We broke our own silks - for science of course! Ever wonder what it looks like when fabric reaches its breaking point? How exactly does it “break?” Does it melt? Does it snap?

We visited the Rock Exotica facility in February 2021 to perform a destructive test on our brand new, low stretch aerial fabric and a retired 13.5” Sterling Rope Hollowblock. The Hollowblock used in this test was in service for 3+ years in “hammock mode” and tied in a 3-wrap Prusik hitch.

The MBS of our low stretch aerial fabric is 2,000 lbs. The manufacturer’s MBS of a single Sterling Rope Hollowblock is 3,147lbs. and in an aerial application they are always used in pairs.

So at what point did our aerial fabric finally “self destruct?” At 3,062 lbs. of force! Keep in mind that 2,000 lbs. typically a fatal amount of force to the human body.

You can see in the video how the fabric sheered at the lower prusik point. The Hollowblock had minimal slipping and did not slip towards the stopper knot placed at the end of the fabric. The fabric was warm to the touch around the prusik hitch, but not hot. If using another piece of fabric or soft rigging equipment, this point might have certainly been HOT to the touch or even melted causing a catastrophic failure, but since the Sterling Rope Hollowblock is engineered with Technora Fiber it is able to withstand extreme temperatures. Did you know the Sterling Rope Hollowblock was originally designed as a piece of life safety equipment used by firefighters?

In this configuration, and even with using BRAND new fabric and a USED Hollowblock, the fabric was still the weakest component of rigging (which is usually the case in most set-ups).

What did you think of this test? Comment below with your thoughts or comments on what you would like to see us break in the future!

Warning: This test was performed for educational purposes only. All equipment used during this test was retired immediately. Please do not attempt to recreate this test at home.

As always, we hope this information helps you #GetVertical with confidence! <3