Having read the instructions on one of these things now (Vanoord's in fact) they are nylon and specifically designed to progressively tear to avoid a fall:
The SPELEGYCA is made of static webbing with stitching
that is designed to rip to dissipate the energy of a fall.
This dissipation system allows the SPELEGYCA to meet
the same impact force requirements as a EN 892 dynamic
rope. In our laboratory, a factor 2 fall on a SPELEGYCA
with a mass of 80 kg yields a maximum impact force of
12 kN (EN892 dynamic rope requirement for a factor 2 fall
with an 80 kg mass = Impact force less than 12 kN).
I'm wondering though if you have suffered a fall and the thing has ripped, but you're in one piece and able to self rescue, how much of it's original strength is left? Could you use it as normal for the rest of the trip and then discard it or is it knackered straight away leaving you without cowstails?
Er, don't know.
I can't even figure out how it rips when you fall on it without allowing you to plummet to your death.
Also, given I'm a 90kg mass, I have no desire to test the thing by inflicting a 10kN+ impact upon it - I'm pretty sure I would end up hospitalised :confused:
Hello again darkness, my old friend...