This is one of two side gates to our back yard. For years I had a nylon rope (or rather, quite a few of them) to allow the gates to be opened from the front (the side without the latch). The plastic ropes wore out pretty quickly - once they start to fray, they don't last long. So, I finally replaced the plastic ropes on both gates with multi-strand steel wire. The wire and crimps were from Home Depot.
This was an easy way to provide a latching mechanism for the gate, to hold it open when I want to take the lawn mower or wheelbarrow through:
This was an easy way to provide a latching mechanism for the gate, to hold it open when I want to take the lawn mower or wheelbarrow through: