Search for ‘HMPE rope’ online and all suppliers will tell you the same thing: it is lightweight and strong. Its strength-to-weight ratio is (at least!) eight times stronger than hardened steel.

We know what you’re thinking…

A thin 4mm braid? Stronger than hardened steel? That surely can’t be right! But it is.

In fact, HMPE (High Modulus Polyethylene) is officially the strongest rope available to buy.

It boasts an astonishingly high breaking load, therefore allowing the user to handle heavier weights with ease (or use a thinner braid for the same job). And as a result, it’s commonly employed as an alternative to steel wire rope, and is a popular choice for winching, mooring and towing.

 

Still not convinced?

If we hadn’t seen the strength of this remarkable rope for ourselves, we’re not sure we would either. Which is why, we recently created a new YouTube video – in which we put HMPE rope to the test and demonstrate exactly how strong it is.

 

 

Firstly, we attempted to lift one of our largest coils of manila – weighing approximately 320kg – with 4mm polypropylene multi-cord. Polypropylene multi-cord is an excellent general purpose rope, which demonstrates superb durability and strength. But unsurprisingly, we pushed it far beyond its limits and it was no match for the 320kg coil.

We then attempted the same process with a like-for-like length of HMPE, also measuring 4mm in diameter. And in contrast to the multi-cord, it lifted the whole coil without a struggle.

The HMPE rope shown in this demonstration is half the width of a pencil. Yet, it has an impressive minimum breaking load of 1600kg, and a safe working load of 320kg. And as such, it makes light work of the hefty coil, without snapping or showing any signs of stress.

 

 

The safe working load of our HMPE rope

Here at RopesDirect, we stock this particular HMPE rope in a variety of diameters – and the minimum breaking loads and safe working loads for each are as follows:

Diameter	Minimum Breaking Load (kg)	Safe Working Load (kg)*
2mm	530	106
3mm	900	180
4mm	1600	320
5mm	2250	450
6mm	3000	600
8mm	5300	1060
10mm	8000	1600
12mm	12,100	2420
18mm	31,400	6280
22mm	44,400	8800

*calculated at 20% of the minimum breaking load

 

 

Why is HMPE rope so strong?

It’s all about the chemistry.

Without getting too technical, HMPE ropes are made via a patented ‘gel spinning’ process – in which a solvent is added to polyolefin resin and then spun (so that some of the solvent evaporates). At the same time, the fibres are extruded and stretched.

This spinning and stretching process leads to molecular alignment and creates particularly long molecular chains within the fibres. Essentially, it’s these long molecular chains which give HMPE rope its super strength and allow it to perform as it does.

 

Harness the power of an HMPE rope

HMPE is now frequently used as an alternative to steel wire rope – and it’s easy to understand why. Not only is it significantly stronger, it also demonstrates a range of other benefits. For example:

• it’s lighter
• it’s easier to handle and store
• it is low-stretch
• it’s resistant to water, chemicals, UV and abrasion
• it floats in water
• it can be very easily spliced

If you’re looking for sheer strength, in a smaller, lighter and more flexible rope, it doesn’t get any better than HMPE. And here at RopesDirect, we have a wide selection for you to choose from.

We currently offer 12-strand grey and yellow HMPE rope (3mm – 22mm) with a polyurethane (PU) coating. In addition, we stock 6mm – 12mm HMPE winch ropes and a number of Dyneema® braids by Kingfisher. Dyneema® is the best known brand of HMPE, and we sell two of the most popular products – Evolution Race 78 in 3-5mm and Dyneema® Cruise in 8mm and 10mm.

 

 

Further information on these products – and HMPE rope in general – can be found on both our website and in our recent blog ‘HMPE – in focus’. So if you’d like to find out more, these are a great place to start. For additional guidance on the properties of HMPE, and whether it’s the best product for your requirements, it’s also worth checking out our online tool, RopeFinder.

But keep in mind, we’re a friendly team. And if you have any further questions, you’re always welcome to contact us. Please free to send your enquiry to info@ropesdirect.co.uk and we’ll respond as soon as possible.