Knot tying cheat sheet?

[Rafi Harzahav]

Hi, Everyone.

Does anyone know where I can download a simple knot tying cheat sheet to carry with me while backpacking. REI has a set of six cards that weigh "less than an ounce" but I'd prefer just an (ultralight) piece of paper with clear illustrations.

Thanks,

rhz

[Curtis B.]

I've never found a 1 page cheat sheet. However I really like these cards and they have an app as well.
http://www.proknot.com/html/knot_cards.html
You could buy these and copy them onto your own paper.

Here's one: http://www.scribd.com/mobile/documents/4748524

[John S.]

There is also a bandana you can buy that shows knots.

[spelt with a t]

This guy has a website and an app. If you absolutely want it on paper,I would scan or xerox the cards that have the knots you want onto a single sheet.

[Terry G]

I have always struggled with knots and thought many times that that I would feel better about my tent / bear bag / load on top of my car if I know the right knot. Usually I would use one of the two knots I knew and hope for the best. This year, I started using a knot app and carrying around a 2' piece of rope. I would practice knots during bus rides, walks, etc. I now have a stable of knots that are darn useful and a lite less frustrating than trying to read those cards in the backcountry.

I would suggest focusing on a good loop knot (double dragon and alpine butterfly are my favorites, bowlin is also common), a good bend (tying together two pieces of rope together), and a good sliding grip knot like the adjustable grip hitch.

The grog site is good as is http://www.layhands.com/Knots/Knots_Hitches.htm

[L Miller]

Here you go…

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/2960/31163d1271128060boyscou.jpg

[David Vo]

Since there are hundreds (thousands?) of knots, it'd be cool if someone made a PDF of a two sided card that showed maybe 3-5 knots per side but also explained what they are for. Like some knots are made to be taken apart. Some are made to be stuck forever. Some are made to be strong. Some are made to give slack, etc. I wish I knew more knots but I also want to know which one to use in each situation. I also think that nobody needs 500 knots. I think 3-5 could probably account for 99% of anyone's needs.

[Aaron Benson]

That BSA link above is helpful.

When I really wanted to start learning knots I got a Pro-Knot card (in this case, a few plastic cards secured together with a rivet) and kept it with me, along with a short length of cordage. When time allowed I simply practiced tying knots; it's small, very packable, and weatherproof, so I took it with me on my outings until I memorized the knots that I like to use.

http://www.proknot.com/html/detail.html

[drowning in spam]

Antigravitygear.com

[Bob Gross]

You shouldn't need a cheat sheet.

Many years ago and many miles away, I was a knot-tying instructor in an Army mountaineering class for one entire summer. We didn't have any cheat sheets or books. All we had were about eight big half-inch laid nylon ropes, so everybody had to practice with that thick stuff.

Now, if you take a beginner backpacking class, either they will show you how to tie a couple of basic knots, or else they will tell you some places to find knot instructions.

–B.G.–

[Chad Miller]

That's nice Bob but the O.P. wasn't asking about if he / she should need a cheat sheet.

Back to the O.P.'s question; I've used the plastic knot cheat cards that you can get in any outdoor store. Each set of cards contains about a dozen knots and it's nice to have for those times when you're just not sure.

I believe the set of six plastic cards weighs in a .25 ounces.

[Yuri R]

No kidding.. that didn't sound like a helpful advice.

OP – check out this page… despite the somewhat 1990's design of the site, they have a few items about knots. I especially like the "pro knots" cards

http://bepreparedtosurvive.com/Misc.ItemsProducts.htm

[Adam Wallace]

Rafi- the "ultralight" way would be to correctly learn to tie a few basic knots used in backpacking…no "cheat sheet" necessary in the field.

"You shouldn't need a cheat sheet.

Many years ago and many miles away, I was a knot-tying instructor in an Army mountaineering class for one entire summer. We didn't have any cheat sheets or books. All we had were about eight big half-inch laid nylon ropes, so everybody had to practice with that thick stuff.

