The rope is every climber's lifeline. Most kinds, whether nylon or hemp, are simply not up to the job, which requires that they stand 2000 kilograms of stress.
張文溪記得，當時有個朋友從國外弄了一條色彩奪目的標準尼繩登山繩進來，從此那位仁兄只要去爬岩，一定從家門口就開始把繩子背在肩上，一路招搖而去。其他人看了，只有「猛吞口水的份兒」。