How to Tie a Swiss Seat Harness

Though you can’t really beat the necessity and safety of a commercial, or store bought, harness for rock climbing, there may come a time when you’ll need to construct a Swiss Seat Harness. If you follow the steps below, you should be able to whip one together when the time arises.

Things You'll Need

  • Rope
  • Carabiner
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fold your rope in half, making sure that both sides are even in length, and place the center of the rope on the middle of your lower back.

    • 2

      Wrap the rope around your waist, pulling one side under the other to make a half hitch. After you’ve created your first half hitch, tie another—your carabiner will be clipped here.

    • 3

      Let both ends of the rope fall between your legs. Reach your right hand around the outside of your leg and pull the right end of the rope up, passing it through the portion of the rope wrapped around your waist at your lower back. Repeat with the left end.

    • 4

      Draw the ends of the rope up your back and over your shoulders—right end over right shoulder and left end over left shoulder—so they now hang down your chest and pull them down until the portions of the rope around each leg is snug.

    • 5

      Drop the right end of the rope behind you and draw it through the right portion of the rope that runs up your right buttock, feeding it toward your right hip. This will create a loop around the portion of rope secured at your waist. Repeat with the left end of your rope. After both ends have been looped, pull rope snug again.

    • 6

      Draw both ends in front you, running along the portion already around your waist, and tie off, using a square knot; either to the right or left side of your body (typically, left-handed people tie off to their left and right-handed people tie off to their right, but use whichever side feels most comfortable to you).

    • 7

      Tie a half hitch, one on both free ends, passing both ends around both portions that run along your waist. This will work as your keeper knot.

    • 8

      Attach your carabiner around both sections of rope in front of you.