List of Arborist Knots
How to Tie Tree Climbing Knots | Arborist Knots
Alpine Butterfly or Linesman's Loop: The Alpine Butterfly provides a secure loop in the middle of a piece of rope. Strain can be applied from the loop to either end or between the two ends.
Anchor Hitch: The Anchor Hitch - or Fisherman's Hitch - is suitable to attach a line to an anchor. It is like a Round Turn and Two Half Hitches with the first Half Hitch passed under the first round turn. Add one or more Half Hitches for security
Basket Hitch: The Basket Hitch employs a webbing sling. It is commonly used by Arborists to provide an anchor point below a tree branch
Sheet Bend (Becket Bend): The Sheet Bend joins two ropes of unequal size but also works well if the ropes are of the same size. It has to be tied with both ends loose in your hands with no load on the ropes.
Beer Knot: The Beer Knot joins two ends of tubular webbing. The ends are threaded inside each other and an Overhand Knot is tied around the overlap.
Blake's Hitch: Blake's hitch is a Slide and Grip (friction) Hitch designed to take strain in only one direction. It is used by arborists for ascent and descent. It has some tendency to loosen and slip.
The Bowline: The Bowline makes a secure loop in the end of a piece of rope. It can be used to secure a line to a ring or post. When there is no strain it can easily be undone.
Running Bowline: The Running Bowline is identical to a normal bowline but is tied around the standing end so that it can slide, e.g., up to a tree branch.
Coil Unattached Rope: How to coil an unattached rope in your hands and make a secure bundle which preserves the coil neatly.
Clove Hitch (End): The Clove Hitch can be made by passing the end round a bar. Made this way it is useful for attaching boat fenders or adjusting stage scenery. It is tied off after adjustment.
Cow Hitch: The Cow Hitch is two Half Hitches with the second Half Hitch different from the first here tied with the end.
Double Fisherman's or Grapevine Bend: The Double Fisherman's provides a secure method for joining two ropes of similar size. The knot is relatively compact and therefore better than some alternatives when retrieving a climbing rope.
Poacher's Knot: The Poacher's Knot makes a very secure loop in the end of a piece of rope and is useful with modern high modulus ropes.
Figure 8: The Figure 8 is a stopper knot - it prevents the end of a rope sliding through a pulley or it can be used to add security to another knot. It is relatively easy to undo, is preferred to the Overhand Knot, but is not as secure as the Double Overhand.
Girth Hitch (Strap Hitch): The Girth Hitch is used to attach the loop of a webbing strap to your harness or another piece of webbing strapping. It is also known as the Lark's Head, the Cow Hitch, and the Lanyard Hitch. This page links to two other pages showing how to tie related knots.
Half Hitch: The Half Hitch is tied round an object and back to itself. Not secure alone, it is usually followed by second Half Hitch.
Trucker's Hitch (Lorry, Haymaker's, Harvester's): The Trucker's Hitch is used to secure a load or a tarpaulin down to a hook or other fixed point. It provides a three to one purchase which makes it easier to tighten the rope and reduces the strain on the final knot.
Munter Mule Combination: The Munter Mule Combination provides the Munter hitch for controlled rappelling (abseiling) with the Mule addition to belay the Munter when required. The only equipment required is a locking carabiner.
Overhand Knot: The Overhand Knot is the simplest of knots. It makes a knot in the end of a rope which can prevent fraying and can act as a simple stopper knot.
Prusik Knot or Triple Sliding Hitch: The Prusik is a symmetrical Slide and Grip (friction) knot. The same number of turns lie above and below the loop. Load can be taken in either direction.
Quick Hitch: The Quick Hitch is used by Arborists to hoist a new rope up using their main climbing rope.
Water Knot: The Water Knot is used to join two pieces of webbing strapping. The wide area of contact between the two straps ensures a secure knot.
Sliding Double Fisherman's: The Sliding Double Fisherman's makes a type of Prusik Loop comprising two adjustable loops.
Slip Knot: The Slip Knot provides a temporary loop in the end of a rope - which loosens when pulled. This page also provides a link to the Noose to help compare these two similar knots.
Timber Hitch: The Timber Hitch provides a strong temporary attachment to cargo or to a log or spar and can be used to tow a log or spar either afloat or on land. A great merit is that when the load is released, the knot almost falls undone.
Whoopie Sling: The Whoopie Sling is an adjustable sling widely used by Arborists and in camping to tension a Hammock..
Zeppelin Bend The Zeppelin Bend is one of a family of knots based on interlocking overhand knots. It joins two ropes of roughly the same size.
Arborist Knots
SelectionThese animated knots are for arborists and other tree-climbers. This selection is based on consultation with tree climbers and, in particular, Jeff Jepson's books for Arborists1,2. The knots in the section are based on Jepson's "Must Know" list, but we also included the Beer Knot because of its unique ablity to create a closed ring, and the Sliding Double Fisherman's because it is an interesting modification of a Prusik Loop.
Jepson's Double Fisherman's Loop was described by Ashley as the Poacher's Knot – and that name is retained here. The Yosemite Tie Off does not have its own page but is described on the Bowline page
Accidents
Working on trees high above ground is hazardous. Arborists have a fatal accident rate about ten times the average for all industries, a rate that is exceeded only by the logging industry whose rate is thirty times the average.3,4
Learn Your Knots:The Life They Save May Be Your Own
References:
1. The Tree Climber's Companion. Jeff Jepson. Beaver Tree Publishing. 2000.
2. Knots at Work. Jeff Jepson. Beaver Tree Publishing. 2013.
3. Tree Care Industry: Lessons Learned from Accident Research.
4. CDC Report: Work-Related Fatalities Associated with Tree Care Operations --- United States, 1992--2007
Make a selection from the images above.