Tie Up - Essential knots and hitches for climbers

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All through my climbing career, one of the most asked questions has been: which are the absolute essential knots and hitches that a climber must know and master.

 

In the world of climbing (rock, ice, mixed, alpine, high altitude, etc) there are knots and hitches galore as a rope is our essential tool of the trade. And wherever there’s a rope there would be a knot or a hitch. There are literally hundreds of such knots and hitches used widely not only in the fields of climbing and outdoors but also by the seafaring sailors, in the jungles and forests by forest dwellers and shepherds, hunters, and by anglers, even in the villages to tie up domestic animals. I have indulged in a bit of all such occupations, mostly as a climber and a seafarer and often that of a shepherd, very rarely as an angler and never as a hunter except accompanying one on a wild goose chase purely in the role of a dormant observer. If you add jungle-warfare and special-forces (not to mention BDSM) to my already ridiculous repertoire then you can easily imagine that I have pretty much seen and been through nearly all sorts of twisted rope work. That I have lived to tell the tale through all those harrowing times is not due to my escape and survival skills but rather that of luck, of which I am plenty endowed with.

 

My entire philosophy of living is based upon one solitary principal: simplicity. And this is reflected upon every aspect of my life and occupation. As the days go by I become more and more simple. Discarding all confusions and materialistic hurdles, I aim to achieve a simple mind of a still mountain lake that reflects everything upon its glassy mirror like surface.

 

Keeping to that mindset, here I mention the most important and essential seven of my recommended list of knots and hitches that you must know and if you manage to master these seven, only these seven, I can assure you that you would come out from every possible situation in the mountains and outdoors. If you can learn more than it is surely merrier but if you wish to keep it simple and not get muddle-headed (as I do) then just go for these seven.  

 

I am not going to tell you how to tie these knots and hitches, there are excellent videos online and instructional website that you can refer to. I will only tell you the names and their multiple uses and how these have been used by yours truly.

 

1. Rewoven/rethreaded/retraced fig of 8: 



also called Flemish bend when used to join two ropes. First cousin of the ubiquitous fig of 8 and double fig of 8, rethreaded fig of 8 is a versatile knot that has as multiple applications. I have most frequently used it to tie a climbing rope directly to my harness or a sling to a jumar, sometimes to make a knot in the middle of a climbing rope to attach a person (double fig of 8), and at times to join two ropes using Flemish bend or fig of 8 bend. We also use this to set up a quick anchor for a rappel or to jumar up where we have no need to recover the rope immediately. It is very easy to tie.  

 

2. Clove hitch:           



it is easy to tie and is mostly used where the running ends of the rope needs to be adjusted without taking off the entire hitch. There are two ways of putting a clove hitch and you must know both. I have used it most often while fixing rope to anchor carabineers or to attach a rope to an object.

 

3. Double fisherman’s knot: 



it is double loop knot that I have used most frequently to join two ropes of equal diameter when either joining two ropes to set up a longer rappel or to make prusik loops for a Prusik knot. It is also an excellent knot to use to make slings from cords that we use for protection system. It’s very safe under load and won’t come off ever and easy to take off once the load is removed.

 

4. Italian hitch / Munter hitch: 



in an ideal world every climber must have a belay or friction device in her rack, with which one can either abseil or set up a belay. But when you have none then Italian or Munter hitch comes handy. It’s basically a friction hitch that is extremely easy to set up and take off. I have used it most often to quickly set up a belay or to abseil off an edge.

 

5. Girth hitch: 



a very easy hitch to attach a rope or webbing to an object. I have often used it to set up a quick anchor base or attach a sling to my harness.

 

6. Prusik knot: 



this is a climber’s staple knot and you must absolutely know how to tie it. Many people suggest that you first make a double fisherman to join the cord into a loop and then start forming the prusik, but I think it is easier to first make the prusik knot and then tie up the two ends with a double fisherman or even a reef knot. Used most frequently as an emergency friction for climbing up a rope in the absence of a jumar with two prusik loops one for your harness and one for your foot. If you have a sufficiently long cord then you can also make two foot loops for both feet. It is also used to back up an abseil as an emergency brake or if you wish to stop in between for whatever reason. The prusik under load doesn’t slide down and with the load taken off easily moves up so it’s an excellent knot to use for going up a rope. Try to use the prusik knot using a cord that is around half the diameter of the rope around which you are tying it. This is also used as an emergency for rescuing someone fallen inside a crevasse or a hole. You must have at least 6 loops in the knot, as shown in the pic, to have a safe knot. 

 

7. Bowline: 



it has been often called as the king of knots, though I wouldn’t say so, yet it is a very handy knot that you should master. I have used it as an emergency harness (along with the bowline on the bight) either for myself or rescuing someone from a critical situation. It’s useful when you are not necessarily on a climbing trip (and have no harness) but you need to use a rope for safety. And did I tell you that you can tie it using only one hand!

 

With the above seven knots and hitches in your kitty you should be sufficiently equipped to tackle almost any outdoor adventure. I certainly have.

 

Now tie up and move upwards don’t get tied up.

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