Questions tagged [knots]

Questions relating to the use of knots in performing activities in the great outdoors such as climbing and fishing.

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How to tie a super eight / double figure eight / bunny ear knot?

Note, I am not asking how to tie three different types of knots, but rather one knot that goes by three different names. Its a knot that can be useful in building anchors especially at the top of ...
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
234 views

How to tie a figure eight on a bight?

One of the more common knots in climbing is the figure eight on a bight (being tied on a bight means that it is tied without using the ends. How exactly would one tie this knot?
Charlie Brumbaugh's user avatar
18 votes
2 answers
2k views

Crevasse rescue with knots in the rope

This has been bugging me for a while. A party is traveling on a glacier and adds braking knots evenly to the length of the rope as seen in this answer. The person leading the rope falls into a ...
llama's user avatar
  • 1,963
-2 votes
2 answers
268 views

What the name of the knot that is used for tying something to a pole? [closed]

Whats are some simple knots to attach a rope to a pole? It involves simply looping around the pole, and then running through one of the ends through the loop and tightening
ParoX's user avatar
  • 105
6 votes
1 answer
3k views

How to tie a one-piece webbing harness for dogs?

We have a new puppy and can't wait to take him to TGO. Since he's still growing he'll grow out of any harness that fits at the moment. I'm considering tying a harness out of webbing, but all ...
Roflo's user avatar
  • 2,456
4 votes
2 answers
165 views

How to compactify the long straps on a tent or tarp when not in use?

Tents and tarps have these long straps (sketch here), which may be used to tie them to distant trees. When unused, they can look untidy and become tangled. This can happen both when the tent is in use ...
anatolyg's user avatar
  • 4,486
7 votes
2 answers
577 views

Which knot to tie bulky objects together for transport

I am looking for a knot that can be used to tie bulky objects together. Usually I would use compression straps to tightly strap a tent to a bike handlebars, but I only have paracord at the moment. I ...
simao's user avatar
  • 173
10 votes
4 answers
16k views

Which type of rope is to be used to practice knots?

I am a complete noob when it comes to ropes and knots. It's high time I start practicing. Which rope, most preferably easily available and portable, should I use for practice? Should it be of ...
Captain's user avatar
  • 1,059
5 votes
2 answers
208 views

Stopper with Toggle for Blake's Hitch

I'm a knot novice and I was thinking about using a Blake's hitch while camping. The hitch is finished with a stopper knot, which appears pretty critical to me. I thought it would make sense to insert ...
joeA's user avatar
  • 153
5 votes
2 answers
2k views

Double half hitch, versus two half hitches?

In the 70s, while learning sailing, I was taught to use a double half hitch, where the two hitches are tied in opposite directions. However, in the 90s, I took a USCG course, where in the same ...
Daniel Griscom's user avatar
9 votes
8 answers
4k views

What would be a good knot to tie a clothesline to a tree?

I like the smell of sun-dried clothes/blankets/etc, and I got some line to make a clothesline. I've got a device that you pull the line through and it stays where you pulled it, which will be on the ...
user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
5k views

How to tie an EBSB bowline?

According to the most comprehensive reference ever written on bowlines, the EBSB bowline (which is a variation of another variation, called the EBDB bowline, together with a sort of Yosemite finish) ...
QuantumBrick's user avatar
  • 3,379
9 votes
2 answers
1k views

Is a clove hitch to be distrusted in climbing?

Reading the description for a clove hitch on animated knots by Grog (the go to bible of knots IMO) I was surprised to read: Caution: The Clove Hitch was, originally, included here with the ...
user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
638 views

Undoing an over tight Clove Hitch?

The weather has been really nice this weekend in North wales so over the weekend I set up a slack line in my back garden to have a play about on! On Sun I went to take it all down. Problem is I ...
user avatar
21 votes
8 answers
11k views

How do you tie in to the centre of a rope?

Suppose you're leading a short pitch (20-30m) and you have two followers, or you want to double rope the route, and want to simply half your rope and tie into the centre, pulling the two halves up ...
ShemSeger's user avatar
  • 53.5k
9 votes
2 answers
494 views

How can you tie a clove hitch one handed?

I was watching a video this am where a guy tied a clove hitch and passed it though a carabiner one handed. This seemed a very handy technique to know. I usually use both hands to tie this, make a ...
user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
822 views

Which knot is best for connecting loose ends and attaching carabiner?

I have a short climbing rope and two carabiners. I want to use it as a strap to carry something (it is not intended for climbing). As the rope is too long, I fold it once. At one "end" I make a figure ...
6ajj2's user avatar
  • 31
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

What is this knot that is used on ice axe leashes?

