rescue rope

[FSancho]

What type of rescue rope is recommended?
I'm looking for a rope which I am carrying most of times with me in my pack and don't use it at all (if nothing goes wrong, 100% of the time), unless there is an emergency situation and I need to set a rescue rappeling system, or if a drop is larger than expected (and I didn't carry enough of the normal use rappel rope), or if a rope get cut and I need my emergency rope to provide an extension to my other lines.
This question arises as I've seen the use of 5.5mm spectra/dyneema rope and 8mm nylon accessory-cord (or caving-cord) rope.
Which of these is recommended?.. would 7mm accessory-cord be also a possibility?
(As extra infomation, I use for rappel in most canyons 9 or 9.5mm, single or doubled, depending on the group and abrasion at the rock)

Francisco

[rcwild]

In my opinion, the best rescue rope available is the BlueWater Canyon Pro. In fact, it was designed to be a backup rope. 8mm, polyester sheath, Spectra core. 200 feet (60 meters) weighs around 5 pounds. Only gains another pound when wet because Spectra does not absorb water. Very compact. BlueWater made this rope at my request. I wanted a light, compact rope that I could stuff in the bottom of my pack and carry "just in case". Its characteristics have resulted in it becoming a very popular primary rope among American canyoneers.

The second generation of BlueWater canyon ropes is in the works. The sheaths are a hybrid of polyester and Tecnora for even greater abrasion resistance. I have prototypes of the 9.3mm Canyon and the 8mm Canyon Pro with the new hybrid sheaths and will post reviews soon.

You should stay away from accessory cord as a primary rope, and especially as a rescue rope. Accessory cord is constructed differently than rope and is not as strong.

If you encounter a rappel that is longer than expected, you can solve the problem by setting up your primary rope with a block and extending the pull side of the rope with anything available -- webbing, accessory cord, shoe laces, harnesses buckled together, etc. Because you will rappel on the "clean" side of the primary rope, it does not matter if there are knots in the pull side.

[FSancho]

Thanks for your detailed post.
In fact, following my query, I had done a few searches on the web and indeed found the manufacter details about the Canyon Pro 8mm rope, which seemed to fit perfectly my needs, (Blue Water ropes aren't popular at all in Europe, mainly b/c there are several other manufacturers).
In fact, I wish to count on this rope not only as retrieval, but also as a rope to descend (in rescue) in case someone gets stuck at the other (main) rope. I know the techniques to descend along the main rope w/ someone hanging on it, but I think it is better to always have a second (extra) rope. And there can happen other situations where an extra rope is welcome (the main rope gets stuck on retrieval, or gets cut, or....)
Anyway, according to your information, since Blue Water will release a 2nd generation of ropes, please let me know when will this happen?

Cheers,
Francisco

[rcwild]

Unfortunately, it may be a while before more Canyon Pro ropes are available -- either first or second generation. There is currently a very limited supply of Spectra fiber available. I will be happy to announce on this forum when they are available.

It is a shame that BlueWater does not do much marketing in Europe. Their products are very good, but are most common in the U.S. and Australia.