Whether for safety or enjoyment, learning how to tie knots is one of the essential skills for anyone involved in outdoor activities. Imagine starting with a rope of moderate length. Out in the wild, just this single rope can become a “magic cord.” It can be used as a clothesline, for organizing items, packing, camping, as backup shoelaces, or as trail markers during hikes—when handled properly, it can serve many purposes. Therefore, it’s important to understand the art of knot-tying, which holds endless possibilities and is beneficial in many ways.
1. Overhand Knot
Description: Also known as a half hitch, it is the most basic of all knots.
Use: Serves as a temporary end knot to prevent slippage.
Drawback: Difficult to untie when tied too tightly or when wet.
Description: Also called a flat overhand bend, it connects two ropes of the same thickness.
Use: Commonly used to join flat webbing, such as crafting wrist loops from a single strap on an ice axe. Always check the knot’s security frequently.
Drawback: Can come undone under tension, so leave at least 10 cm of tail at the rope ends.
Description: Also known as the English knot, it’s easy to tie and very secure.
Use: Used to connect ropes of different thicknesses.
Drawback: Hard to untie once tightened, and may come apart more easily under load.
Use: Used to join ropes of the same or different thicknesses. The double fisherman’s knot is commonly used domestically, while the square knot is only used for ropes of the same thickness and material. The square knot is not suitable for thick ropes due to its large size. A double fisherman’s knot can be used to make a loop (using 6mm accessory cord), or a fisherman’s knot combined with an overhand knot can create 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
Description: Simple to tie and easy to remember.
Use: Can serve as a temporary or simple stopper or braking point on a rope;
Description: Also known as the figure-eight loop, it is strong and secure.
Usage: Used to attach a carabiner to a harness during top-rope climbing. This is currently the most commonly used knot in rock climbing. Disadvantage: When wet, the rope tightens significantly.
Description: Also known as the climbing figure-eight or open figure-eight, it is reliable and durable.
Usage: Tying a climbing rope to a harness, can also be used as a loop. The purpose of the single figure-eight is to create a fixed loop for attaching a harness or to a closed anchor point such as a tree.
Disadvantage: Difficult to untie after a fall.
Usage: To prevent the rope from coming undone; after tying the stopper knot, leave a 15cm-20cm tail. Pass the rope back through the loop to allow space for two fingers, making it easier to untie the knot after climbing.
Description: Also known as the square knot, commonly used in daily life, such as tying things or bandaging wounds.
Usage: Only suitable for connecting two ropes of the same thickness and material. Not suitable for thicker or slippery ropes.
Disadvantage: Only for carrying light items. If tied incorrectly, it may become an incomplete slip knot, which can come undone with a pull. If pulled too tightly, it is hard to untie; however, gripping both ends and pulling outward makes it easy to undo.
Tip: Left over right, right over left.
Description: Also known as the engineer’s knot or alpine butterfly, it can bear load at both ends while the loop remains unaffected, and is easy to untie.
Use: Can be tied to the middle person's carabiner or body during mountain climbing (such as in roped group climbing), and can also be used to hang items. It has a wide range of uses.
Rope Coiling Method:
Introduction: Known as the "King of Knots," it is easy to tie and untie, and highly secure. It is the most widely used knot around the world, frequently employed in various outdoor activities, as well as in many industries and daily life.
Use: Used when tying a rope to another object or when creating a loop at the end of a rope.
Disadvantage: If the rope is accidentally tied into an outside bowline (do not mistake this knot), it may not be very secure.
Standard Tying Method: (Add a overhand knot at the rope end for finishing)
8. Clove Hitch
Standard Tying Method:
Use? Typically applied to items with equal force on both ends, suitable under horizontal tension. Prevents slipping, or can be used to temporarily stop further unraveling if the end of the rope begins to fray.
Disadvantage? Hard to untie when the knot is too tight or wet. If force is applied only at one end of the rope, the loops of the bowline may become tangled or loosen.
9. Prusik Knot (also called a "Grab Knot")
In practical use, you can freely choose based on personal preference. Regardless of which prusik knot you use, make sure the load point is not on the loops of the double fisherman’s knot.
First used in the early 19th century by Dr. Karl Prusik (a doctor), it became so commonly used that the term "prusik knot" generally refers to this one. First, take a kernmantle rope with a diameter of 5-6 mm and length of 35-40 cm, and connect the two ends using a double fisherman’s knot to form a loop. Place this loop behind the main rope with a diameter of 9-11 mm. A prusik knot must first have a loop made from a double fisherman’s knot (made with 6mm rope), and it has the effect of effectively stopping sudden loads.
Wrap the loop around the main rope from the front
1. Used for ascending a main rope, functioning the same as an ascender;
2. Used as a safety measure during rope descent;
3. Serves as several key components of a pulley system in rescue operations.
Notes:
1. The diameter of the auxiliary rope loop must be smaller than that of the main rope—minimum 5mm, while the main rope should not be less than 9mm. As a precaution, the auxiliary rope loop is generally 6mm in diameter, paired with a main rope of 9.8–14mm;
2. Wrap it around 3 times;
3. For a larger auxiliary rope diameter, such as 7mm, fewer wraps are needed—generally 2, but it’s not as effective as using 6mm. The French Prusik (also called Autoblock) is a relatively simple knot, and you can also use a 10cm-wide flat webbing loop. A recent test using an auxiliary rope loop found that the French Prusik ranked first for descent protection, being safer and more reliable than other prusik knots.
Simply wrap the rope loop around the main rope from top to bottom at least 4–5 times
1. The auxiliary rope loop is generally 6mm in diameter, paired with a main rope of 9.8–14mm.
2. Wrap it around 5–6 times.
Backmann Knot (also known as Bachmann Knot)
Originally, I didn’t intend to include this knot here because improper use can be dangerous. But considering 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. A recent test found that the Backmann Knot performs better than the Prusik Knot for descent protection.
Thread a carabiner onto the rope loop
1. The load-bearing point is not the carabiner. Never grip the carabiner as the handle for the ascender;
2. The function of the carabiner is to make it easier to loosen the prusik, pushing it up or sliding it down;
3. Use another carabiner, hook it into the loop with the fisherman's knot below, and connect it to the harness for protection;
4. When falling or braking, let go of your hand and do not touch the upper carabiner at all—the prusik will automatically tighten to brake;
5. The loop rope is generally 6 mm in diameter, and the main rope is 10–14 mm in diameter. Wrap it 3–4 times.
K-prusik Knot (Klemheist Knot)
This is another type of prusik knot. Unlike the French prusik, the difference is that you pass the lower end of the loop through the upper end and then secure it. Therefore, the K-prusik can only brake in one direction. It ranked last in the test.
The tests and results mentioned in this article were published in 2006 by Dr. R. G. Farmer, Chairman of the Queensland Alpine Rescue Association in Australia.
In descent protection:
1) Best: French Prusik (also called Auto Block);
2) Second: Backmann Knot;
3) Third: Prusik Knot (also written as Prussik Knot);
4) Last: Klemheist Knot.
The tests were conducted in dry conditions. In snowy mountain environments where the main rope may be icy, the results may vary.
I usually use the French Prusik for descent protection; if I have extra carabiners, I use the Backmann Knot for ascending along the rope, and the Prusik Knot for setting up a pulley system in rescue scenarios because it won't come undone even when placed on the ground.
Of course, stopper knots and tying knots are equally important—you must know how to tie them all.