Glossary of knots common in climbing
Encyclopedia
There are many knot
s used in climbing
, rappelling and mountaineering
. Popular climbing knots are briefly described and depicted in this article.
Beer knot
: The Beer knot is often used in tubular webbing, usually for making slings.
Double fisherman knot (aka Grapevine):The Grapevine knot is useful to tie together two ends of ropes. Ropes can be of unequal sizes. It is often used to tie both ends of the same rope together to form a circle.
Triple fisherman's knot
Overhand bend
(aka European death knot, Euro death knot, EDK):The Overhand bend is a simple and fast way to join two ropes, notably for rappelling. Can be very useful in situations where speed is critical to safety. It is similar to a water knot, but both bitter ends come out the same side of the knot.
Water knot
(aka Tape Knot, Double Overhand Bend, Ring Bend):The Water knot is useful to tie together two ends of ropes. Often used with webbing.
Strangle knot
: The Strangle knot is a simple binding knot. It forms both sides of a Double fisherman's knot, and is also used to back-up loop knots and both ends of bends.
Bachmann knot
:The Bachmann knot is useful when the friction hitch needs to be reset quickly/often or made to be self-tending as in crevasse and self-rescue.
Clove hitch
:The Clove hitch is used in belay systems among other things.
Italian hitch (aka Munter hitch, HMS):The Italian hitch is a simple knot, used by climbers and cavers as part of a life-lining or belay system. Its main use is as a friction device for controlling the rate of descent in belay systems.
Klemheist knot
:The Klemheist knot is an alternative to the Prusik knot, useful when the climber is short of cord but has plenty of webbing.
Prusik:The Prusik is a knot used mainly for emergency use. Some carry between one to three cords specifically for prusiks. One can be used to quickly secure a person's position to correct problems with equipment; two can be used as a method of ascending a rope.
Blake's hitch
:Blake's hitch is widely used in tree climbing applications. The knot can be slid up and down a line manually, but when loaded, it sticks securely.
Girth hitch: This hitch is commonly used to attach loops of runner
to harnesses
, bags, other kinds of equipment, and to natural features like rock knobs or brush/tree trunks for protection
.
Alpine butterfly knot
:The Alpine Butterfly is a strong and secure loop knot. Allows load distribution in multiple directions. It can also be used to isolate a worn section of rope.
Figure-of-eight loop
:The Figure-of-eight loop is considered strong and secure. Can be tied by taking a bight of rope and tying a figure-of-eight knot or can be tied directly around/through objects before weaving back through the first figure eight knot (Figure-of-eight follow through).
Inline figure-of-eight loop: The Inline figure-of-eight loop is similar to a figure-of-eight loop, but used to form a loop that will be loaded longitudinally in a line under tension.
Double bowline
: The double bowline is commonly used by sport climbers who take multiple lead falls and then have trouble untying their figure eights.
Double Figure Eight Loop (aka Bunny Ears): Used for equalising two anchors using the rope.
Yosemite bowline
: Also called a bowline with a Yosemite finish, this is another way of tying the rope to the harness.
Bowline on a bight
: Used for equalizing anchors.
Stevedore knot (aka Double figure eight):The Stevedore knot is tied at the end of a rope to prevent the end from unraveling, slipping through another knot, or passing back through a hole, block, or belay/rappel device. It is more bulky and less prone to jamming than the closely related figure-of-eight knot.
Overhand knot
:The Overhand knot is a component of many knots used in climbing.
Knot
A knot is a method of fastening or securing linear material such as rope by tying or interweaving. It may consist of a length of one or several segments of rope, string, webbing, twine, strap, or even chain interwoven such that the line can bind to itself or to some other object—the "load"...
s used in climbing
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
, rappelling and mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
. Popular climbing knots are briefly described and depicted in this article.
Bends
Beer knot
A beer knot is a bend used in tubular webbing. Its most common application is in slings used in rock climbing. Compared to the water knot, it has the advantages of a higher strength...
: The Beer knot is often used in tubular webbing, usually for making slings.
Triple fisherman's knot
Triple fisherman's knot
The triple fisherman's knot is a bend knot, used to join two ends of rope together. It is an extension of the double fisherman's knot and is recommended for tying slippery, stiff ultra high molecular weight polyethylene and aramid cored ropes....
One-sided overhand bend
The overhand bend is a knot used to join two ropes together. The overhand bend is formed by holding two rope ends next to each other and tying an overhand knot in them as if they were a single line...
(aka European death knot, Euro death knot, EDK):The Overhand bend is a simple and fast way to join two ropes, notably for rappelling. Can be very useful in situations where speed is critical to safety. It is similar to a water knot, but both bitter ends come out the same side of the knot.
Water knot
The water knot is a knot frequently used in climbing for joining two ends of webbing together, for instance when making a sling.-Tying the water knot:...
