K NO T T Y I NG

KNOT TYING

• IN MOUNTAINEERING KNOT TYING IS ONE OF THE IMPORTANT SKILLS THAT HIKERS NEED TO DEVELOP TO
HAVE A SUCCESSFUL CLIMB. THE TRICK IS TO KNOW WHICH KNOT IS TO USE AND HOW TO DO IT RIGHT.
REMEMBER THAT EVERY KNOT SHOULD POSSESS THE FOLLOWING QUALITIES; IS EASY TO TIE, HOLDS
WHEN TIED CORRECTLY, AND IS EASY TO UNTIE.
A) KNOTS FOR JOINING:
• 1. SQUARE KNOT: THIS TYPE OF DOUBLE KNOT THAT IS MADE SYMMETRICALLY TO HOLD SECURELY AND
TO BE EASY TO UNTIE. EXAMPLE IS FOR TYING BUNDLES AND PACKAGES
• 2. FISHERMAN’S KNOT: THE FISHERMAN'S KNOT IS A KNOT FOR JOINING TWO LINES WITH A
SYMMETRICAL STRUCTURE CONSISTING OF TWO OVERHAND KNOTS, EACH TIED AROUND THE STANDING
PART OF THE OTHER.
• 3. DOUBLE FISHERMAN’S KNOT: THE DOUBLE FISHERMAN'S KNOT OR GRAPEVINE KNOT IS A KNOT
USED TO JOIN TWO LENGTHS OF ROPE. THIS KNOT AND THE TRIPLE FISHERMAN'S KNOT ARE THE
VARIATIONS USED MOST OFTEN IN CLIMBING, ARBORICULTURE, AND SEARCH AND RESCUE.
• 4. SHEET BEND: THIS KNOT USED FOR TEMPORARILY FASTENING ONE ROPE THROUGH THE LOOP OF
ANOTHER. IT CAN ALSO BE USED FOR TYING ROPES OF DIFFERENT SIZES.
B) HITCHES
• A HITCH IS A TYPE OF KNOT USED FOR BINDING ROPE TO AN OBJECT. EXAMPLE A POLE, POST OR A RING.
• 1. CLOVE HITCH: IT IS A KIND OF KNOT BY WHICH A ROPE IS SECURED BY PASSING IT TWICE AROUND
A SPAR OR ANOTHER ROPE THAT IT CROSSES AT RIGHT ANGLES IN SUCH A WAY THAT BOTH ENDS PASS
UNDER THE LOOP OF ROPE AT THE FRONT. THIS KNOT IS COMMONLY APPLY IN TENT PITCHING OR
ATTACHING ROPE TO A PEG
• 2. TWO HALF HITCHES: THE TWO HALF-HITCHES IS A TYPE OF KNOT, SPECIFICALLY A BINDING KNOT
OR HITCH KNOT. IT CONSISTS OF AN OVERHAND KNOT TIED AROUND A POST, FOLLOWED BY A HALF-
HITCH. EQUIVALENTLY, IT CONSISTS OF A HALF-TURN AROUND A POST FOLLOWED BY A CLOVE HITCH OF
THE RUNNING END AROUND THE STANDING PART.
• 3. TAUT LINE HITCH: THE TAUT-LINE HITCH IS AN ADJUSTABLE LOOP KNOT FOR USE ON LINES UNDER
TENSION. IT IS USEFUL WHEN THE LENGTH OF A LINE WILL NEED TO BE PERIODICALLY ADJUSTED IN ORDER
TO MAINTAIN TENSION. IT IS MADE BY TYING A ROLLING HITCH AROUND THE STANDING PART AFTER
PASSING AROUND AN ANCHOR OBJECT. THIS TYPE OF KNOT IS APPLIED IN TYING A TENT GUY LINE. IN
ORDER TO TIGHTEN OR LOOSEN THE LINES PUSH THE HITCH DOWNWARD OR UPWARD
• 4. TIMBER HITCH: THIS KNOT IS USED TO ATTACH A ROPE TO A LOG OR SPAR. IN THE MOUNTAIN IT IS
USE TO RAISE LOGS, DRAG THEM OVER THE GROUND OR PUSH THEM THROUGH WATER
• 5. CONSTRICTOR KNOT: THE CONSTRICTOR KNOT IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE BINDING KNOTS.
SIMPLE AND SECURE, IT IS A HARSH KNOT THAT CAN BE DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO UNTIE ONCE
TIGHTENED. IT IS MADE SIMILARLY TO A CLOVE HITCH BUT WITH ONE END PASSED UNDER THE OTHER,
FORMING AN OVERHAND KNOT UNDER A RIDING TURN.
C) KNOTS FOR LOOPS:
• IN REFERENCE TO KNOTS, LOOP MAY REFER TO: ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURES USED TO TIE
KNOTS. SPECIFICALLY, IT IS A U-FORM NARROWER THAN A BIGHT. A TYPE OF KNOT USED TO CREATE A
CLOSED CIRCLE IN A LINE

