OK, today I will speak about five essential knots I have learned during my basic military training. You should know how to tie knots at all times, and they are instrumental, whether in military or civilian life. You never know when you will need to tie something or someone down.

Introduction

As you know, there are a lot of different knots; some may be more useful, but those five are essential because they are easy and can be implemented in almost every situation. Those knots I often use most regularly. I will try to explain why you should have them at your disposal. Above is an embedded video that takes you through each step.

Let’s face it; it’s hard to remember all the knots you had to learn over time. 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 underwater.

That should help if you are a civilian, soldier, police officer, etc. It means it can be used locally or tactically

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 tremendous all-around knot that you should know on its own and one-handed. You will love it once you learn it.

2. Figure 8 Loop

Another basic but handy that’s underrated in getting 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.

3. Taut-Line Hitch

The Taut-Line Hitch is one of the most underrated knots; it’s incredibly versatile and great for applications with varying tension, such as securing a load. Its most common application is providing adjustable tension for guy lines on a tent or tarp.

4. Double Fisherman 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 beaten. Preferably, the rope you’re joining 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 a straightforward pull-down in a hurry. This knot is very handy while camping or putting up a shelter. Tensioning knots are something you should know, so I’ve included two in these five.

And remember, the knots are easy to forget, so once you learn something new, keep practicing occasionally.