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32 votes
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Most practical knots for hitching a line to an object while keeping the bitter end as tight as possible, without sag?

I use a truckers hitch it is easy to make and create and pull tight. It is not difficult to untie but does stay in place well. It is a great knot when you need to cinch something down. Image ...
23 votes

What is the strongest knot using a steel-thimble to make a steel-eyelet at the end of the line?

The absolute strongest? That would be an eye splice. It's the most effective and strongest form of making an eye in a rope and it's what the thimbles are designed to work with. It's nigh on ...
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21 votes

Most practical knots for hitching a line to an object while keeping the bitter end as tight as possible, without sag?

I agree that the trucker's hitch will certainly do the job. That said, if your special situation requires retightening if things start to sag, you might consider the tautline hitch. It's a great ...
19 votes
Accepted

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

The easiest way is to tie a fixed loop in the middle of the rope (figure 8, alpine butterfly, bowline on a bight, etc) and then clip the climber in to that loop using two locking carabiners. Two ...
19 votes
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Crevasse rescue with knots in the rope

In a 3:1 (Z-pulley) haul, the victim's rope is used for hauling directly. As you point out correctly, a surface rescue is impossible if you have knots in the rope, since the rope is under tension and ...
  • 6,769
18 votes

Hanging water bags for bathing without tree damage

Instead of using the branch as a pulley, lift the bag into position with one hand while pulling the slack out of the rope with the other. If the bag is too heavy to lift over your head with one hand, ...
  • 4,364
15 votes

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

A knot that's simple and easy to use, explicitly for the purpose of tying in to the middle of the rope, would be the Alpine Butterfly. Tie it, then put it to your belay loop with one or two locking ...
  • 2,500
14 votes
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Figure-8 Followthrough Question

Yes, regardless of how as you dress it, that is still a figure 8 knot. It's not going to matter either, because once the knot is weighted, it will be pulled into the same configuration regardless of ...
14 votes

Hanging water bags for bathing without tree damage

Using anatolyg's idea of the carabiner, I think this will work. Thank you Anatolyg!
13 votes
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Fixed line: Prusik vs mechanical ascender

As Freedom of the Hills also states: "Mechanical ascenders are stronger, safer, faster, and less tiring." – Freedom of the Hills The key advantage in there being, "less tiring", yes you ...
  • 53.3k
13 votes

Most practical knots for hitching a line to an object while keeping the bitter end as tight as possible, without sag?

As others have commented, Trucker's Hitch (with an Alpine butterfly) would be the best. Note that it would be enough to do it on one side only; I usually tie an Anchor Hitch at the other side. ...
  • 1,738
13 votes

How to tension rope between two trees?

At one end, I tie the rope any old how. It can be loose even. Then I go to the other tree and pull as hard as I can on the rope until it's really tight. Then, holding tight, I walk around the tree ...
  • 11.8k
13 votes
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Climbing indoors: emergency situations

P.S.: I just noticed the question explicitly said indoors! My answer ended up being considerably more general than required... But well, the logic is the same as in case (a): Indoors the bolts are ...
  • 3,341
12 votes
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How do I know when to choose between a Klemheist or prussik knot?

As already stated, these are very similar knots regarding their use. So there is not much that differentiates them from each other, or to other friction hitches. The advantage of the prusik is the "...
  • 21.6k
12 votes
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Why are eye friction hitches not commonly used in rock climbing?

The main reasons is simplicity and habituation: A prusik made from a loop is easily taught and controlled. This is a point that many experienced climber forget about often: When people start they may ...
  • 21.6k
12 votes
Accepted

How to use a Munter hitch to belay and rappel?

To answer your question as to the ideal break position when using the munter: It depends. It depends on your comfort and experience with the knot, its application and the situation. I have rappeled ...
  • 7,481
12 votes

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

3 to 7mm utility cord. It is designed to be tied. If you go to a climbing retailer you can typically buy by the foot.
  • 7,148
12 votes

Knot for adjusting the length of a loop using both ends of a cord

A double fishermans can be adjusted for length by pulling on each knot and sliding them along the strand. You can also adjust the tail lengths and increase the number of turns to improve the ...
  • 983
12 votes
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How to tie a bull hitch using end(s)?

The bull hitch is just a cow hitch (aka girth hitch) with an extra round turn. Bring the working end over and around the bar then over itself. Make a turn around itself. Bring it behind the bar. ...
  • 4,013
12 votes

How to tension rope between two trees?

Although you asked an outdoors question, I'm going to give you a physics answer that might shed some light (with an outdoors note at the end.) When you string an ideal rope (with zero stretch) ...
12 votes
Accepted

Hanging water bags for bathing without tree damage

Make a figure-8-on-a-bight knot on the center of your rope; clip a carabiner into the knot. Clip the center of a second rope into the carabiner. Toss your first rope over the tree branch using the ...
  • 4,409
11 votes

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

Slip knot will work fine, but if you want a more secure knot then I would probably recommend the Poachers knot. It's essentially a slip knot tied with a double overhand instead of a single.
  • 53.3k
11 votes
Accepted

How to tie an EBSB bowline?

You just needed to look a little farther on the PACI site for a step by step instuction on how to do the EBSB. Check out this pdf on page 37 - pw Copyright http://www.paci.com.au/knots.php
11 votes
Accepted

Alternative to midshipman's / taut-line hitch for modern ropes

First, try with more 'coils', when you tie the taut-line hitch; every coil adds some friction. An alternative, that I, myself, like a lot, since I find it easier to tie, is the Farrimond Friction ...
  • 614
10 votes

How to use a Munter hitch to belay and rappel?

A Munter hitch can brake regardless of the orientation of the brake strand. It provides the greatest braking force in the "closed" position (the brake strand running alongside the load strand), and a ...
  • 8,398
10 votes
Accepted

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

I would go with either a barrel hitch or a barrel sling depending on the exact purpose. With the added constraint that the rope can only go around the object once the the "magic" needs to be in the ...
  • 10.6k

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