(aka Tape Knot, Double Overhand Bend, Ring Bend):The Water knot is useful to tie together two ends of ropes. Often used with webbing.
Binding
Strangle knot
The strangle knot is a simple binding knot. Similar to the constrictor knot, it also features an overhand knot under a riding turn. The difference is that the ends emerge at the outside edges, rather than between the turns as for a constrictor. This knot is actually a rearranged double overhand...
: The Strangle knot is a simple binding knot. It forms both sides of a Double fisherman's knot, and is also used to back-up loop knots and both ends of bends.
Hitches
Bachmann knot
The Bachmann is a friction hitch. It is useful when the friction hitch needs to be reset quickly/often or made to be self-tending as in crevasse and self-rescue....
:The Bachmann knot is useful when the friction hitch needs to be reset quickly/often or made to be self-tending as in crevasse and self-rescue.
Clove hitch
A clove hitch is a type of knot. Along with the bowline and the sheet bend, it is often considered one of the most essential knots. A clove hitch is two successive half-hitches around an object. It is most effectively used as a crossing knot. It can be used as a binding knot, but is not...
:The Clove hitch is used in belay systems among other things.
Klemheist knot
The Klemheist knot is a type of friction hitch, used as part of a system to ascend or descend a climbing rope. As with other friction knots, it grips the rope when weight is applied and is free to move when the weight is released...
:The Klemheist knot is an alternative to the Prusik knot, useful when the climber is short of cord but has plenty of webbing.
Blake's hitch
Blake's hitch
The Blake's Hitch is a friction hitch commonly used by arborists and tree climbers as an ascending knot. Unlike other common climbing hitches, which often use a loop of cord, the Blake's hitch is formed using the end of a rope. Although it is a stable knot, it is often backed up with a stopper...
:Blake's hitch is widely used in tree climbing applications. The knot can be slid up and down a line manually, but when loaded, it sticks securely.
Girth hitch: This hitch is commonly used to attach loops of runner
Sling (climbing equipment)
A sling or runner is an item of climbing equipment consisting of a tied or sewn loop of webbing that can be wrapped around sections of rock, hitched to other pieces of equipment or tied directly to a tensioned line using a prusik knot; for anchor extension , equalization, or climbing the...
to harnesses
Climbing harness
A climbing harness is a piece of equipment used in certain types of rock-climbing, abseiling or other activities requiring the use of ropes to provide access or safety...
, bags, other kinds of equipment, and to natural features like rock knobs or brush/tree trunks for protection
Protection (climbing)
To make climbing as safe as possible, most climbers use protection, a term used to describe the equipment used to prevent injury to themselves and others.-Types of climbing:...
.
Loop Knots
Alpine butterfly knot
The alpine butterfly knot is a knot used to form a fixed loop in the middle of a rope. Tied in the bight, it can be made in a rope without access to either of the ends; this is a distinct advantage when working with long climbing ropes. The butterfly loop is an excellent mid-line rigging knot, it...
:The Alpine Butterfly is a strong and secure loop knot. Allows load distribution in multiple directions. It can also be used to isolate a worn section of rope.
Figure-of-eight loop
A figure-eight loop is a type of knot created by a loop on the bight. It is used in climbing and caving where rope strains are light to moderate and for decorative purposes....
:The Figure-of-eight loop is considered strong and secure. Can be tied by taking a bight of rope and tying a figure-of-eight knot or can be tied directly around/through objects before weaving back through the first figure eight knot (Figure-of-eight follow through).
Double bowline
A double bowline is a type of loop knot. Instead of the single turn of the regular bowline, the double bowline uses a round turn. This forms a more secure loop than a standard bowline...
: The double bowline is commonly used by sport climbers who take multiple lead falls and then have trouble untying their figure eights.
Double Figure Eight Loop (aka Bunny Ears): Used for equalising two anchors using the rope.
Yosemite bowline
Yosemite bowline
A Yosemite bowline is a very secure loop knot. It is a bowline with the free end wrapped around one leg of the loop and tucked back through the knot, a final round turn and reeve commonly known as a "Yosemite finish."...
: Also called a bowline with a Yosemite finish, this is another way of tying the rope to the harness.
Bowline on a bight
Bowline on a bight
The Bowline on a bight is a knot which makes a pair of fixed-size loops in the middle of a rope. Its advantages are that its loops do not slip and it is reasonably easy to untie after being exposed to a strain. This knot can replace the figure-eight knot when tying into a climbing harness...
: Used for equalizing anchors.
Stopper Knots
Overhand knot
The overhand knot is one of the most fundamental knots and forms the basis of many others including the simple noose, overhand loop, angler's loop, reef knot, fisherman's knot and water knot. The overhand knot is very secure, to the point of jamming badly. It should be used if the knot is...
:The Overhand knot is a component of many knots used in climbing.