How to Secure Rope Without a Knot

Decide which knotless rope securing system best fits your application.

Rope grips, wraps and straps are used to secure coiled rope to saddles, storage or transport locations. These usually consist of belts with buckles or snaps, Velcro fasteners or rawhide loops that fasten around the rope coil and anchor it to a holder. Rope straps are used by firemen and cattle ranchers.

Rope Loks require users to loop rope around a load, feed rope through a securing device after pulling out slack, and squeeze a lever to hold the rope taught. Unlike a line grip or clutch, rope will move backward through the Lok until the lever is engaged. Rope Loks are used to tie down boats and pool covers, and to attach tent guy lines to stakes.

Tighteners and slack removers eliminate slack from long lengths of rope and maintain a specified tightness. These are used by homeowners to erect clotheslines and by ham radio enthusiasts attaching guy wires to stabilize antennas.

Line grips and clutches hold rope at the point it has been tightened to. These are found in car and truck load tie-downs and the "sheet stopper" used to secure halyards on a sailboat. When pulled, ropes pass through a clutch. When you quit pulling the clutch engages to stop the rope from moving. Pulling a lever releases the clutch and allows the rope to move freely again. Pigtail Fasteners allow rope to be secured and released quickly with one hand. At its most basic, a pigtail fastener consists of a metal shaft tipped by a spiral loop on one or both ends. Rope is passed through the eye of the spiral, wrapped around the shaft a couple of times, and then threaded through an opening in the spiral loop. These are used by homeowners hanging hammocks or bird feeders.

Hooks, two-horned cleats and pins provide mountings to wrap rope around and snub it securely. Rock climbing belaying pins are one example.

Winches provide handles to pull rope in and smooth drums to wind it around. These are often used for heavy objects such as ship anchors, since the force required to move the load is not concentrated on the winch handle.

Price and purchase equipment online or at your auto or boat dealer or home supply store.

Read and follow directions that come with the system you purchase, since each knotless rope securing system has unique load limits and compatible rope types.