Top Six climbing knots you need to know
There's a very long list of knots that you could learn but for climbing the following are what I'd consider the top six. Learn these and you should be good-to-go, don't learn them and maybe climbing shouldn't be your thing?
FIGURE 8 FOLLOW THROUGH
(click images for a larger view)
>What is it: The basic knot for “tying in”—i.e., for tying the rope to your harness.
>Why it’s cool: Easy to inspect. Easy (enough) to untie after being loaded in a fall.
>Red flags/Rules: Always have at least six inches of tail.
GIRTH HITCH
>What is it: A knot for tying climbing slings to various features including: the belay loop of your harness, bolt hangers at anchors, and “threads” of rock, horns/chicken heads on trad routes.
>Why it’s cool: Easy to tie, can be tied with one hand, and is useful in many situations.
>Red Flags/Rules: Don’t leave slings girth-hitched to your harness belay loop for extended periods of time.
CLOVE HITCH
>What is it: A knot for quickly tying a climbing rope to a carabiner. Great for tying yourself in to an anchor. Also the clove hitch is especially handy when equalizing an anchor using the rope.
>Why it’s cool: Easy to tie and untie after being weighted. Easy to adjust after being tied. Can be tied with one hand, allowing you to quickly clip to an anchor or bolt.
>Red Flags/Rules: At a certain force, clove hitches will begin to slip, which is why they aren’t recommended as the sole knot for tying yourself into an anchor, and they are best paired with another knot such as a Figure-8 on a bite. However, it’s virtually impossible to ever generate a large-enough and consistent-enough force to cause the clove hitch to slip in a dangerous way.
MUNTER HITCH
>What is it: A knot that allows you to belay or rappel on a rope with nothing more than a single locking carabiner.
>Why it’s cool: This knot could save you if you drop your standard belay/rappel device.
>Red Flags/Rules: Not recommended for anything other than emergency use. The Munter Hitch severely kinks the rope, especially in a rappel.
PRUSIK
>What is it: A way to attach a piece of cord to a (thicker) climbing rope. The main use is to back up your rappel device (not covered in article). You can also use a prusik as a way to ascend a rope (if you don’t have a mechanical ascender). There are also a multitude of uses for self- rescue and escaping belays.
>Why it’s cool: Easy to tie and untie, and may come in handy more than you’d think. With two prusiks, you can ascend a fixed line, potentially getting yourself out of a pickle.
>Red Flags/Rules: Make sure the loops/coils are neat.
DOUBLE FISHERMAN’S
>What is it: A knot used for tying two ends of a cord or rope together. Use this knot to create a cordellette (a piece of cord tied into a loop) or to create a prusik.
>Why it’s cool: Reliable, safe knot for joining two ends of a rope or cord together.
>Red Flags/Rules: This knot will weld itself shut over time, effectively making it impossible to untie. This knot is only to be used for joining two pieces of rope or cord. To join two pieces of tubular webbing, use a water knot (not covered here).
