Know Your Ropes (also known as Strand Off, Gimme A Break, and Tug of War) is a strength challenge that debuted in Expedition Robinson 1998 and that has reappeared in Survivor (U.S.) and Australian Survivor. The challenge is based on the sport tug of war.
One member of each tribe will face off against an opponent in a game of tug of war. The person that pulls their opponent into the water first scores a point for their tribe.
History[]
United States[]
Australia[]
The challenge debuted in Champions v Contenders (2018), where the mechanics of tug of war were combined with a variation of a log-rolling competition, with the opponents being challenged to balance on barrels. The Champions won the challenge and the breakfast reward that came with it. After losing the challenge, the Contenders were told to elect two members of the Champions to face off in a final round, with a larger breakfast spread at stake. The Contenders pitted Mat Rogers against Steve Willis, with Mat taking the win.
The challenge was modified for use as a team challenge in Champions v Contenders (2019). Teams of opposing tribe members will pull on a rope, attempting to drop a pole to break the other tribe's tile. The first team to do so scores a point for their tribe. The Champions won the challenge for burgers and beer.
The challenge reappeared in All Stars, with the barrels from the original version of the challenge removed. Vakama won the challenge for a reward of personalized packed lunches.
The challenge appeared as the second Reward Challenge of Titans v Rebels, where the tribes competed for a mystery prize each round. In the first, second, and fourth rounds, the tribes competed in pairs; the Titans won all three of the pair rounds, claiming fishing gear, bananas, and a tarp and twine. In the third round, the tribes competed as teams of five; the Rebels won their only round and claimed the prize of chocolate and marshmallows.
Switzerland[]
The challenge debuted in Expedition Robinson 1999 (Switzerland) as the opening Reward Challenge. Every member from both tribes pulled at opposite ends of the rope. The first tribe to get the rope's center to cross a stake in the ground wins. The North Team won the challenge and got to pick their team's name and camp.
