What are your go-to knots?

Great thread.

Have pretty much used bowlines, figure 8s, tautline hitches, sheeth bends, and what I now realize is a wrongly done two-half hitches forever. Priority now is to learn truckers hitch, constrictor knot, zeppelin bend, rolling hitch. They seem useful.

What do you find unties quickly w/ paracord? I tend to use a slipped two-half hitches to tie off my bear bags, but would like something more secure but still easy to untie.
 
Constrictor hitch

Double Becket Bend w/ retrace

Bowline for a loop; if tied end of line, I use a Yosemite safety. The beauty of the bowline is that it can also be tied in the middle of the rope to form an inline loop. You do end up with two loops instead of one as with an inline 8, but it is a LOT easier to untie after heavy loading.

Here is a link to a picture of the inline bowline (at the bottom of the page) as well as a description of how I tie it, which is the post right above the picture.

http://www.forums.caves.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5602

Also found a pretty good video on how to tie a "Snap Bowline", which is how I tie mine every time:

http://www.flmfire.org/dnn/Resource...ations/TechnicalRescue/tabid/124/Default.aspx

Click on Snap Bowline in left hand column to watch the video.
 
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The butterfly is nice if you know that you are going to be pulling the rope in more than one direction. If I'm only pulling one way, then the Inline Bowline is my choice.

It is possible to tie a Yosemite safety on an Inline Bowline and have a loop to pull on facing in each direction.
 
Matthew Walker knot for lanyards. Water knot for joining cord. Trucker's Hitch for securing loads. Figure Eight (follow through & on bight) for climbing.

Jeff
 
pitdog said:
I got the Siberian Hitch off really well and have forgotten how to do it again now, gonna have to learn that one again !!!!:o
Click to expand...

check out Mike Lummio's tarp setup. He does a great job of showing the siberian hitch.




As for me, I mostly use tautline hitches, trucker's hitches & alpine butterflies, along with a Siberian hitch or some other slipped knot. I've used the constrictor a few times recently to tie a rock as a line casting weight to get it over a tree limb.

I've become a big fan of the zepplin bend for joining lines b/c it is easy to tie, strong, and doesn't jam.

I also really like tying lanyard knots for some reason. If I'm just sitting around with an odd piece of cord, odds are I'll end up with a lanyard knot in it sooner or later.
 
knots weaken rope and cord. I prefer to use a Tensionless Hitch, which retains 100% of the ropes strength.

I use this for tarps, shelters, rappel anchors, vehicle extrication anchors, etc
 
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