How to Coil Rope for Backpacking

Every corner and ravine in the woods conceals a potential challenge. Whether rappelling into a gorge or crossing a river, a sturdy rope provides the extra balance needed to safely complete the task. Stowing a rope carelessly inside your backpack, however, results in tangles and knots. Untying these knots requires time and energy better devoted to actual hiking. Coiling your rope properly, before storing it in your backpack, keeps the rope tangle-free and ready for use.

Instructions

    • 1

      Stand upright with the rope in hand. Drape one end of the rope around your neck.

    • 2

      Coil the remainder of the rope around your neck in the same direction as the first coil. Keep the coils loose to allow the rope to be lifted free of your shoulders.

    • 3

      Lift the rope from around your neck once the rope has been fully coiled.

    • 4

      Hold the rope together with one hand while grabbing the starting end of the rope with the other hand. Fold the starting end over on itself, forming a curved section, called a "bight."

    • 5

      Wrap the other end of the rope around the bight. Begin the wrap at the bight's loose end and work toward the loop.

    • 6

      Pass the end of the rope through the loop in the bight. Pull the loose end of the bight to secure the wrap.