A cordelette is an excellent tool for a multi pitch climb. It is versatile and useful—it can be used in anchors and in rescues. In this video we use a 7mm cordelette, which is the middle ground between being versatile but not too bulky, that is 20 feet long.

1. Tie the cordelette into a loop by putting the two ends together and using a flat overhand knot, leaving 6-8 inches of tail, and tighten the knot by pulling the rope tight in both directions.

Alternatively, you can use a Flemish Bend, which is very elegant, strong, and relatively low profile but takes a bit longer to tie or untie. Some climbers use a double fisherman, but that tends to be harder to untie and can get fused in place when loaded heavily or frequently, then you won’t have the ability to open up the cordelette if you need to build an anchor from spread-out pieces or use it in a rescue.

2. To package the cordelette up into a tight bundle and make it easier to carry on your harness, loop the cordelette over itself three times (depending on length) and tie it over itself using either an overhand or figure eight knot.

3. Clip the two loops of cordelette together using a carabiner, folding it into a compact bundle.

We hope you found this video helpful. Feel free to comment below with questions or thoughts!

Please remember, climbing is inherently dangerous. Climb at your own risk.