I recently purchased a Petzl ice axe and it came with a leash tired to it using a simple knot that allows the length of the leash to be adjusted. I am interested in this knot because I had ...
Qudit's user avatar
  • 1,280
5 votes
1 answer
574 views

How to prevent an autoblock knot from twisting?

When tying my autoblock knot my cord keeps twisting, and it does not end up looking nearly this nice: I use a double-fisherman loop of cord that stays permanently tied, and it lays flat. How can I ...
Chris Mendez's user avatar
  • 7,210
11 votes
1 answer
508 views

Best knot (hitch) to backpack webbing

I've been tying a simple shoelace knot for this, however I'm worried it will eventually become loose and come apart all together - especially when on the outside of the backpack. I am looking for a ...
Miati's user avatar
  • 213
8 votes
3 answers
3k views

What knot tightens under pressure and is difficult to untie under tension?

If I made a noose with this knot and lifted a heavy object by putting it inside the noose / knot: the knot should slip and hold the object tightly automatically it should be difficult to untie the ...
learner's user avatar
  • 181
7 votes
4 answers
2k views

Does inside vs outside make a difference in a bowline on a bight?

This question asks whether the bowline knot is better with the tail inside or outside the loop. When climbing and tying in with a bowline on a bight, does it make a difference whether one starts ...
anderas's user avatar
  • 4,447
12 votes
3 answers
3k views

Safety in re-slinging old trad gear

I have read some posts here regarding the expiration dates of climbing material, especially trad gear. Friends and nuts (as all climbing equipment) have a lifespan of 10 years according to all ...
QuantumBrick's user avatar
  • 3,379
9 votes
1 answer
196 views

When a knot unties because the tail is too short

Is there a technical term that refers to a knot untying under load because the tail was too short?
dinosaur's user avatar
  • 193
6 votes
1 answer
366 views

Releasable knot to attach blocking device in slackline setup

Main specification I need a knot to attach the self blocking non-releasable part of the pulley used to my slackline setup with a small piece of cord. Therefore the knot should be secure for high ...
imsodin's user avatar
  • 21.7k
8 votes
2 answers
327 views

How can I tie my laces so they don't come undone?

This might seem like a silly question but this is a constant issue for me when hiking or even in general. I have "double" looped my laces but I actually really hate it because it's a pain to untie. Is ...
Programmer's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

Recommendations for anchoring long rope swings

Some questions about rope swings similar in size to the the corona arch swing which has an accompanying setup video. Assuming you can avoid rope abrasion, do swings like this damage climbing ropes? ...
Kenn's user avatar
  • 189
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

Knot to attach gear to a beam

My outdoor gear has been relegated to the garage but I want to keep it off the ground, I have a beam and paracord and am using a double fisherman's bend and a midshipman knot to keep it elevated but ...
Chris J's user avatar
  • 1,778
8 votes
1 answer
1k views

Does leaving a knot in a static cord damage the cord as it does with dynamic rope?

I've heard to never leave a knot in a climbing rope for an extended period of time as it can deform and weaken the core of the rope. I'm unclear if the same is true for static cord and rope as well. ...
STW's user avatar
  • 1,450
11 votes
3 answers
7k views

Top Rope Anchors - is a figure-8 on a bight stronger or just easier to untie than an overhand knot?

I've been learning to build basic TR anchors; a sling clipped to two bolts with a master point in the loop of a figure-eight on a bight. While learning this I struggled to get a tidy figure-eight ...
STW's user avatar
  • 1,450
8 votes
4 answers
11k views

Knot to tie a hook onto the middle of a line

If I have a fishing line that's secured at both ends, what knot would I use to tie a hook onto the line? My situation is I'm making some rigs for fishing behind a boat, with 10 hooks spaced a foot ...
Nic's user avatar
  • 183
9 votes
3 answers
306 views

Quick release knot for attaching kit

I'm currently using a double fisherman's bend to tie my kit together but it's a bit fiddly to take apart. Is there a better knot for the task?
Chris J's user avatar
  • 1,778
10 votes
3 answers
1k views

How to join two pieces of rope in an adjustable tight loop?

I'm looking to use a piece of paracord as a ridge/sag line in my hammock setup, to do this I want to be able to tie the two ends together in a fashion that will allow me to alter the length of the ...
Chris J's user avatar
  • 1,778
10 votes
4 answers
7k views

Which knot to use to hold a rope in a loop, tight, around a large object?

I have a large, cubic object and I wish to tie a rope around it so that the rope is very snug and tight around said object. In a picture, my question is as follows: Moreover, the path of the rope ...
Michaël's user avatar
  • 203
9 votes
2 answers
3k views

Is a barrel knot the same as a double/triple overhand knot?

