Scout Zone

Lashing Guide 🪵

Lashing is how Scouts bind poles together to build camp gadgets like tripods, wash stands, camp kitchens and pioneering towers. It is assessed for Camping OAS Stage 2 and 3. Make sure you know your knots first — start with the Knot Guide.

Square Lashing

Binding two poles crossing at right angles

Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Medium

1Start with a clove hitch on the vertical pole, just below where the horizontal pole will sit.

2Bring the rope over the horizontal pole, under the vertical pole, over the horizontal and under the vertical. Repeat this 3 to 4 times, going around the outside of both poles.

3Make 2 to 3 frapping turns: wrap the rope between the two poles, around the lashing turns, to tighten everything.

4Finish with a clove hitch on the horizontal pole.

5Pull everything as tight as you can as you go. A slack lashing will not hold.

Diagonal Lashing

Binding poles crossing at an angle, or bracing a structure

Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Medium

1Start with a timber hitch around both poles at the same time, wrapping diagonally across the join.

2Make 3 to 4 turns in one diagonal direction, going around the outside of the crossing.

3Make 3 to 4 turns in the other diagonal direction, crossing over the first set to form an X.

4Make 2 to 3 frapping turns between the poles, going around the lashing to tighten.

5Finish with a clove hitch on one of the poles. Key difference from square lashing: you wrap diagonally, not at 90 degrees.

Tripod Lashing

Lashing three poles together to make a tripod

Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ Medium-Hard

1Lay the three poles side by side with the tops level. Start with a clove hitch on the outer pole.

2Weave the rope over and under all three poles 6 to 8 times, loosely. It should look like a wide lashing.

3Make 2 frapping turns between each pair of poles: between poles 1 and 2, then between poles 2 and 3.

4Finish with a clove hitch on the other outer pole.

5Spread the three pole bottoms apart. The lashing tightens as the legs splay and form the tripod shape.

Sheer Lashing

Joining two poles end to end, or binding side by side for strength

Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ Easy-Medium

1Start with a clove hitch on one of the poles, near the end where they overlap.

2Wrap the rope tightly around both poles 8 to 10 times, keeping turns close together. Keep wraps parallel and tight.

3Make 2 to 3 frapping turns between the poles to tighten the lashing.

4Finish with a clove hitch on the other pole.

5For joining end to end, leave a small gap between the poles. The frapping acts as a hinge, which is useful for an A-frame.

Put It to Use

What Can You Build? 🏕

Every camp gadget uses one or more of these lashings. Here is what each one is for.

🔲

Square Lashing

Camp kitchen frames, A-frame gateways, wash stands, pot hanger rigs. Any structure where poles cross at 90 degrees.

Camp kitchen A-frame gateway Wash stand

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Diagonal Lashing

Bracing a flagpole so it does not rack sideways, strengthening a pioneering tower, adding cross-bracing to any structure.

Flagpole brace Tower bracing

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Tripod Lashing

Pot hanger over a campfire, flagpole base, hand washing station. Any time you need a self-standing three-legged structure.

Pot hanger Flagpole base Wash station

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Sheer Lashing

Extending a short pole into a longer one, making A-frame legs, reinforcing a cracked or weak pole by binding a second one alongside it.

Pole extension A-frame legs

Test Yourself

Lashing Quiz 🎯

Six questions to test your lashing knowledge.