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Jungle Loops" How To — Rapid-Deployment System for Tarps & Bushcraft Shelters
Jungle Loops: The Fastest Tarp Shelter System You'll Ever Use
Chris shares his go-to knot-free rigging system for rapid tarp and poncho shelters — no carabiners or tensioners needed.
My background as an Outdoor Instructor made tying knots part of my day-to-day life. But in reality, most people stop learning knots once they have mastered tying their shoelaces.
You can get around this with technology — rope tensioners, carabiners, and self-locking pulleys — but all of this adds to the bulk of your pack. If you want a lightweight, versatile, rapid-deployment system for tarp shelters, look no further than "Jungle Loops," a series of simple overhand knots tied in thin cord.
As the name suggests, these were developed for jungle applications by the military, where they needed a fast "up and down" system, often used in collaboration with a poncho when moving fast and light on patrols. If you're familiar with the system, I reckon you could rig a decent shelter in under two minutes!
How It Works
The system works by having one end attached to your poncho or tarp, either tied on or utilising a simple toggle. The cord is passed around a tree branch, then a knot is threaded through one of the gaps between two knots to create a loop. Once you add tension, the two cords of the gap close down, pinching hold of the knot and making a tight fixed loop. As soon as you release the tension, it can be easily released.
They also make excellent guy ropes, as each individual gap gives you a pegging-out option.
What You Need
Kit List
Find some thin, strong cord. You can use paracord and achieve the effect, but the thinner you go, the more weight you can save. I favour 1.5mm "Comms cord" — you can pick up 30m online for a fiver, which would make you a set of four roughly 3.5m Jungle Loops.
How to Tie Them
1 Cut & Fold
Cut the cord to length and double it over. From the mid-fold, set the standard spacing of a hand width.
2 Tie the First Knot
Tie an overhand knot, ensuring both strands are included in the knot.
3 Repeat
Measure another hand width (or other desired spacing) and tie your second knot. After two or three knots, you will get into a rhythm and can relatively quickly create a complete Jungle Loop cord.
4 Finish the Tail
When you get to the tail ends, you can either attach a small toggle to fit into your poncho or tarp tie-out points, or leave a bit of length so you can tie it onto your chosen shelter.
You need to ensure that both strands are of equal length. If one is longer than the other when you tie the knot, the gap created will not cinch shut under tension.
Storage & Tips
When not in use, they can be hung up as you would other cord, but my preferred method is to keep them in a small bag, as this helps keep them tangle-free.
As with all techniques, the more you use them the slicker you get. To date, I find this one of the most simplistic systems and a firm favourite when I know it's going to be lashing it down and I want to get out of the rain quickly.
See It in Action
Watch below for a quick intro into how I use them:
Jungle Loops — Quick Intro by Forest Fundamentals
Have a great week.
Cheers,
Chris & the FF Team
