OK, today I will speak about 5 essential knots I have learned during my basic military training. Those knots you should know how to tie at all times and they are very useful, no matter in military or civilian life. You never know when you will need to tie something or someone down.
- Bowline / one-handed bowline
- Figure 8 Loop
- Taut-Line Hitch
- Double Fishermans Knot
- Power Cinch Knot
As you know, there are a lot of different knots, some may be more useful, but those 5 are essential because they are easy and can be implemented almost for every situation. Those knots I often use most on a regular basis. I will try to explain why you should have them at your disposal. Below you’ll find an embedded video that takes you step-by-step through each of them.
Let’s face it, it’s hard to remember all the knots you had to learn through the time. The knot tying is a depreciable skill that needs to be practiced. So let’s look at five, in no particular order, that you should know how to tie with your eyes closed or even underwater.
That should help you out if you are civilian, soldier, police officer and so on. It means it can be used in a local or tactical manner.
1. Bowline Knot
A Bowline knot is known as a knot that is useful for many applications. Putting a loop into a knot that won’t seize upon you, or more importantly, it can be created using only one hand (One-Handed Bowline) and that could save your life sometime, somewhere.
The bowline is mostly used to secure a line to a fixed point. It’s a great all-around knot and one you should definitely know both on its own and one-handed. You will love it, once you learn it.
2. Figure 8 Loop
Another very basic but very useful knot that’s underrated in its the ability to get you out of a jam is the Threaded Figure 8 and Figure 8 loop.
While the application I’m mentioning almost needs to be paired with a Swiss Seat at the least, nothing beats the Threaded Figure 8 to safely get you down from heights, whether on purpose or in an emergency situation.
3. Taut-Line Hitch
The Taut-Line Hitch is one of the most underrated knots out there, it’s extremely versatile and great for applications where you can have varying tension, such as securing a load. It’s most common application is providing adjustable tension for guy lines on a tent or tarp.
4. Double Fishermans Knot
Double Fisherman’s knot is ideal for joining rope together or making an adjustable loop out of two of these knots. It’s the knot that can’t be beat. Preferably the rope you’re joining together should be around the same diameter, as there are better knots to join sections of different diameter rope such as a Beckett’s Bend or as it’s commonly known, a Sheet Bend.
5. Power Cinch Knot
The Power Cinch Knot is usually used as a great way to add tension to a line without the possibility of it slipping loose. Yet, it is very easy to pull down in a hurry. This knot is very useful while camping or putting up a shelter. Tensioning knots are something you should know and the reason I’ve included two of them in these five.
And remember, the knots are easy to forget, so once you learn something new, keep practicing from time to time.
In 1985, we had something similar in Navy bootcamp, we called it The Knot of the Day.
– Square Knot
– Bowline
– Clove Hitch
– Overhand Knot
– Sheepshank
– Figure Eight
– Half Hitch