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Essential Climbing Knots

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Re: Essential Climbing Knots

#21

Post by justatdotin »

defrost wrote: post #5
steve_gh wrote: post #2

Hmm. A few thoughts. There are alternatives to the Prussik such as the Klemheist which don't jam as badly. I wouldn't use a ring bend - the double fisherman's is superior for tying rope or cord ends together to create a sling. And I definitely wouldn't use either a ring bend or a double fisherman's to link ropes for abseil. An overhand tied in both ropes (with a 50cm tail) -aka the EDK or European Death Knot is way s…

Fair point re: the Klemheist although the Prussik serves well enough. For my part I wouldn't use a figure 8 in a bight to get a loop in the middle of a lonf rope that's going to take load - the butterfly knot is far superior.

> the butterfly knot is far superior

came here to say

Re: Essential Climbing Knots

#22

Post by justatdotin »

marcyb5st wrote: post #16
peterbraden wrote: post #10

These are decent for climbing, but for the rest of life you also want the bowline, which is easy to untie after being loaded. Ring bend should only really be used for webbing.

I would add the alpine butterfly to haul stuff up or isolate/exclude compromised parts of the rope temporarily until you get to safety.

alpine butterfly is by far the knot I use the most.

Re: Essential Climbing Knots

#23

Post by leksak »

peterbraden wrote: post #10

These are decent for climbing, but for the rest of life you also want the bowline, which is easy to untie after being loaded. Ring bend should only really be used for webbing.

Preferably a bowline with a stopper knot or a inherently secure bowline like the End Bound Single Bowline (EBSB) or Scott's Locked Bowline

Re: Essential Climbing Knots

#24

Post by gumby »

Brajeshwar wrote: post #18

I know that I'm highly unlikely to use any of these but I like to believe I will and I need to know. Recently, Knots3D[1] was on Hackernews Homepage and I bought the app. Now, while I'm waiting for something, and am not reading; instead of Twitter or other scrolling apps, I just watch the knots! One day, any day, at some fateful party with friends, we may need to tie a knot, any knot, and I'm going to pick up one fro…

Watching is unlikely to help. I tell scouts to practice them before bed and then practice them in bed after the lights are out.

Tieing them in the dark gives you practice on how the rope feels, the relationship of your hands, and how a well tied one feels.

A few of these kids have had to tie knots while assembling a tent in driving rain, lashing to a tree, tying them over their heads, etc (most of course have not!). Or tied something to car before highway driving. This is how they have the skill and confidence to do it right.

You only need a handful of knots and hitches as your go-to knots that will help you in 99.9% of situations you will encounter. You might as well learn them: they are some of humanity’s oldest inventions.

Plus the math can be fun.

Re: Essential Climbing Knots

#25

Post by ent »

defrost wrote: post #5
steve_gh wrote: post #2

Hmm. A few thoughts. There are alternatives to the Prussik such as the Klemheist which don't jam as badly. I wouldn't use a ring bend - the double fisherman's is superior for tying rope or cord ends together to create a sling. And I definitely wouldn't use either a ring bend or a double fisherman's to link ropes for abseil. An overhand tied in both ropes (with a 50cm tail) -aka the EDK or European Death Knot is way s…

Fair point re: the Klemheist although the Prussik serves well enough. For my part I wouldn't use a figure 8 in a bight to get a loop in the middle of a lonf rope that's going to take load - the butterfly knot is far superior.

What makes it superior? Is it easier to adjust or untie?

Re: Essential Climbing Knots

#26

Post by kyledrake »

Random comment: Securing the trace eight with a second knot is really not necessary, as it is a self tightening knot. Most climbers don't do it, my climbing safety book doesn't show it and all gyms I've been too, sans one in Vancouver WA for some reason, don't require it. Rough rule is two fists length for the tail and you're good.

Another comment mentioned this too, it's much easier to untie if tied in a specific way and if you do lead climbing they usually show you the technique. You can also do it with a Yosemite finish for a similar improvement.

Re: Essential Climbing Knots

#28

Post by ent »

Brajeshwar wrote: post #18

I know that I'm highly unlikely to use any of these but I like to believe I will and I need to know. Recently, Knots3D[1] was on Hackernews Homepage and I bought the app. Now, while I'm waiting for something, and am not reading; instead of Twitter or other scrolling apps, I just watch the knots! One day, any day, at some fateful party with friends, we may need to tie a knot, any knot, and I'm going to pick up one fro…

I used to have a piece of string on my desk as a type of fiddle toy. Much quicker to learn knots by tying them than trying to memorize the instructions.

Re: Essential Climbing Knots

#29

Post by peterbraden »

marcyb5st wrote: post #16
peterbraden wrote: post #10

These are decent for climbing, but for the rest of life you also want the bowline, which is easy to untie after being loaded. Ring bend should only really be used for webbing.

I would add the alpine butterfly to haul stuff up or isolate/exclude compromised parts of the rope temporarily until you get to safety.

Definitely, it’s such a satisfying knot to tie too. And after that perhaps the figure 8 on 2 bights (bunny ears).

But then we are into the weeds…

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