Just Knots

[Festus Hagen]

Amen to that, and I was never a Scout. I can use a trucker's hitch (along with a bowline) for my tarp ridgeline, for the bow and stern car top tie-downs on my 16' sea kayak... so many situations pop up that these work well for, I'd hate to have to always carry Figure 9's in various sizes around "just in case"

I'm not a complete Luddite, I do use whoopies for my hammocks and mini-crabs for my tarps, and straps for holding my kayaks down to the car roof but there are certain knots I wouldn't care to be without: trucker's hitch, bowline, marlin spike, prusik, slippery half-hitch...

Maybe it's just the eagle scout in me but I can't stand figure 9s, they charge you money and then force you to learn what is essentially their "trademarked knot" around a doodad they made up. Sure they work but I know more knots that have held my tarps up just fine for years and years before they invented those things and I guess i haven't seen any reason to change.

Erik

[E.A.Y.]

Why, just today I tied a clove hitch and a bowline. And a reef knot. Um, and some messy unnamed thing topped off with at nice bow.

[JBRanger]

...and some messy unnamed thing topped off with at nice bow.

I call that a "hatchet knot". It takes a hatchet to get it undone.

[tbctx]

Does anyone know how well an alpine butterfly knot will hold on amsteel and how much it degrades the lines rating?

[Topplestack]

i like tying knots too, i still like my tri plates (no backup to tie), but i still tie knots for so many things.

the slipped butline or slipped sheetebnd are both good suspension hanging knots for tying rope to tree strap

Before whoopieslings I used to hang purely on a buntline (ultra-light)

[dejoha]

I too, love knots. In some ways I think it helps me be more self-sufficient, like when I forget a fig-9 or mini-biner and was trying to set up a tarp -- knowing some knots means I can still hang successfully. Helps me be resourceful.

[amac]

Q_x posted a technique earlier this year and it's what I've been using since. http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=18532

[NickJ]

Like Erik, I love knots and I'm not keen on figure 9's really, though I do have one for the ridgeline which I sometimes use. For me, one end is a siberian hitch, then the other is either a truckers hitch or a figure 9. for tarp lines its taut line hitch or marlin spike depending on the terrain. I prefer Klemheists to prussics when it comes to hammocking, they can deal with lateral pressure close to the line much better than a prussic can I think. and I love the site "animated knots by grog", I often take a look at it. I use a double fishermans bend for joining ropes, round turn and two half hitches, slippery half hitch and clove hitch. In fact I use loads of knots - didn't realise I used that many.