Whether for safety or enjoyment, knot-tying is one of the essential skills that outdoor enthusiasts must learn. Imagine taking a rope of moderate length. In the wild, this single rope can become a "magic cord." It can serve as a clothesline, organize items, wrap things up, aid in camping, act as spare shoelaces, or mark trails—when used properly, it can serve a variety of purposes. Therefore, we must understand the art of knotting, which holds infinite possibilities and proves beneficial in many ways.
1. Overhand Knot (overhand knot)
Description: Also known as the half hitch, it is the foundation of all knots.
Use: Serves as a temporary end knot to prevent slippage.
Drawback: Becomes difficult to untie when tied too tightly or when wet.
Description: Also called the flat overhand bend, it connects two ropes of the same thickness.
Use: Commonly used to join flat webbing. Can also be used to make wrist loops on ice axes with a single strap. Regularly check the knot’s security.
Drawback: Prone to loosening under force, so leave a 10 cm tail at the rope end.
Description: Also known as the English knot, it is easy to tie and very secure.
Use: Can connect ropes of different thicknesses.
Drawback: Hard to untie once tightened, and may come undone under single-strand tension.
Use: Used to join ropes of different or the same thickness. The double fisherman’s knot is commonly used domestically. The square knot is only suitable for ropes of the same thickness and material. Due to its large size, it’s not ideal for thick ropes. A double fisherman’s knot can be used to create a loop (with 6mm accessory cord), and a fisherman’s knot plus an overhand knot can make a foot loop for ascending with an ascender. For long rappels, two ropes can be joined using a double fisherman’s knot.
Single Figure-Eight Knot (single figure-eight knot)
Description: Simple to tie and easy to remember.
Use: Can serve as a temporary or simple stopper or braking point on a rope;
Introduction: Also known as the figure-eight loop, it is strong and secure.
Use: Used to connect a carabiner to a harness during top-rope climbing. This is currently the most commonly used knot in rock climbing. Disadvantage: The rope tightens significantly when wet.
Introduction: Also called the climber’s figure-eight or open figure-eight, it is reliable and durable.
Use: Tying a climbing rope to protection gear; can be used to make a loop. The purpose of the single figure-eight is to create a fixed loop for connecting a harness to a closed anchor point, such as a tree.
Disadvantage: Difficult to untie after a fall.
Use: To prevent the rope from coming undone; after tying the stopper knot, leave a 15cm–20cm tail. The rope loop should allow space for two fingers so the knot can be opened after climbing.
Introduction: Also known as the square knot, it is commonly used in daily life, such as tying items or bandaging wounds.
Use: Only suitable for joining two ropes of the same thickness and material. Not suitable for thicker or slick ropes.
Disadvantage: Used to carry light loads only. If tied incorrectly, it may turn into an incomplete slip knot that can come undone with a pull. Once pulled tight, it is hard to untie; however, it can be easily undone by holding both ends and pulling them apart sideways.
Tip: Right over left, then left over right.
Introduction: Also called the engineer’s knot or alpine butterfly, it bears load at both ends while the loop remains unloaded and is easy to untie.
Purpose: Used around the middle climber’s carabiner or body during climbing (e.g., in rope teams), and can also be used to hang items. It has a wide range of applications.
Coiling Method:
Introduction: Known as the "King of Knots," it is easy to tie and untie, and highly secure. It is one of the most widely used knots around the world in various outdoor activities, industries, and even daily life.
Purpose: Used when tying a rope to another object or forming a loop at the end of a rope.
Drawback: The knot may become less secure if accidentally tied as an outside bowline (make sure not to tie this wrong version).
Standard Tying Method: (with an overhand knot at the end to secure the working end)
8. Clove Hitch
Standard Tying Method:
Use? Typically applied to items with equal force on both ends, suitable under horizontal pulling. Prevents slipping or can temporarily stop further unraveling if the end of the rope starts to fray.
