Jungle Knots for Bashas and tarps.

I had a few people this weekend ask about the way I put up a basha, specifically how I use guy ropes and not bungees.

Weekend accommodation

A long long time ago when I was an Army Cadet, bungees what you used for bashas, if you were really switched on, you attached them permanently to each corner of your poncho (yes back then they were ponchos) by bending the hook closed with pliers.

Time moves on and after people getting hit in the face a few times by bungees “Jungle knots” arrived, I don’t know where the name came from but its a simple idea that works well.

Basically, they are a way of using parachute cord and a simple knot to create an adjustable guy rope without a sliding adjuster.

Imagine the post is a tree, wrap the cord around, then put a knot between the doubled cord and tension holds it in place, like putting button through a buttonhole.

So in my case, I use 6 of them, one on each corner of my basha and one in the middle of each short edge.

How to make them, take a 12 foot length of strong cord, find the middle and hook it over a door handle or something to hold it, the tie a simple overhand knot.

Make sure both ends are equal and tie a knot about 6 inches down from the end around the handle.

Pull it tight

Add knots every 6-12 inches, whatever suits you, you always add more later if you need to.

Before tying the last knot, add a loop of shock cord or a hair band.

Now you have a way of keeping the cord tidy when not in use.

Put the top loop of the cord through the webbing loop on the basha.

Put the other end through the loop and pull it all through.

Pull it tight and it’s attached.

The same technique works on eyelets too.

Wind it around your hand until you get to the shockcord/hairband.

Wrap the band and you are done.

Do that for each corner or edge or however you need them positioned and you are done.

To use with pegs just stick the peg through the nearest loop then wind up the excess.

In use the tension holds the knots secure, to release just pull the loose end.

Now these cords are solidly attached but if you need to move one, maybe from one end to the loop in the middle of the basha to hold the middle up, you just put the loose end back through the loop at the basha end and it comes straight off, ready to attach wherever you need it the same way.

Because its just looped through and not tied to the basha it will never be too tight to undo, same for getting the basha down even at night when its raining and you are knackered, the knots just work.

Hopefully I’ve explained this OK, some people seem to think it’s a weird voodoo of magic knots or something but it’s about as simple and bombproof as possible.

It’s a knot that kids use to hold a conker on a piece of string and a loop.

Thanks for reading, any questions DM me on Instagram for quickest response.

Cheers, Jungle

Quick update, I’ve replaced the corner lines with ones made from thinner “micro cord” still very strong but lighter and less bulky.