Retiring Old Ropes

The Black Diamond QC Lab have done some testing on old ropes and got maybe not surprising but still scary results.

The rope broke already at a force of 6 kN which equals what a 5mm nylon cord can handle according to (Climbing Gear Strength Ratings). The same page lists 9 kN as the theoretical max. force possible in a climbing fall.

Keep that in mind when spring arrives and you take out your old rope again.