Disadvantage? Hard to untie when the knot is pulled too tight or gets wet. If force is applied only at one end of the rope, the loops of the bowline may become tangled or loosen.
9. Girth Hitch (or Lark's Foot)
In actual use, you can freely choose based on personal preference. Regardless of which girth hitch is used, make sure the force point is not on the knot of the double fisherman’s knot.
First used in the early 19th century by Dr. Karl Prusik (a doctor), it became so widely used that "prusik knot" generally refers to this knot. First, take a 5-6 mm diameter, 35-40 cm long accessory cord, and tie the two ends together with a double fisherman’s knot to form a loop. Place the loop behind a 9-11 mm main rope. The Prusik Knot must be made using a loop created with a double fisherman’s knot (made with 6mm cord), and it is effective at stopping sudden force.
Wrap the loop around the main rope from the front
1. Used for ascending along the main rope, functioning the same as an ascender;
2. Used as a safety backup when descending the rope;
3. Serves as one of the key components in a pulley system during rescue operations.
Notes:
1. The diameter of the auxiliary rope loop must be smaller than that of the main rope—minimum 5 mm, with the main rope diameter not less than 9 mm. For safety, the auxiliary rope loop is generally 6 mm in diameter, while the main rope is 9.8–14 mm in diameter;
2. Wrap it around 3 times;
3. If the auxiliary rope has a larger diameter, such as 7 mm, wrap it fewer times—usually 2—but it won’t perform better than using 6 mm. The French Prusik (also called Autoblock) is a simpler knot and can also be made using a 10 cm wide flat webbing loop. A recent test using auxiliary rope loops found that the French Prusik ranks first in descent protection, being safer and more effective than other Prusik knots.
Simply wrap the rope loop around the main rope from top to bottom for at least 4–5 turns
1. The auxiliary rope loop is generally 6 mm in diameter, and the main rope is 9.8–14 mm in diameter.
2. Wrap it around 5–6 times.
Bachmann Knot (Backmann)
Originally, I didn’t intend to include this knot here because improper use can be dangerous. But then I thought that hikers are mature individuals who take responsibility for their own lives and their families. We shouldn’t adopt an attitude of “don’t use it if it’s dangerous or if you lack experience.” Instead, we should explain it clearly. Moreover, a recent test showed that the Bachmann knot performs better than the Prusik knot in descent protection.
Thread a carabiner onto the rope loop
1. The load point is not the carabiner—never hold the carabiner as the handle for the ascender;
2. The role of the carabiner is to make it easier to loosen the prusik, pushing it up or sliding it down;
3. Apply another carabiner, hook it into the loop with a fisherman's knot below, and connect it to the harness for protection;
4. For falls or braking, let go of your hand—do not touch the upper carabiner at all, the prusik will tighten and brake automatically;
5. The loop cord typically has a diameter of 6 mm, and the main rope diameter is 10–14 mm. Wrap it 3–4 times.
K Prusik (Klemheist Knot)
This is another type of prusik, differing from the French prusik in that the lower end of the loop is passed through the upper end, then secured. Therefore, the K prusik can only brake in one direction. It ranked last in tests.
The tests and results mentioned in this text were published in 2006 by Dr. R. G. Farmer, Chairman of the Queensland Alpine Rescue Association in Australia.
For descent protection:
1) Best: French Prusik (also called Auto block);
2) Second: Backmann Prusik;
3) Third: Prusik Knot (also written as Prussik Knot);
4) Last: Klemheist Knot.
Tests were conducted in dry conditions—in snowy mountain environments where the main rope may be icy, performance may vary.
I usually use the French Prusik for descent protection; if I carry extra carabiners, I’ll use the Backmann Prusik for ascending along the rope, and the Prusik Knot for setting up pulley systems in rescues because it won’t come undone even when placed on the ground.
Of course, stopper knots and finishing knots are equally important—you must know how to tie them all.