25 Types of Ropes and How to Choose the Right One

There are dozens of different types of rope, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. So, choosing the right type of rope for your application can make or break its performance.

A rope has been a staple tool for anything from recreational uses to industrial uses. However, rope that's ideal for hanging a porch swing isn't necessarily ideal for mounting outdoor curtains. So, how do you choose the right type of rope to use? Below, we've laid out 25 types of rope and the best uses for each.

Common Rope Features

As mentioned above, every type of rope is different. This means some ropes have features that other ropes may not have. The common features of a standard twisted rope include the following:

• Core: The core is the inner portion of the rope around which the strands are wrapped.
• Strand: The strand is the outer portion of the rope that is twisted or braided around the core.
• Wire: The wires are the individual strings that make up the strand.
• Center wire: The center wire is the inner portion of the strand around which the wires are wrapped.

Different types of ropes may lack certain features, such as hollow rope, which has no core. The presence or absence of these features and the materials from which each feature is made will determine the rope's strengths, weaknesses, and best uses, as well as situations in which a given rope isn't qualified for the task at hand.

Rope vs. Cord

"Rope" and "cord" are often used interchangeably but they're technically different. Depending on who you ask, there's sometimes confusion surrounding what truly distinguishes the two. The easiest way to tell the difference between cord and rope is that rope often consists of multiple strands or cords twisted or braided together, which makes it larger and stronger. Cords are typically smaller, single-woven strands.

Understanding Rope Strength

When shopping for rope, you'll come across two terms that are used to describe the rope's strength: Working load and tensile strength.

Tensile strength refers to the amount of tension required to break a rope. The working load limit of a rope is the amount of weight the rope can safely support under normal operating conditions. A rope's working load limit can be around 15% to 25% of its tensile strength. Working load is the most important number for determining if a rope is strong enough for your job.

Natural

• Best for: Indoor uses, decorative use, exercising, gardening, porch swings

Natural ropes are a class of ropes made from natural materials. Popular natural ropes include cotton, sisal, coir, hemp, jute, and more. Due to the availability of natural materials, natural ropes have a much longer history than their synthetic counterparts.

Some pros of natural ropes are that they're heat resistant, easy to grip, have a beautiful appearance, and have numerous organic options available. However, they are also prone to rot if not handled properly and are unsuited for wet environments.

Synthetic

• Best for: Outdoor use, water use, winching, tire swings

Synthetic ropes are a class of ropes made from manmade materials. Popular synthetic ropes include polypropylene, polyethylene, nylon, polyester, and more. When choosing between natural and synthetic ropes, synthetic ropes have a lot of advantages over natural ropes.

Synthetic ropes are rot, mildew, abrasion, and friction resistant. They are durable and suitable for wet environments. However, they can be vulnerable to UV damage and are less eco-friendly than natural rope.

Manila

• Best for: Crafts, decor, playground equipment, exercise, architecture, rope fences

Manila rope is a natural rope made using fibers from the abaca tree leaves, which can be found throughout the Philippines and some other regions of southeast Asia. Manila is sometimes referred to as hemp rope, though this isn't an accurate name, as abaca trees are not related to hemp.

Pro Manila

• Best for: Crafts, decor, playground equipment, exercise, architecture, fences

Pro manila rope, sometimes called unmanila rope, is a synthetic alternative to manila rope. The purpose of pro manila rope is to have the appearance of natural manila rope with the durability and rot-resistance of synthetic rope.

Jute

• Best for: Crafts, DIY projects, baskets, rugs, home decor

Jute rope is a natural rope made from jute plants that are native to Africa and Asia. You likely recognize the name due to the popularity of jute home decor. The rough texture and unique appearance make jute a popular option for crafting and home decorating.

Hemp

• Best for: Recreation, tug-of-war, exercise, equine

Hemp rope is a natural rope derived from hemp plants. Hemp rope has a high tensile strength, making it an advantageous pick for high-stress jobs over other natural rope varieties.

Sisal

• Best for: Home decor, DIY projects

Sisal rope is a natural rope that comes from fibers of the sisal plant, which is a type of agave. Sisal ropes are the stereotypical stiff natural ropes. They're non-toxic, which makes them good for pet and livestock use. However, they're rough texture can bother those with sensitive skin, so sisal isn't ideal for hands-on applications.

Coir

• Best for: Home decor, crafting, gardening

Coir rope is a natural rope that is made out of coconut husks. It's a highly eco-friendly rope option. Coir is also compostable, which makes it ideal for garden use. Its beautiful brown color makes it a go-to option for crafting and home decorating.

Cotton

• Best for: Macrame, crafts, home decor, furniture making, bag making

Cotton rope is a natural rope made out of cotton. Cotton is a great material to be used in and around the home, as it's hypoallergenic. While it will dry out quickly if wet, it shouldn't be used in consistently wet environments, as it's prone to mildew.

