How to Tie a Rapelling Harness Out of Rope

A rappelling harness is a device which is used to hold a climber when they are attempting to climb down a steep incline. The harness is attached to a rappelling line with a carabiner, and allows the climber to control the speed of their descent by controlling the speed at which the rappelling line, which is anchored at the top of the incline, is allowed to pass through the carabiner, thus allowing the rappeller to drop.

Things You'll Need

  • Rope
  • Tape measure
  • Electrical tape
  • Sharp ax or other weighted blade
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Instructions

    • 1

      Tightly wrap the rope with electrical tape, creating two 4-inch sections of tape, with the sections 12 feet apart on the length of rope.

    • 2

      Cut through each wrapped section with a single, swift blow. A single blow ensures the cleanest cut, and most reliable ends for your rope.

    • 3

      Fold the rope in half, and grip the midpoint against the hip that matches your brake hand.

    • 4

      Wrap the two loose ends around your hips so that they come together in front of you, then wrap the two ends around each other twice. The two ends of the rope will not be even after wrapping, and the wrap should be tight enough that the rope can stay up on its own now.

    • 5

      Pass both pieces of rope through your legs and tuck them through the rope where it wraps around your back.

    • 6

      Pass each loose end in between the rope and your back a second time, so that the loose ends hang more towards the center of your back than the section of that end which passes from under your legs up to the hip-high piece of rope.

    • 7

      Pass each loose end through the loop, then pull tight.

    • 8

      Pull the longer loose end around your body the long way, and the shorter loose end towards your front, so that they come together just forward of your braking hip, and secure the ends together with a box knot.

    • 9

      Tie off the ends of the rope with a knot around the rope circling your hip. The two loose ends will hang with one facing your front and one facing your backside prior to tying, and each should be tied on the corresponding side of the knot.