Sterling Atlas 1/2 in Rigging Rope

The Sterling Atlas 1/2 is a rigging rope for lowering wood on removals. Here is how it handles on the job, what to check before you buy, and how to keep it in service.

Where this rope fits in a rigging system

Atlas is Sterling's arborist rigging line, and the 1/2 in size is the light end of the range. It is easy to carry, easy to throw over a limb and quick to tie, which makes it a good fit for pruning cuts, lowering small limbs and light removal work.

Rigging rope takes repeated shock loads, runs through blocks and lowering devices, and gets dragged over bark and brush all day. Match the diameter to the wood you are taking down and to the rest of the system: blocks, slings and the lowering device all need to be rated for the same rope and the forces involved. Dynamic loads from a dropped piece can be several times its weight, so leave plenty of margin.

Sizing, inspection and care

Pick the diameter for the biggest wood you plan to rig, not the average piece, and make sure your lowering device and blocks are rated for it. If you need another size, compare the other rigging ropes we carry.

Inspect the rope before every job for cuts, glazing, pulled strands and core damage, and keep it clean and out of saw chips and bar oil. Rig within the rated strength of every component, and make sure the crew is trained in rigging practice under ANSI Z133 and the manufacturer's instructions.