• 1. SLIP KNOT. IT IS RUNNING KNOT THAT CAN BE UNDONE BY A PULL. THIS TYPE OF KNOT IS APPLIED
FOR TYING PIECES OF FIREWOOD, BUNDLING UP A ROLLED SLEEPING BAG OR TENT.
• 2. BOWLINE: THIS IS AN ANCIENT SIMPLE KNOT USE TO FORM A FIXED LOOP AT THE END OF THE ROPE
OR LOOP THAT WILL NOT CLOSE. IT HAS THE VIRTUES OF BEING BOTH EASY TO TIE AND UNTIE; MOST
NOTABLY, IT IS EASY TO UNTIE AFTER BEING SUBJECTED TO A LOAD. THE BOWLINE IS SOMETIMES
REFERRED AS KING OF THE KNOTS BECAUSE OF ITS IMPORTANCE. IT IS ALSO CALLED THE RESCUE KNOT
• 3. BOWLINE CASTING METHOD. IF SYNTHETIC ROPE IS USED TO TIE THIS KNOT, IT WILL BE LESS
RELIABLE. IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO SECURE THE END WITH EXTRA HALF HITCH, OR TUCK IT AND TRAP IT
BENEATH ONE OF THE ROPE STRANDS.
• 4. FIGURE –OF-EIGHT KNOT: THE FIGURE-EIGHT KNOT OR FIGURE-OF-EIGHT KNOT IS A TYPE OF STOPPER
KNOT. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT IN BOTH SAILING AND ROCK CLIMBING AS A METHOD OF STOPPING ROPES
FROM RUNNING OUT OF RETAINING DEVICES.
• 5. THREADED FIGURE-OF-EIGHT KNOT: THE THREADED FIGURE-OF-EIGHT KNOT ARE APPLIED TO
HELP ANCHOR AN INEXPERIENCE CLIMBERS. THIS IS A MOST COMMON WAY OF ATTACHING A ROPE TO
THE HARNESS.
ROPEMANSHIP

• ROPES ARE ESSENTIAL IN CLIMBING. SMALL ONES HAVE VARIETY OF USES: FROM SECURING A TENT TO
MAKING A CLOTHESLINE. LARGER ONE CAN PROVIDE SAFETY TO THE CLIMBERS.

• ONLY KERN MANTLE ROPES CAN BE STATIC OR DYNAMIC. A STATIC ROPE HAS LOW STRETCHABILITY,
SOME DON’T EVEN STRETCH AT ALL. A DYNAMIC ROPE HAS THE ABILITY TO STRETCH AND IS MORE
ELASTIC THAN A STATIC ROPE; THIS KIND OF ROPE IS OFTEN USED IN ROCK CLIMBING.
TYPES OF ROPE
• 1. LAID ROPE: THIS TYPE OF ROPE CAN BE NATURAL OR SYNTHETIC; FIBERS ARE TWISTED INTO YARNS,
THE YARNS ARE TWISTED INTO STRANDS, AND THE STRANDS ARE TWISTED INTO ROPE. LAID OR HAWSER
ROPE WITH A DIAMETER OF AROUND 11 MM AND MADE OF STRONG NYLON MAKE AN EXCELLENT GENERAL
MOUNTAINEERING ROPE. IT IS IDEAL FOR RIVER CROSSING AS A SAFETY LINE.
• 2. KERNMANTLE ROPE: IT CAME FROM GERMAN KERN, MEANING CORE AND MANTLE, MEANING
SHEATH. THIS CONSTRUCTION AND SPECIAL MATERIALS GIVE THE ROPE A HIGH TENSILE STRENGTH,
SUPERIOR PROTECTION FOR ABRASION, AND COMPARATIVE FREEDOM FROM TWISTING. THE KERN
MANTLE ROPE IS AVAILABLE IN A NUMBER OF DIAMETERS RANGING FROM 5MM (ACCESSORY CORDS) TO
11MM. DUE TO ITS ABILITY TO STRETCH, IT IS BEST FOR ROCK CRAFT