You are here
Home
Rope Knots

ROPE KNOTS

This selection of rope knots is for use by boaters, paddlers, scouts, search and rescue, and all outdoor pursuits. It includes a range of essential utility knots. Although there are literally thousands of different knots, the knots illustrated and animated here include the best knots from the three primary knot categories: Loop Knots Bends (rope to rope knots) and Hitches (rope to object knots). Bear in mind that it is far more important to learn a few knots well than to half learn a whole bunch of knots!

Anchor Bend	A good knot for tying an anchor to a rope.	Backup Knot	Add security to a primary knot.
Better Bow Knot	A more secure shoelace knot.	Blake’s Hitch	Arborist ascending/descending knot.
Bowline	Forms a secure loop.	Bowline On A Bight	Forms a loop in the middle of a line.
Buntline Hitch	Tie items to the end of a rope.	Butterfly Knot	Form a secure loop in the middle of a rope.
Carrick Bend	Join heavy ropes together.	Cleat Hitch	Use to tie a rope to a cleat on a boat or dock.
Clove Hitch	A simple knot to tie a rope to a post.	Cow Hitch	Tie a rope to a post or object.
Constrictor Knot	Tie up bundles of items.	Double Fisherman’s	Join two ropes.
Figure Eight	The strongest knot for a loop at the end of a rope.	Girth Hitch	Attach a strap loop to an object.
Half Hitch	Basic overhand knot.	Heaving Line Knot	Adds weight to the end of a rope.
Honda Knot	The lasso knot.	Klemheist Knot	Climber’s movable loop knot
Mooring Hitch	Quick release knot.	Munter Hitch	Climbing belay knot.
Pile Hitch	Attach a rope to an object.	Prusik Knot	Secures a movable loop to another line.
Rolling Bend	Secure a line to a post.	Rolling Hitch	Secure a line to a post.
Running Bowline	A slip knot.	Sheep Shank	Use to shorted a rope.
Sheet Bend	Join ropes of unequal size.	Slip Knot	Another knot for a sliding loop.
Slipped Buntline	A quick release knot.	Stopper Knot	A stopper knot for the end of a rope.
Square Knot	Secure non critical items.	Tautline Hitch	An adjustable knot.
Timber Hitch	Secure a rope around a post.	Trucker’s Hitch	Load securing knot.
Valdotain Tresse	Arborist ascending/descending knot.	Water Knot	Best knot for webbing.
Yosemite Bowline	A very secure loop knot.

Bends (Tie Two Ropes Together)
	Backup Knot	Add security to a primary knot.	Carrick Bend	Join heavy ropes together.
	Double Fisherman’s	Join two ropes.	Heaving Line Knot	Adds weight to the end of a rope.
	Sheep Shank	Use to shorted a rope.	Sheet Bend	Join ropes of unequal size.
	Square Knot	Secure non critical items.	Stopper Knot	A stopper knot for the end of a rope.
	Water Knot	Best knot for webbing.
Loop Knots
	Better Bow Knot	A more secure shoelace knot.	Bowline	Forms a secure loop.
	Bowline On A Bight	Forms a loop in the middle of a line.	Butterfly Knot	Form a secure loop in the middle of a rope.
	Figure Eight	The strongest knot for a loop at the end of a rope.	Honda Knot	The lasso knot.
	Running Bowline	A slip knot.	Yosemite Bowline	A very secure loop knot.
Hitches (Tie a Rope To an Object)
	Anchor Bend	A good knot for tying an anchor to a rope.	Blake’s Hitch	Arborist ascending/descending knot.
	Buntline Hitch	Tie items to the end of a rope.	Cleat Hitch	Use to tie a rope to a cleat on a boat or dock.
	Clove Hitch	A simple knot to tie a rope to a post.	Cow Hitch	Tie a rope to a post or object.
	Constrictor Knot	Tie up bundles of items.	Girth Hitch	Attach a strap loop to an object.
	Half Hitch	Basic overhand knot.	Klemheist Knot	Climber’s movable loop knot
	Mooring Hitch	Quick release knot.	Munter Hitch	Climbing belay knot.
	Pile Hitch	Attach a rope to an object.	Prusik Knot	Secures a movable loop to another line.
	Rolling Bend	Secure a line to a post.	Rolling Hitch	Secure a line to a post.
	Slip Knot	Another knot for a sliding loop.	Slipped Buntline	A quick release knot.
	Tautline Hitch	An adjustable knot.	Timber Hitch	Secure a rope around a post.
	Trucker’s Hitch	Load securing knot.	Valdotain Tresse	Arborist ascending/descending knot.

Ways to Make a Loop in a Rope
- Tie a loop in the end of a rope	Bowline, Yosemite Bowline,Figure Eight
- Make a loop in the middle of a rope	Butterfly Knot,Bowline On A Bight
- Make a lasso	Honda Knot
- Make a sliding loop	Running Bowline, Slip Knot
- Make a double loop	Bowline On A Bight
How To Join Two Ropes
- Tie two similar ropes together	Double Fisherman’s
- Join lines of unequal diameter	Sheet Bend
- Join strings to tie a package	Square Knot
- Join two ends of webbing	Water Knot
- Join two large lines or hawsers	Carrick Bend
- Tie your shoe laces	Better Bow Knot
Tie a Knot at the End of a Rope
- Tie a stopper knot	Figure Eight
- Tie a temporary stopper knot	Slippery Knot
- Tie a bulky stopper knot	Ashley’s Stopper
- Tie a knot for weighting the end	Heaving Line Knot
How to Tie Ropes to Objects
- Tie a line to any object	Figure Eight Follow Through, Buntline Hitch
- Attach a rope to a post	Clove Hitch, Pile Hitch, Cow Hitch, Rolling Hitch
- Attach a line to a cleat	Cleat Hitch
- Attach an anchor to a rope	Anchor Bend
- Temporarily attach a rope to a post	Mooring Hitch, Slipped Buntline
- Tie an adjustable tension knot to an object	Tautline Hitch
- Tie webbing loop to a rope or post	Girth Hitch
- Tie a sliding rope to another rope	Blake's Hitch, Klemheist Knot, Prusik Knot, Munter Hitch, Valdotain Tresse
- Tie a load down on a car or truck	Trucker’s Hitch
- Tie a shackle to the end of a rope	Constrictor Knot, Two Half Hitches
- Tie up a bundle of sticks	Constrictor Knot
- Tie a rope to a log	Timber Hitch, Rolling Bend
- Emergency rappel down a rope	Munter Hitch
- Haul on a line with another rope	Rolling Hitch