For guylines on tents I love the double half hitch on the tent and the taut line hitch for the steak end. Tautline Hitch is super easy and is adjustable, and is super easy to learn. That is why it and the Boline are some of the first knots Scouts learn.
I would also check out the Midshipman’s Hitch. It’s a taut line that uses to be taught in scouting previously. It loops back around the first hitch to lock it in better with some of the slippery rope materials.
For the truckers hitch, when you put the rope through the loop you created, pass it through the loop twice. Then you won’t have to pinch the knot to keep the slack from falling out.
The truckers hitch seems great for hammocks as it has a drip line with the secured loop knots also helps with break down, can't believe a corporate video helped me
The tautline hitch is another great knot similar to the clove hitch and is what you often see at the end of guy lines. The good part of this hitch is that it is adjustable which makes it very useful.
3:14 - You can also pass that working end through the loop a second time for what's known as an "automatic" trucker's hitch. This will keep a lot of the tension while tightening the line down before you lock it off at the end; helps you from having to pinch the line if the cordage is under a lot of load.
The improved Trucker's Hitch passes the loose end of the rope through the loop twice, which allows you to adjust the tension tighter without having to take the knot apart. If you're worried about the knot coming apart because o vibration, you can put the pinch knot in after you tension down the line. That and the bowline are the only two knots I need when camping/backpacking.
You can tie the clove hitch 2 easier ways 1 by crossing your hands and pulling them across each other to make the loops or by looping the rope around something then make and x and just go under the x
You can also "around the top, around the bottom, through the middle" right on the anchor. I know that's overly simplified but fiddle around with it and you'll see this other way to think about it.
There is a variant of the Truckers hitch which called the Automatic Truckers hitch. What you do is pass the working end through the slip knot twice. The second time to the inside of the first. What it does is lock the hitch so that you don't lose tension when pinching. However, it is always advisable to put some hitches in, as shown, to secure it. I also like the taut line hitch for staking tents down.
there's a variant of the truckers hitch called the truckie hitch, i rather use this one because it is easier to undo in the case of having to tie down the hitch really hard, like when tying something to your truck
No tautline hitch? That was my favorite line tensioner before I started using hardware (in particular the tarp flyz and ringworm from Dutchware). I still use it exclusively when I don't have any hardware. Also way easier to teach/learn, tie, and adjust than a trucker's hitch.
Suggestions on carrying these cordage with you, besides just throwing a bundle into your bag? I like to wear paracord on my wrist and braided around my belt (both made from one single strand) so that I can have quick access to it when needed. It’s better than having cordage clutter the inside of your bags, especially if the cordage unravels, then it’s a mess you’ll not likely want to deal with. Otherwise, good video. I was able to follow along the different steps. It just has to take a few errors to get the techniques down right.
I have paracord around the handle at the top of my pack. Makes a larger grip to put the pack on or when carrying it by the hanlde, and I always know where the cord is if needed.
OK, I have the two loops of my clove hitch all carefully arranged and I am ready to put it over the tree I want to attach my rope to. But the tree is 10 meters high and has lots of branches in the canopy that are several meters long. Hmmm. How am I to get my loops over the tree?
The Prusik HItch (with just 2 loops) is basically what is used for wire hose clamps. It is not meant to loosen in those situations though... www.cottagecraftworks.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/1800x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/m/u/multi-wire-clamp-tool.jpg
huh? bowline is almost impossible to untie once subjected to load. I usually only tie one if I want a loop end of rope that I'll never untie. for a general purpose hitch that's super easy to undo, look up the slipped buntline hitch, one of my favorites. also, the tautline hitch is simpler to tie and uses less excess cord than the trucker hitch, and works fine for most situations where you don't need to wrench down the line super tight.
Hi there, you’re tying the bowline wrong if it’s difficult to untie. The bowlines main attractions is the ease of which it can be tied and untied even after being put under load. Maybe study the knot a little more and see if you can find out what you’re messing up. Good luck.
The clove hitch will not reliably hold on its own. Finishing with a two half hitches would be the standard approach that has been well-tested by circus rigging crews.
I have never ever ever actually used a clove hitch,... Learned how to tie practiced it in boy scouts but never ever ever needed it in real life. The other 4 knots were useful though. Truckers hitch is underutilized
@Joan Marshall I can see that. Climbing is one of those things people really shouldn't attempt without being very proficient with ropes and lots of knot tying. I was just speaking rhetorically about it being a specialty knot. But you know we're talking about knots,....I'm not gonna "anchor in" about an opinion lol. Have a great weekend and love the rei videos :)
Sorry REI, as instructional videos go, this is not your best effort. Bad camera angle with hands blocking the view, erratic hand motion, particularly in Prusik, odd twists in the cord causing zig-zaggy rope, everything too small to see - all conspire to hide what she's doing. I could not learn any of these knots from this video. So many great demos on the net - look around and try again!
I usually used a tautline also but I find the truckers hitch can make a really tight line when making a ridge line for a tarp. You can really pull it tight and it stays. Also it is easier to untie with the release lines as shown in the video.
Thanks for the feedback. Did you know you can change your playback speed in your RU-vid settings for this video (to watch more slowly) ? We hope that helps!