Climbing.com has a video showing how to tie a barrel knot in the end of a rope. To me (and many of you, I suspect) this knot is the very commonly-used double overhand knot. Confused, I looked for ...
Chris Mendez's user avatar
  • 7,210
16 votes
2 answers
4k views

How to use a Munter hitch to belay and rappel?

There seems to be conflicting information on the web about how to use a Munter hitch for belaying and rappelling while rock climbing. The way I learned decades ago is consistent with Nols Wilderness ...
StrongBad's user avatar
  • 10.7k
11 votes
1 answer
1k views

Which bends are binding knots?

I read http://www.animatedknots.com/sheetbend/#weavers The Sheet Bend would replace the Square (Reef) knot except that it is not a binding knot – both ends must be loose in your hands with no load on ...
Colonel Panic's user avatar
15 votes
3 answers
3k views

Why are eye friction hitches not commonly used in rock climbing?

It seems that the majority of professional arborists favor friction hitches that are tied with a free cord rather than a loop: Blake's Hitch Schwabisch Distel Valdotain Tresse This is often tied ...
Mr.Wizard's user avatar
  • 9,491
12 votes
2 answers
6k views

How do I know when to choose between a Klemheist or prussik knot?

Both effectively do the same job, grip a rope as an auto bloc or an ascender. What are the pros and cons of each? Why/when would I choose one over the other?
user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
5k views

Distel Hitch vs Prussik

The Distel Hitch and Prussik both appear to be slide and grip knots, used for ascending a climbing rope. I have heard of people using Prussik many times more often than Distel Hitch. Which is a ...
WedaPashi's user avatar
  • 31.7k
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

Toprope webbing anchor with figure 8 knots [duplicate]

I recently made a toprope anchor extending from a tree about 15' over the edge of the cliff using 1" webbing. The webbing was looped around the tree using a figure 8 follow-through, with ...
user8081's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
488 views

Similar knots to be avoided

There are knots that have similar sort of a structure or a look-alike looping which can easily confuse someone who is not seasoned in knots and safety associated with them. As a thumb rule, beginners ...
WedaPashi's user avatar
  • 31.7k
8 votes
5 answers
2k views

This isn't a double overhand loop -- what is it?

Inspired by @ShemSeger's possibly invented knot, I'm curious to see if anyone knows anything about this knot: Final knot: Reverse deconstructed: It's basically the same idea from a double figure ...
Chris Mendez's user avatar
  • 7,210
14 votes
3 answers
8k views

How do you tie your shoes one handed?

My arm is currently in a sling with a separated shoulder from a mountain bike accident, so I'm trying to learn how to do everyday tasks one handed. Shoelaces are proving annoyingly difficult. What's a ...
ShemSeger's user avatar
  • 53.5k
6 votes
3 answers
596 views

What's this knot called?

I came up with this variation of the flat overhand knot (also known as the Euro Death Knot) for pulling ropes on a rappel. I've never been comfortable using the Euro Death Knot (EDK), but it's hard to ...
ShemSeger's user avatar
  • 53.5k
11 votes
3 answers
408 views

One-sided overhand bend

Why is the one-sided overhand bend also called the European death knot (EDK)? Is it safe for climbing and mountaineering purposes?
WedaPashi's user avatar
  • 31.7k
2 votes
1 answer
283 views

Please explain this cryptic instruction on soloing related knots

I am trying to decipher a text from this page on rope solo leading: The other way you can tie in is to create a higher tie in point between your harness and chest harness, meaning you have less ...
Dakatine's user avatar
  • 4,595
7 votes
2 answers
738 views

What's the easiest to release, though solid, knot "on a bight"?

I am practicing falls with a self belay device indoors and I am tying the rope to the anchors so to fall on a single strand of rope as I would in real life. I used the figure eight on a bight but I ...
Dakatine's user avatar
  • 4,595
7 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is Kamikaze knot safe with ropes of different diameters?

I know how the last man rappel. While practicing at a local place, I saw one of the groups using a kamikaze knot for rappel and rope retrieval after the last man rappelled. Kamikaze and Sheepshank are ...
WedaPashi's user avatar
  • 31.7k
8 votes
2 answers
1k views

How to attach a shackle to vertical square tubes by using a rope?

I want to hang up a hammock. There are vertical square tubes made of galvanized steel of 10cm x 10cm. I want to hang up my hammock by using ropes (polyester, ⌀6mm, 9500N) and shackles. The rope should ...
PJT's user avatar
  • 181