How to Tie a Rappelling Harness Out of Rope

A reliable harness is essential when attempting to rappel down a rock face. A failure of the harness if it is called into action can lead to serious injury or even death. If a harness is not available when you need to get down a flat surface, a piece of rope can be used to tie a harness. A rope-tied harness is easy to make and utilizes multiple knots to ensure that the harness does not come undone.

Things You'll Need

  • Rope, approximately 12 feet
  • Carabiner
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Find the midpoint of the rope and place it against the hip opposite your dominant hand, then wrap the two ends of cord around you so they meet at your stomach. This will have the effect of creating one end of rope that is longer than the other.

    • 2

      Wrap the end of cord from your nondominant side around the cord from your dominant side twice in front of your stomach. The rope should be tight enough, and the wrap secure enough, that the rope stays up of its own accord.

    • 3

      Pass both ends of rope between your legs, with the end that came around your dominant side passing along your nondominant thigh and up under your nondominant buttock, and the end that started on your nondominant side passing along your dominant thigh and buttock.

    • 4

      Pass each end of rope under the portion of rope wrapped around your hips, back under itself, then through the loop formed in doing so, and pull each end tight. The seat of the harness should now be snug and secure, with two loose ends hanging off of your hips.

    • 5

      Cross the longer end of rope over the shorter end of rope so that each end is of the same length after the point they cross. This will be slightly forward of your nondominant hip.

    • 6

      Tie a double knot by passing the shorter end over the longer end and pulling tight, then again crossing the longer end over the shorter before pulling the longer end through the loop formed and pulling tight.

    • 7

      Tie off each loose end by looping it around the ropes circling your waist and passing it through the loop created, then pulling tight. The end that came around your dominant hip will tie off behind the knot from Step 6, while the other end will tie up in front of the knot from Step 6.

    • 8

      Clip on a carabinar, and screw it shut to finish the harness.