Just Knots

**Nails** · 10-20-2010, 20:00

Originally Posted by AduroNox

I use knots. Always have, always will. I don't trust my weight to a bury or the thin strip of steel that bears weight in a triglide. Yes, I know that knots reduce the working weight capacity of rope, but there are fewer things to go wrong with knots (buries can slip/loosen the braid of amsteel, triglides can break, etc.). Plus, knots are more fun

-Aduro

I don't mean to argue, but if you think about it, there's probably just as many things that can go wrong with a knot.

But if you prefer them for whatever reason-- they're fun, you're comfortable with em', etc.-- then there's no further justification needed, really. As long as you're enjoying yourself and being responsible: have at it.

I like knots, too. But sometimes-- like when I'm tired or it's kinda dark-- I like easily adjustable set-ups little bit more.

**Bubba** · 10-20-2010, 20:24

I've been using knots again recently. Probably just to keep things interesting. Yesterday I hung my hammock using a loop of amsteel around the gathered end, a biner and a slipped clove hitch on the biner. It was nice and secure but undid easliy and adjusting suspension length was not hard either.

**2.ooohhh** · 10-20-2010, 21:41

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

**cataraftgirl** · 10-20-2010, 22:29

I'm about half & half. I use the figure 9s for some things, but mostly go with my trusty tauntline for my tarp tie outs. Easy to tie, adjustable, and holds well. I always use a tauntline on the bowline of my raft so it's a knot I can tie quick & easy. I'm afraid if I get a bunch of figure 9s I'll just end up losing them.
KJ

**Throkda** · 10-21-2010, 08:39

I confess to going with the whoopies for my suspension, but I love knots and stick with using those for the tarp itself....I can just do a quick wrap, twist, and pull a bight through to secure one end, then pull, wrap, go around the tree, wrap, go back, and pull a bight through to tighten the other end. That's the ridgeline hung in less than 30 seconds with knots. Then just do a couple of marlinspikes (fold, fold up, pull through, stick in stake), and I'm done with that too.

I think it takes more time getting the stakes all the way into the ground than it does to tie the knots for my whole setup. Granted, it takes longer to adjust, but even that can be fixed -- I saw the prusik-based kits that Paul sells at AHE, and thought, "Well, i can tie a couple prusiks!" -- done that, and now I have an adjustable ridgeline that is pretty much wrap around tree, clip to carabiner, then slide prusik to tension.

That, and putting stuff on my car roof -- it's nice to be able to do a quick wrap and trucker's hitch while someone else is still trying to figure out how their strap gadget ratchets to tension their line down.

Yeah, I confess -- I just like learning new knots. Even shows it off on one of my buffs

https://www.buffwear.com/catalog/pro...oducts_id/1372

**Rat** · 10-21-2010, 08:57

I also love knots and have been called a 'knot elitist' by at least one forum member here. However, I have switched to mechanical terminations for the ease of set up and adjustment knowing that if anything fails I can use a knot to continue my trip. So, if a tri-glide, carabiner or whoopie bury fails it's not a deal breaker for me; I just whip out a knot and keep going.

But yes, knots are cool.

Do you use a 'French Tauntline'

a la Monty Python?

**Shug** · 10-21-2010, 09:41

I use the gizmo but love knots.
To me knots are like using a compass ..... important to know how to use both!!!
And seems that one always returns to them when all goes awry.......
Shug

**JohnSawyer** · 10-21-2010, 09:59

Yup, taught a group of cub scouts how to successfully tie knots... all of them are getting their outdoorsman patches in a week....

It warmed my heart watching them tie each other to trees!

They learned reef/square knot, bowline, clove hitch and I threw in a double overhand stopper knot for good measure...

Next outing? Marlinspike, prussik, trucker's hitch, who knows, maybe even a double sheet bend. (I don't trust a single.)

http://www.animatedknots.com is one of my favorite sites...

**cataraftgirl** · 10-21-2010, 10:04

No french taunts here. Gotta love Monty Python.
Tauntline aka rolling hitch. Works great on tarp lines. Easy to adjust tension on the line and it holds in place. Use a bowline a fair amount, but I always forget the rabbit/hole/tree thing and my knot ends up wrong. Gotta practice my knots over the winter.
KJ

**oldgringo** · 10-21-2010, 14:20

Even in the absence of utility, knots have a tactile and visual appeal to many people, witness all of the decorative ropework on just about any vessel.