All experienced team leaders or experts among us understand one truth: the simplest method is often the best. The best way is to accomplish the most complex tasks using the simplest tools. Guided by this philosophy, after years of exploration and testing, many simple yet effective outdoor techniques have been developed. To date, almost no standard piece of equipment cannot be replaced by a simpler method. For instance, an anchor knot can substitute for an ascender under special circumstances, and an Italian hitch can replace a descender. The usage methods of rescue ropes and other auxiliary gear we’re about to discuss also follow this principle.
First Trick: Making a Harness with a Single Knot
In the past, a popular way to make a simple harness using ropes was by using two flat webbing straps. However, this method had a major drawback: once completed, it was almost useless without being connected to a main rope and carabiner. As a result, it had limited practicality and popularity. The method of making a simple harness with a single knot introduced here, however, is highly practical.
Here’s how it works: Take one end of a 15-meter rescue rope, fold it into five strands using 90% of your arm’s full extension length, then tie a single knot at the midpoint. Once completed, unfold the rope to reveal four loops. Insert both legs and arms through these loops to form a full-body harness. If the rope isn’t long enough, you can fold it into four strands to create three loops—wearing one loop on the upper body also forms a functional full-body harness.
Typical Case Applications:
Climbing Rope Knots
1. River crossing during stream trekking. When the water flow is strong, the first explorer needs to cross under protection. In such cases, you can use a rescue rope to make a harness, with the main protector holding the long end of the rope upstream to provide protection. The secondary protector and the explorer can use another rope on the same level for added safety.
2. On extremely steep terrain, weaker team members may struggle to climb or descend on their own. Using this method along with an Italian half hitch (which can use a tree or other pole-like object as a carabiner) makes the task much easier.
3. Assisted transport of injured persons. On certain steep slopes where using a stretcher is impractical and carrying is necessary, neither the carrier nor the patient can easily navigate obstacles alone. Providing the carrier with a simple harness that offers control and assistance solves the problem.
Second Trick: Making a Stretcher with a Double Figure-Eight Loop and Backpacks
1. Stretcher Made with a Double Figure-Eight Loop and Hiking Poles (or Wooden Sticks)
Fully collapse four hiking poles (or two wooden sticks), arrange them in two parallel columns to form the main frame of the stretcher, with the width adjusted between 0.7 to 1 meter based on the injured person’s body size. Use a rescue rope to weave back and forth between the poles in a ripple pattern, then secure the rope to the poles with several double figure-eight knots. This completes the basic structure of a makeshift stretcher. Add a waterproof mat, backpacks, or sleeping bags to create a practical rescue stretcher.
2. Stretcher Made with Backpacks
Connect two backpacks end to end by unlacing all the shoulder strap webbing from their buckles, then interlink the shoulder straps of the two backpacks through each other’s buckles to form a single unit. The waist belts and chest straps of the backpacks will securely hold the injured person, while the shoulder straps serve as convenient handles for the carriers.
When conditions allow, combining the stretchers made from both methods yields the best results. For long-distance or prolonged transport, to reduce strain on the carriers’ hands, additional rescue ropes can be used to connect the stretcher to the carriers’ shoulders, shifting the load to the shoulders. This saves energy and ensures a smoother, safer transport.
Third Trick: Carrying Someone with a Rope Loop
Not all situations allow for the use of stretchers when transporting injured or ill persons. Under certain special conditions, the most primitive method—manual carrying—is still necessary. For example, when rescue resources are limited or on particularly steep slopes.
How to Make a Rope Loop:
Coil the rescue rope into a neat half-body-length loop and secure it tightly with a gathering knot. Split the loop evenly into two strands to form a figure-eight shape, creating the shoulder straps. Place the straps over your shoulders, have the injured person insert each leg into one of the two rope loops, then use another rope (or the tail end of the same rope) to securely cross-connect the injured person and the carrier. This allows for a relatively safe and easy transport.
Fourth Trick: Using a Simple Chest Harness with a Rope Line
During most routine outdoor activities, we often encounter hazardous terrain. The usual approach is to use a rope line to pass through these sections. While this method eliminates some safety risks and provides a way across, it can be unsafe in more extreme conditions because manually passing the rope does not guarantee full protection throughout the process. For example, climbing or descending wet and slippery slopes steeper than 60 degrees, or traversing across them, requires a connection between a simple harness and the rope line for safety. In situations where standard harnesses and connectors aren’t available, only a rescue rope is on hand, making a simple chest harness an efficient and safe solution.
1. Ascending or Descending Slopes
Once the rope line (or rescue rope) is secured, each person creates a coiled loop with their rope, leaving a suitable length of tail. Thread the loop over the head and neck, draping it diagonally over one shoulder. Tie the tail end to the rope line using a single-rope anchor knot, forming a bidirectional, self-locking connection between the person and the rope. This setup is ideal for climbing up or down steep slopes and ensures the individual remains securely protected throughout the process. Two key points for tying the single-rope anchor knot: first, when using ropes of the same diameter, more wraps are typically needed, and their effectiveness must be tested; second, the finishing overhand knot must be reliable.
2. Crossing Terrain Horizontally
Using the same method, create a rope loop and thread it onto the rope line before securing it. During the crossing, each person simply steps into a loop and begins traversing. Alternatively, the previously described anchor knot method can be applied for horizontal crossings.
Fifth Tip: Other Common Uses of Rescue Rope
The methods of using rescue rope mentioned above are just a few lesser-known applications and techniques. In reality, a single rope can serve far more purposes during outdoor travel. A wide range of outdoor activities—such as canyon sports, caving, canoeing, cycling, and self-driving—can all make use of the rescue rope’s multiple functions, including essential ones like towing, pulling, hoisting at height, and binding, as well as non-safety-related uses such as guy lines for tents, clotheslines, knot-tying practice, and measuring water depth.
Each method has been invented and refined through continuous practice—for example, the original Prusik knot was created by its inventor who used shoelaces to secure himself in an ice crevasse. Over the years, we’ve been learning from foreign techniques and methods, but I believe that if our vast community of outdoor enthusiasts pays more attention to safety and technical skills, many new technologies and methods will emerge from China in the near future. Of course, even more importantly, we need more people to treat basic safety knowledge and equipment as essential prerequisites for participating in outdoor activities. That way, our outdoor experiences can have more joy and fewer tragedies.