HT-04Hitches
Prusik Knot
A friction hitch tied with a loop of thin cord around a thicker rope. It grips under load but slides by hand once the weight comes off.
- Difficulty
- Black
- Best for
- Ascending a fixed rope
- Reviewed
A field reference for rope, hitches and bends
This is a working directory of knots grouped by what they actually do: hitches that attach a rope to something, bends that join two ropes, loops that hold a fixed eye, and bindings that cinch an object tight. Each entry states what the knot is for, how it is tied, and where it tends to fail if it is dressed badly or used for the wrong job. Entries are graded on a simple three tier scale explained on the About page, so a beginner and a rigger can both tell at a glance whether a knot suits what they are doing.
- 6Knots documented
- 4Categories
- 3Difficulty tiers
- 14/08/2026Latest review
BLK-01Advanced
Black-Rated: Advanced & Extreme Knots
A short list of knots placed in the hardest tier, and why: load-bearing use, tricky dressing, or a bind that is close to permanent.
- Tier
- Black
- Entries
- 2 documented
- Reviewed
BD-03Bindings
Constrictor Knot
A binding knot that locks tight around an object and barely slips once loaded, which is exactly why it is hard to undo afterward.
- Difficulty
- Black
- Best for
- A near permanent binding
- Reviewed
LP-01Loops
Bowline
A fixed end loop that will not tighten under load, yet unties by hand even after being loaded hard.
- Difficulty
- Blue
- Best for
- A fixed end loop
- Reviewed
LP-05Loops
Figure-Eight Loop
A loop knot valued for being easy to check by eye, which is why it replaced the bowline as the standard climbing tie-in.
- Difficulty
- Blue
- Best for
- Harness tie-in
- Reviewed
BN-02Bends
Sheet Bend
The reliable way to join two ropes of different thickness, built on the same structure as the bowline.
- Difficulty
- Blue
- Best for
- Joining unequal ropes
- Reviewed
BD-00Bindings
Bindings & Whipping
The category page for knots that cinch tight around an object rather than around themselves, from a quick temporary wrap to a near permanent lock.
- Entries
- 1 documented
- Function
- Binding & whipping
- Reviewed
HT-01Hitches
Clove Hitch
Two identical half hitches around a post or rail. Quick to tie and adjust, but not fully secure on its own under a shifting load.
- Difficulty
- Green
- Best for
- A temporary tie-off
- Reviewed
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Alphabetical index
6 knots listed, see also the full indexHow to read an entry
Every entry follows the same order, so two knots can be compared without reading either one in full.
- The reference code, at the top, places the entry in its category and never changes.
- The summary holds to two sentences: what the knot is, then what it does.
- The three attributes shown are the ones that help someone choose, not the rarest facts.
- The date shows when the entry was last checked against its sources, day, month, year.