Yosemite tie off

[daltontrees]

The subject has been beaten to death, but I just want to add an obvious (to me) point. The figure of 8 is very very easy to tie on the bight (5 seconds), whereafter it can be clipped into a krab (another 5 seconds), but in rock climbing iw Ould always tie the figure of 8 as a single then pass the tail, through the harness bridge (not through the krab) then complete it as a follow-back to double it up. It makes for a super-safe knot as strong as the harness. Can explain with photos if anyone needs it, but it has little if any application in tree work.

[Pete Bannister]

Ben : 'i use a figure of 8 for rock climbing because everyone else is more comfortable with it..'

Ha ha! yes I know what you mean....

 

Jules: I think I know that as 'a re-woven figure of eight'

 

Agreed, its done to death!

[TGB]

As a rock climber, I've trusted my life and that of others to a 'Figure of 8' many a time. Partly because I like it and partly because it's dead easy to tie, even one-handed in the dark. I've seen this 'knot' tied but didn't know it had a name. Personally I would not trust my life to it.

[daltontrees]

I would agree, if you don't want to tkae any chances the figure of 8 is the one, but it does have the slight drawback that if you peel off it's maybe going to be aswine to untie. On th other hand, rock climbing ropes are designed, unlike arb ropes, to stretch and permanently lengthen as a means of absorbing the energy of a fall. Arb ropes shouldn't need to take more than a 500mm fall.

 

A cute alternative is a bowline on the bight. In an emergency I have even used one to make a sit harness.

[Ricbob]

I use bowline and figure of 8 for both work and rock climbing.

even correctly tied and set the bowline can work loose, the F8 wont i dont even bother with a stopper knot on a F8 but will on the bowline.

 

In over 10 years of rock climbing having taken repeated 'wippers' on a F8 i have never failed to untie it.