Exactly the way they were designed. :) no half hitch and no slip.
I do pack with mine. Done a good day hike to soot some video of our quilt that's made for it and I took it on my Grand Canyon trip last month.
My trip report
Dejoha's trip report
There is a weight trade off to use it but when you look at quilts like the lynx or RidgeCreek versus others they are able to save weight by being narrower. Then if you were to use your hiking poles for spreader bars they become a weight savings and dual use. So you get closer to a wash versus hiking with a BB for example. Against a small light GE then no your probably not saving any weight but the comfort for me of the RR is enough to justify it.