Climbing
8 essential climbing knots
Ready to climb with confidence? Learn how to tie important climbing knots before you start your adventures.
When it comes to climbing, don’t underestimate the power of a well-tied knot. The importance of knots in climbing for both safety and efficiency can’t be overstated.
The best climbers are those that are just as prepared mentally as they are physically. After all, as British climber Shauna Coxsey says, “To win, you have to be in control of your mind even more than your body.”
Shauna Coxsey on the Verazca Dam
© True Color Films/Red Bull Content Pool
One of the best ways to up your mental preparedness is to get familiar with tying a wide variety of climbing knots. There are a lot of different types of knots out there, but keep reading to learn about some of the most essential knots and their applications.
Understanding the basics of climbing knots
Related
Before learning about climbing knots, it’s important to know some basic rock climbing terms. Brush up on the basics before diving in.
- Knot: This is the tie in your climbing rope.
- Bight: A bight is a section of rope between its two ends.
- Working end: This is the end of the rope that you use to tie a climbing knot.
- Standing end: This end of the rope doesn’t get tied into a climbing knot.
- Bend: A bend is a type of knot that connects two ropes to one another.
- Hitch: This type of knot connects your climbing rope to something else, such as a carabiner.
General principles for tying secure and reliable knots
Darius Rapa
© Mihai Stetcu / Red Bull Content Pool
If you’re a beginner rock climber, there’s no need to rush into things. Safety is key, so take the time to familiarize yourself with all of the knots you might use during a climb. Practice frequently, ensuring that you’re able to tie the knots with efficiency and confidence. The more repetition you do, the better you’ll feel (and the less distracted you’ll be) when you need to put your rope techniques to the test.
Essential climbing knots and their uses
As you embark on your climbing journey, you’ll likely use some combination of these basic knots.
01
Figure-eight knot
- What it's for: Tying your rope to your climbing harness
- How to tie it: With a shoulder-span’s length of climbing rope, pinch a bight and twist it two full rotations. Thread the working end through the loop from front to back, forming a figure eight, before passing it through both tie-in points. Finally, pass the rope back through the knot so that it runs parallel to the standing part of the original knot.
02
Clove hitch
- What it's for: Securely attaching a climbing rope to a carabiner
- How to tie it: Make two loops by crossing the rope over itself twice. Move the second loop behind the first, and clip both loops with a carabiner. Secure the hitch by pulling both strands tight.
03
Bowline knot
- What it’s for: Creating an anchor system using a tree or any other heavy, stationary natural object
- How to tie it: With your climbing rope wrapped around your chosen anchor, cross the rope over itself to form a loop with the working end side on top. Thread the working end through the loop and bring it behind the standing end side, around it, and, finally, back through the first loop. Bowline knots can shake loose once you take the load off them, so make sure you have a backup knot behind it for maximum security.
04
Double fisherman’s knot
- What’s it for: Tying two climbing ropes together as securely as possible
- How to tie it: Overlap the ropes’ ends together and hold the end of the first rope in a thumb-up fist. Then, wrap the working end of the second rope over your thumb and the first rope twice to make an X. Next, remove your thumb and thread the ropes through the open space. Repeat the tying steps once more time — if you correctly execute the double fisherman’s knot, you’ll have two knots with two strands of rope in between them.
05
Prusik knot
- What’s it for: Ascending and rescue loops; known as the most common friction hitch in the climbing world
- How to tie it: Create a loop before moving it behind your climbing rope and running the side with the connecting knot through the opposite side. Wrap it loosely around the rope, and repeat the process of feeding it through the loop at least three times. Remember to pull tight!
Advanced knots for specialized situations
Felipe Camargo and Sasha DiGiulian in Sao Jose do Divino, Brazil
© Marcelo Maragni / Red Bull Content Pool
While the essential knots will help you navigate plenty of different types of climbing, these advanced knots are great to have in your back pocket.
06
Munter hitch
- What’s it for: A rappelling or belay knot if you’re without your belay device
- How to tie it: Make two giant loops by crossing the two ends of the climbing rope over each other twice. Fold the loops together and clip a carabiner between them.
07
Alpine butterfly knot
- What’s it for: Tying a secure loop in the middle of a rope, especially during glacier travel and rock climbing
- How to tie it: Make a figure-eight loop by overlapping the two ends of the rope over each other twice. Pass the upper loop through the lower loop, and pull all of the way up to tighten and finish.
08
Water knot
- What’s it for: Joining the ends of two pieces of tubular webbing for slings
- How to tie it: Tie a loose overhand knot in one end of the webbing, then feed the second piece of webbing through it. Pull tight, and make sure that the strands are parallel and that each side has a tail of at least three inches.
Practice makes perfect: How to get your knots right
Sasha DiGiulian climbs Pedra Riscada in Sao Jose do Divino, Brazil
© Marcelo Maragni / Red Bull Content Pool
When it comes to practicing your climbing list, let this guide serve as a springboard. Written guides like this one, illustrated tutorials, and instructional videos can help you gain visual and tactile experience with knot tying. With resources in front of you and rope in your hands, you’ll get a real-world feel for the motions and the final result.
Once you have a sense of your strengths and weaknesses, seek hands-on training with experienced climbers. Their tips, tricks, and in-person guidance can help you fill in some of the gaps in your knot-tying knowledge.
Tie it all together: mastering climbing knots for your next adventure
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Mastering climbing knots is an essential step on your road to becoming a seasoned climber. While having hundreds of knots in your arsenal is impressive, the most important part about tying climbing knots is excelling at them.