How to Make a Swiss Seat From Webbing

Rappelling and climbing require specialized equipment, but often this equipment is either unavailable or too expensive. While you should always have a climbing harness certified by the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA), a well-prepared climber also knows how to make a harness with rope or climbing webbing. With a few simple steps and a length of climbing webbing, you can create a comfortable impromptu harness for climbing or rappelling. The Swiss Seat is used by both climbers and military personnel.

Things You'll Need

  • Climbing webbing, 12 feet
  • Locking carabiner
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find the center of the piece of webbing and hold the center at your hip. Begin the Swiss Seat knot at one side of your waist to finish it on the opposite side. Wrap the webbing around your waist once, meeting the two ends just below your navel.

    • 2

      Tie an overhand knot followed by an extra wraparound. The extra wrap in this knot provides a wider space to attach the carabiner after finishing the Swiss Seat. Drop both ends of the webbing.

    • 3

      Reach behind you and grab both ends of webbing, pulling them between your legs and up to your backside. Thread the left end through the webbing at your left hip, and the right end through the webbing at your right hip. Pull tight by squatting and pulling on the webbing. Tie a knot at each of these points to secure the leg loops.

    • 4

      Wrap the ends of the webbing around your waist, where they meet at the opposite hip from your starting point. Tie a water knot with the ends of the webbing. The water knot is a flat overhand knot commonly used with climbing webbing.

    • 5

      Take the locking carabiner and connect it to both wraps of webbing just below your navel. Pull up and down with the carabiner to ensure that the harness is tight and doesn't slip. Lock the carabiner after attaching it to the rope.