01
Figure 8 on a Bight
The bread-and-butter loop. Fast to tie, strong, and easy to visually check — your go-to for putting a secure loop in the end of a rope to clip to an anchor or hardware.
Start here
The core four
The everyday workhorses. Get these into muscle memory first — everything else builds on them.
02
Figure 8 Follow Through
The same loop, rethreaded. For when you can't just clip — tie a loose figure 8, pass the end around the anchor or through the attachment point, then follow the knot back through.
03
Bowline
The rescue classic. A fixed loop that's quick to tie around a person or an object, holds under load and stays easy to untie afterwards. Always finish it with a stopper knot in the tail.
04
Clove Hitch
Fast and fine-tunable. Attaches a rope to a carabiner, post or rail in seconds, and lets you adjust the length without untying anything. Keep tension on it — it likes to be loaded.
Level up
The next five
Mid-line loops, friction hitches and joins — the knots that turn a length of rope into a system.
05
Alpine Butterfly
A loop in the middle of the rope — no ends needed. Make a mid-line attachment point, or isolate a damaged section of rope so the rest can keep working. Loads cleanly in all three directions.
06
Prusik
Grips under load, slides when released. A loop of cord wrapped around the main rope — the backbone of progress capture, back-ups and ascending. Three neat wraps, dressed tidy.
07
Double Fisherman's
The standard join. Ties two ropes of similar size together, or closes a loop of cord to make your prusik. Compact, very secure, and easy to inspect — two matching barrels, snugged tight.
08
Water Knot
The one for flat tape. Joins two ends of webbing into a sling or anchor strop. Tie an overhand in one end, follow it back through with the other, dress it flat and leave yourself long tails.
09
Munter Hitch & Mule
Belay or lower with just a carabiner. The Munter gives you controlled friction when there's no device on hand; the mule ties it off so you can go hands-free — and release it again under load.
How to practise
- Slow is smooth — get the shape right before you chase speed.
- Tie it ten times in a row. If you fumble one, the count starts again.
- Dress every knot: no crossed strands, snug it down, check the tail.
- Then make it hard: eyes closed, gloves on, behind your back, torchlight.
- Teach it to someone else — if you can talk it through, you own it.