Due to their general availability, ropes are inevitably encountered by the forensic scientist, who is sometimes faced with the task of comparing ropes in order to determine whether the two pieces could have originated from the same source. It is also often necessary to trace the manufacturer to ascertain the amount produced and its availability. The aim of this paper is to bring together many of the definitions, the structural detail, and the techniques that may help the scientist to assess the strength of evidence when confronted with these samples. It outlines those features that can be used for comparison and to identify characteristics that may point to a particular manufacturer and summarizes them in the form of checklists, which should ensure that all points of comparison have been considered. Constituent fibers are identified by microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and melting point where appropriate, and any colorants presented are categorized by microspectrophotometry and thin-layer chromatography. Structural details are summarized on checklists to ensure that all relevant information has been obtained. Manufacturer's information is also used to assist in evaluating the significance of any evidence found. 3 figures, 3 tables, and 19 references