out. Again, this is more common in a smaller diameter, 4 strand rope, for the same reasons as mentioned above.
Lastly, a popped or broken strand may occur when a rope is stored improperly. Pulling your rope out from under something or getting it caught in a trailer door, etc. may allow the rope to rub against something sharp and damage or cut the threads in one strand. Once damaged, this becomes the weak spot in the rope and it may deteriorate quickly depending on use.
Our ropes should never be used to pull trucks our of the mud, create rope swings, wrap around trees to hold steers, etc. as that is not their intended purpose. Understanding what may cause damage to your rope will help you prolong it’s life – however, nobody’s process is perfect. If your rope didn’t seem to perform like you expected, we’re always here to troubleshoot it with you. Give us a call, but understand that we will most likely need it shipped back to us for review.