Taping over varying ground profiles requires careful adaptation to achieve accurate measurements. On smooth, level ground with minimal vegetation, the tape can rest directly on the ground. Here, the taping team, typically consisting of a head and a rear tapeman, coordinates their positions with clear communication. The rear tapeman holds the tape at the starting point and guides the head tapeman toward a range pole placed beyond the endpoint, using hand or voice signals to ensure alignment.

On sloping, uneven terrain or in dense underbrush, however, the tape must be held horizontally to avoid ground interference. For precision, tapemen often use a plumb bob to align the tape correctly with ground points. In downhill situations, the breaking tape method is applied. The head tapeman holds the tape horizontally from an intermediate position and uses a plumb bob to mark specific points along the slope. A taping pin is set at each marked point, which the rear tapeman reaches and holds steady before passing it along the line.

This incremental approach, holding the tape horizontally in sections, minimizes errors caused by the uneven ground. By carefully aligning each section and marking points with accuracy, the team ensures consistent measurement integrity across varied terrains, maintaining precision from the starting point to the end of the tape line.