How to Tie a Rope Body Harness

The harness is an essential part of any climber's gear. Depending on the type of climbing you're doing, the smartest choice is always to use a climbing harness that has been professionally made, not a makeshift one. However, in unfortunate situations you may be forced to use a makeshift harness, and knowing how to make one can save your life if your harness breaks, or you need to carry out a lift, or any other sort of emergency.

Things You'll Need

  • Climbing rope
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Instructions

    • 1

      Tie two holes for your legs. To do this, find the center of the rope and move your hands a few inches out to each side. This is the inside of where the loop should be. Secure a additional amount of rope so that it would fit around your legs, and tie an overhand knot on a bight to secure it. Each loop should be slightly larger around than your thigh, so that they can comfortably fit in, and 4 to 6 inches apart so that your legs have range of motion.

    • 2

      Pull the rope up your legs. Once it's securely at the top of your legs, pass the remaining right rope down through the left loop, and the left rope down through the right loop. Pass this rope around behind your waist, cross the ropes, and in front of you again. Keep wrapping the rope around yourself until you only have a foot of rope left, then tie either a double overhand bend to secure the harness. This provides you with a rope seat.

    • 3

      Check the tightness of your harness. The harness should be loose enough that you can fit your hand under any given coil of rope, but you shouldn't be able to make your hand perpendicular to your body. If you have to, retie the harness until it is secure.