The rope gun is one of the most important items in Sons of the Forest if you want to progress in the story. However, you can also use it to set up ziplines to create shortcuts or support your building projects. Here you will find all the important information.
Where can I find the rope gun? The item is hidden in one of the caves in the west of the island, very close to one of the first spawn points. Many players start right next to the cave:

Although it is one of the caves you should deal with first, you will encounter a fair amount of mutants. Plan some time, make at least strong clubs, and don’t forget to use the mutant armors in the cave.
The cave is also a prerequisite for later obtaining the shovel:
Sons of the Forest: Rope Gun – What for?
What does the rope gun do for me? You can explore new areas of the map that can only be reached via a taut rope. For example, there is a rope in the shovel cave that you can climb up with the gun.
Additionally, you can find “rope gun ropes” scattered all over the map. These can be used to set up ziplines that you can stretch across the map or in your base.
However, you will need appropriate ropes that you can find everywhere on the map. You can also craft the zipline ropes yourself, but you will need the “grappling hooks” from the 3D printer.
Here you can find the 3D printer in a cave:

The cave blinks green on your map. In your inventory, you can connect the arrowhead with the rope. The grappling hooks cost 100 printer ink.
Sons of the Forest: Building a Zipline
How do you set up ziplines? Find two spots on the map that you want to connect with a rope. Load the gun with a rope and shoot at the starting point, then at the endpoint. You might want to build some wooden walls at the start and end points so that the ropes don’t end up on the ground.
Ziplines cannot be stretched infinitely, but they have a considerable length – experiment a bit to see how far you can go with one rope. These things are really long.
What can the ziplines do? You can hang onto the rope and enjoy the ride. This allows you to create escape routes or shortcuts.
Players have also found other useful applications. The ropes can not only transport people but also certain building materials – such as logs:
If you have questions about the item or need specific guides, leave a comment or request on the topic.
The zipline allows for a lot of fun, breaking up the brutal everyday life on the island a bit – and it is also helpful for progressing in the story.
Almost as helpful as Kelvin (if there’s no treehouse nearby): Our boss wants me to kill Kelvin in Sons of the Forest – But I refuse