Rope Cams: The Physics Make Them Better Than Rope Alone
Rope and accessory cord is a valuable tool to virtually anyone into outdoor adventures. From overlanders to hang gliding and white-water rafting, rope is a valuable asset for tying things down and keeping awnings secure. Sometimes, it is even better than a cam strap. That's why we took our Rollercam® technology and applied it to our latest product: The Roperoller® rope cam.
The Roperoller® is a rope cam that mitigates the need to constantly tie and untie knots — even if you’re proficient with taut line hitches. We’ve designed it with stainless-steel shafts, a brass roller, and the tensioning teeth you loved from Rollercam®. Just as you would with a cam strap, you thread your rope or accessory cord through the rope cam and pull it tight. It uses some basic laws of physics to keep things secure.
It Utilizes Friction
A rope cam deals with friction in two different ways. First is the friction between the rope and cam, by way of the brass roller. The brass roller reduces that friction significantly. As a result, you don't have to pull extremely hard in order to tighten your rope and keep your awning or tent canopy secure. A gentle tug does the trick. With rope alone, you have friction wherever the rope comes in contact with another surface and gradual displacement in whatever knot you tied. Getting your rope as tight as you want will not be easy because of that friction.
Next is the friction between rope and clamping device. The Roperoller® has teeth built in that dig into the rope to create a secure tensioning. Keep in mind that the teeth create a lower maximum hold than your paracord alone because after significant pressure, the teeth can shear the outer layer of your cord.
It Utilizes Force
Force, in the form of potential energy, also makes the rope cam extremely useful. Let's go back to the clamping device. It is held in place by a heavy-duty steel spring that is precisely tensioned in the factory. That spring provides the force necessary to keep the clamp in place. Even if friction between teeth and rope were not as strong as it normally is, the added force from the spring-loaded clamp ensures the rope will not slip.
Our design and materials makes use of stainless steel and brass, which makes the Roperoller® highly resistant to corrosion. You can be worry-free that your cam will weaken over time due to rust.
It Distributes the Load
Without getting into all the technical aspects, use of a rope cam also distributes the load when you're trying to pull a rope tight. Think of it along the same lines as a pully. You can lift some pretty heavy objects by looping your rope over a pulley. Use multiple pulleys, like a block and tackle does, and the amount of weight you can lift and opposing force you can resist gets pretty impressive.
Each pulley in the system takes some of the weight of the load. The more pulleys you have, the more the load is distributed. The Roperoller works on the same principle. Rather than you having to pull hard enough to overcome whatever load you are trying to secure, our rope cam's brass roller takes some of the load off you. Again, all you need to tighten the rope down is a gentle tug.
You don't have to understand any physics to use a well-designed rope cam. All you really need to know is that the rope will work as intended. And when you choose the Roperoller®, that is exactly what you get – a rope cam that does the job and is extremely easy to use.
