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Top 5 Climbing Knots

Climbing Knots, like Rescue and Arborist Knots support critical loads. Reliability and safety are paramount. Climbing Knots may be tied in Accessory Cord or a load bearing Static or Dynamic Rope. A lead climber will use Dynamic Rope so that the rope’s elasticity will provide protection in the event of a fall. Climbers following may be attached to a static, inelastic, rope because sudden falls are not expected. Accessory cord allows useful knots like a Prusik or a Klemheist to be used to create slide and grip knots.

These five knots are the ones we think every climber should know, but we’ve included a few extra knots to learn as you become more advanced.

   

Figure 8 Follow Through Knot

The Figure 8 Follow Through Knot creates a secure loop in the end of a rope. By using this Follow-Through, or Retrace, Technique, this familiar knot can be tied through a ring, a carabiner, or a harness. It provides a readily recognized and secure loop which is easily tied and equally easily untied.
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Double Fisherman’s Bend

The Double Fisherman’s Bend provides a secure method of joining two ropes. For example, it can safely be used to join two climbing ropes for a full rope-length abseil after which it should still be possible to retrieve the rope. It can also be used to join two ends of an accessory line to form a Prusik Loop.
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Prusik Knot or Loop

The Prusik Knot or Loop is constructed by joining together the two ends of an Accessory Cord (5 or 6 mm) using a Double, or Triple, Fisherman’s Bend. The principal use of a Prusik Loop is allowing a rope to be climbed – by ascending or “Prusiking“. Two Prusik loops are alternately slid up a static rope, a long Prusik loop for the climber’s foot and a short one for the harness.
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Clove Hitch

The Clove Hitch The Clove Hitch can be tied as two stacked loops in the middle of a rope and, alternatively, by threading the end to create the knot. The Clove Hitch can be used to secure a rope to a carabiner which quickly unravels when unclipped from the carabiner.
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Girth Hitch

A Girth Hitch also known as the strap hitch and bale sling hitch, is an easy and quick way to connect a cord or loop of webbing to a fixed point like your harness’s tie-in point, a carabiner or a tree. Called by the name Alpine Girth Hitch by climbers who use it to eliminate the need of an extra locking carabiner, it doesn’t create any excess stress on the tying rope but reduces its strength by around 50%. It is sometimes confused with the cow hitch or Lark’s head that resembles it in its looks but is tied differently and without using a sling loop.
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Beyond the Basics

The climbing knots above are the ones we consider essential, but the following knots may prove very useful in certain situations.

Munter Mule Combination Hitch

The Munter Mule Combination Hitch allows controlled descent when rappelling (abseiling). The climbing rope passes through a locking carabiner, round the rope, and back through the carabiner. and requires relatively little force to control descent. The addition of the “Mule” secures the Munter and prevents descent.
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Flat Overhand Bend

The Flat Overhand Bend is one of the easiest methods used to join two ropes. It is used to create a longer climbing rope and rarely gets stuck. Because the two ropes enter the knot at the same point the knot passes over an obstruction relatively easily. However, after heavy loading it can be difficult to untie. Rather unfairly, this knot is known as the EDK (European Death Knot) – a name which may more appropriately belong to the Figure 8 Join.
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Water Knot

The Water Knot joins two pieces of webbing strap. First an Overhand Knot in tied in one piece. Then the other piece is threaded back alongside the first knot in the reverse direction. The Water Knot is also known by various other names including: Tape Knot, Ring Bend, Grass Knot, and Overhand Follow-Through.
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Alpine Butterfly Loop

The Alpine Butterfly Loop creates a secure mid-rope loop. Strain can be applied in several ways: between the loop and either end; between the two ends; and, between the loop and both ends at once. It can be tied quickly around the hand and remains reasonably easy to release. If a section of rope is damaged, the Alpine Butterfly can be used to isolate that section – a far more secure choice than the Sheepshank.
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Bowline

A Bowline, the “King of Knots”, has a place in the Climber’s list. It is well known method of creating a loop in the end of a rope. It is reliable under strain, can be tied quickly, and releases readily. If it has a fault it is that unloaded it can readily shake loose.
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