How to Make Rope Saddles

If you're ever in a pinch and need to make a recreational or emergency rappel, you can create a rope saddle, or harness, to get down out of a sticky situation. You'll need to know how to make proper knots and have either rope for climbing or 1-inch nylon webbing to tie your saddle. There are several ways to make a rope saddle, and all of them work as long as you tie your knots correctly.

Things You'll Need

  • 20 feet or more of climbing rope or 1-inch webbing
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find the center of the rope or webbing and place it in the small of your back while holding each end in either hand.

    • 2

      Wrap the ends of the rope in front of you, wrapping them around your waist. Wrap one of the end pieces around the other several times. This helps stabilize the harness and keeps it from bunching around your legs.

    • 3

      Wrap each end around the outside of each thigh it is close to and pull the ends to the front between your legs.

    • 4

      Tuck the rope ends through the rope belt you made earlier.

    • 5

      Bring each end of the rope back around the nearest shoulder and over the shoulder so it dangles in front of your chest.

    • 6

      Squat and pull down on the ropes to tighten your saddle or harness. Do this a few times.

    • 7

      Unwrap the ropes from your shoulders, maintaining tension on the ends. They should be where you previously tucked them at your waist.

    • 8

      Pass each rope end around the nearest hip from front to back and tuck rope under the loop around your leg, where the loop crosses over your behind. Bring the rope back toward the front of you again to secure it.

    • 9

      Pull both ends of the rope together over one hip. Tie them tightly with either a rethreaded or overhand figure-eight knot. Leave a lot of length to the pieces of rope coming from the knot.

    • 10

      Tie the ends of the knot to one another to hold it in place.