Best rope for a rope swing?

If you want the best rope swing then it has to have a rope made from natural materials to give it the look and feel such as Manila rope with a 10 year life.

The people who suggest a metal chain or one made from a cable probably haven't even been on a traditional rope swing.

Synthetic nylon rope will be badly affected by sunlight and probably not last as long as the timber materials used in the swing construction. Ocean going sail ships still use traditional rope to haul the rigging.

See the attached link for details of "traditional Rope"

The rope you want is probably called a chain. :)

No natural fiber rope will last more than 5-10 years in that environment (if you can bring it in over the winter, that would extend its life a bit). Natural manila rope is the best natural fiber rope, but it's expensive and shrinks a bit while wet. A marine-grade braided nylon or polypropylene will last longer. Stainless steel or zinc-plated chain would last the longest.

Pay attention to how the rope is fastened to the tree or bar, because that can be a real problem area. Use a eyebolt to minimize friction. An eyebolt with an S-hook is best (and makes it easy to take down for the winter).

Use what tree trimmers use "safety Blue " its got minimal elasticity ,dont weigh anywhere a chain would and can be left out ,chaffed ,whatever its very durable and has a 5800 lb tensile strength ,If a man will trust it with his life ,DAILY from the same rope ( picture a rope sliding in a rough bark tree Most ropes would fray ) It is sold by the foot ,holds knots excellent even when wet . It can bought at most lawn mower shops too Its called "safety blue " and yes the inner core of the rope is in fact blue Almost any arborist ,tree trimmer and even rescue teams use safety blue Arborist use it daily it not only is there LIFE LINE It is also capable of being used as a rope to Lower medium to semi large limbs off a tree over a roof tops , patios ,pools Its some of the most user friendly ,easy to handle ,rope out there It ties great ,hold great ,and as i said 5800 Lbs break strength .Even frayed its still very strong All that needs to be done is burn the ends to fuse the loose frays and your good to go I have doubled it over and pulled a 1 ton truck from the mud too and yes its used in my kids tire /rope swings its soft enough for a kids hands too No roughness like hemp rope Heck you cant even hold on top that stuff without getting stabbed by fibers another rope that is good is called "arbor-plex" these ropes while they will break down and rot over several years these ropes will last for quite a while But it will rot eventually you can put a steel cable inside the rope Arborists now have options to use a steel cable in there lanyard The arbor plex can be cabled If you want you can find these ropes and many other high quality ropes at "The bishop co " I used to climb for for a arborist years ago and i still buy the ropes for use on everything and even keep 50 feet in my truck

You would want nylon rope, 1/2 -3/4 " in diameter. For paint, mix a hand full of sand in a pint of paint, stir, and start painting.

Anything meant for use on a boat would work, except polypropylene. Don't buy that. Visit a marine store.

Also it has to be able to support weight

Use cable instead

static line

use cable instead

static line

https://www.rei.com/product/472013/pmi-e-z-bend-sp...