Nylon

• Best for: Outdoor use, winching and towing, climbing

Nylon rope is a synthetic rope made from polyamide, which is more commonly known as nylon. Nylon was the first synthetic material ever used to create rope. Nylon is ideal for applications that require high shock absorption, as it is incredibly strong and will return to its original length after being stretched.

Polypropylene

• Best for: Outdoor use, wet environments, pool barriers, recreation

Polypropylene rope is a popular synthetic rope option. It's ideal for outdoor use and can handle wet environments, as it won't rot and it can float. However, polypropylene has a tendency to become slippery, so it's not ideal for hands-on applications.

Polyester

• Best for: Outdoor use, rappelling, arborist rigging, boat docks

Polyester rope is a synthetic rope option that is generally thought to be one of the top synthetic rope materials. Polyester ropes are much like nylon ropes but have more chemical resistance and higher strength. However, the tradeoff is that polyester ropes have less energy absorption than nylon ropes.

Polyethylene

• Best for: Outdoor recreation, pet leads, fishing, sailing, camping

Polyethylene rope is a synthetic rope that is often used in outdoor and marine applications. With a slightly heavier weight than polypropylene and a lower breaking strength, polypropylene is often chosen over polyethylene.

Dyneema

• Best for: Industrial, substitute for chains, nautical use

Dyneema is a synthetic rope that is a variation of polyethylene called UHMPE, which stands for ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. These ropes are touted for their high strength-to-weight ratio.

Kevlar

• Best for: Construction, industrial, heavy-duty outdoor recreation

Kevlar is a synthetic rope material that is incredibly strong and highly resistant to abrasion. This is the same Kevlar as bulletproof vests, which is a testament to its durability.

Polyester Combo

• Best for: General utility, water use, outdoor barriers

Polyester combo rope is a synthetic rope that consists of a polyester jacket surrounding inner strands of polypropylene. Whereas polypropylene rope will float on top of the water, the polyester adds a little weight, making polyester combo rope sit just below the water's surface.

Single Braid

• Best for: Outdoor use, climbing, arborist rigging

Single-braid is a type of synthetic rope formation that consists of eight or 12 strands wrapped around a solid core in alternating directions. Single-braid rope is highly flexible and feels good in the hand, making it an ideal rope for hands-on applications.

Double Braid

• Best for: Outdoor use, nautical use, arborist rigging, climbing

Double braid rope is a type of synthetic rope formation that utilizes one single braid rope as the core and a second single-braid rope as the outer jacket. This gives it significantly more strength and shock absorption than single-braid rope.

Hollow

• Best for: Light-duty outdoor use, nautical use

Hollow rope is a rope that has no inner core. The benefit of this is that it sheds water easily, making it a great option for use in wet and moist environments. While it isn't as strong as single or double-braid ropes, it is lightweight, which makes it easier to handle for jobs that don't require much strength.

Diamond Braid

• Best for: Outdoor recreation, camping, crafting, equine

Diamond braid rope is a type of synthetic rope formation typically made using nylon and polypropylene. Diamond braid rope is geared toward practical use that doesn't require high strength. It's a great option for anything from crafts to making horse halters.

Plaited

• Best for: Outdoor use, recreation, camping, knot tying

Plaited rope is a type of rope formation that resembles traditionally braided hair. A plaited rope is ideal for knot tying, as it's kink-resistant and highly flexible.

Twisted

• Best for: Decorative use, exercise equipment, indoor use, crafts, porch swing

Twisted rope is a common type of rope formation that is associated with natural rope like cotton, hemp, manila, and jute. Twisted rope is ideal for purposes that will involve a lot of hand contact with the rope, as it provides a fair amount of grip.

Bungee Cord

• Best for: Cargo tie-downs, tarp tie-downs, indoor use, outdoor use

Bungee cord consists of an elastic core that's covered in a sheath that's often made from cotton or polypropylene. Bungee cords have become a household product due to their handiness, as they have a nearly endless list of uses.

Parachute Cord

• Best for: Gardening, camping, fishing, survival, crafts, DIY projects

Parachute cord, often shortened to paracord, is made of nylon and it's extremely strong for its small size, making it handy for a variety of general-purpose tasks.

Bailing Twine

• Best for: Outdoor use, bailing hay, crafts, home decor

Bailing twine is available in both natural and synthetic varieties. It gets its name from its main use, which is holding together bales of hay for livestock. However, bailing twine is often used for crafting and DIY decor.

Choosing the Right Type of Rope

Whether you need to hang a tire swing or stake off a leaning tree, you're guaranteed to find a rope on this list that's ideally suited for the task at hand. Beyond the style of the rope and the material the rope is made of, pay close attention to the thickness of the rope, as many styles of rope are available in several thicknesses. Even if you've determined that the rope will work for your project, choosing the wrong thickness could drastically affect the working load and performance.