Now, if you take a beginner backpacking class, either they will show you how to tie a couple of basic knots, or else they will tell you some places to find knot instructions."

–B.G.–

I'm with you Bob, learn to tie knots

[Bob Gross]

"I'm with you Bob, learn to tie knots"

I don't know. It sounds like they really want to buy a cheat sheet.

Nevermind that they are all over the web.

There's probably an app for that.

–B.G.–

[Adam Wallace]

"There's probably an app for that."

LOL

[Tim Zen]

Take a Sharpie and draw the knots on the inside your tarp.
You can practice at night tying knots.

[Brian Camprini]

Would you be willing to sell that dog?

[spelt with a t]

Now there is a multi-use item.

[Don Morris]

I know this is not what the OP is asking, but I am with those who say learn to tie the knots so you don't need a sheet. The problem isn't the weight of the learning aid. It is simply that situations will occur where you need to tie the knot right NOW, and you may not have the luxury of fiddling around with the cheat sheet. Start with either the bowline or a figure eight, and practice until you can tie it properly in the dar, behind your back, in a cold shower, while you are asleep. About three or four knots will handle nearly all situations you will encounter (bowling/figure eight, double fisherman's knot, prussick, truckers hitch).

[Steven Hanlon]

the Boy Scout sheet when printed at 5×7 and duplex yields four double sided cards – just cut them out toss them one your bag. ultra light weight!

but i find there are only five knots i need to know and they are pretty simple.

trucker's knot – tightening the tarp/tent lines – a 2 in 1 knot (slip knot and two half hitches, talk about multi-use!
bowline – when i need a stable loop at the end of a rope
clove hitch – hanging the bear bag
sheet bend – joining different sized rope together
granny knot – tying my boots :)

use them enough and you don't need a cheat sheet – sounds like you need to get out more, i know i do :)

-Steve

[Todd T]

I agree with Steven. Everyone needs to know just five knots. My five are different from his, but still just five. :-) Here are mine (for basic backpacking):

Clove hitch (bear hang PCT method)
Tautline hitch (adjustable guy lines and such)
Alpine butterfly (hanging stuff on a line between trees)
Sheet bend (tying two lines together)
Bowline (tying to most anything else)

So, find your five and learn to tie 'em without pictures!

[Danny Korn]

Although I personally know many more knots and use them on a regular basis, when I'm teaching for my school's Outdoor Education department, I only teach 4 knots for backpacking:

Bowline (One end of a tarp ridgeline; attaching ropes to our bear bags, which have a loop for this purpose)

Trucker's Hitch (Tensioning tarp ridgeline and stakes)

Sheet Bend (Tying two lines together, primarily if the bear bag ropes are too short)

Tensionless Hitch (Tying off the bear bag ropes, since we don't use the PCT method)

And one of those isn't even really a knot… the tensionless hitch is literally the easiest thing I've ever taught.

Basically, as others have said, figure out what you need to do that includes knots, then find the knots that make the most sense to you for those purposes.

[Antti Peltola]

I would draw the cheat sheet on dry bag instead of tarp or taking cards, easier to move to the place where the help is needed than tarp, and no additional items in the kit as there is with cards.

—

I used to fish a lot with my father when I was a kid. I learnt to do the knots so that they would hold their intended use and still would be fast to open, even with cold hands, so I tend to do a slipped variant if possible.

Two ropes together: Slipknot join (or is it called slipped overhand knot join?)
Attaching a rope to a tree: Anchor hitch (slipped)
Loop at the end of the line: Figure of 8 loop
Rope to the pole: Clove hitch (can also be used to shorten then rope at the pole)
Guyline-type-of-needs: Truckers hitch (for real guylines I use linelocks, so much easier on cold/bad weather and dirty lines that I accept the small weight gain). Quite often I do also this as a slipped variant for quick release.

[Dale Wambaugh]

Antti wrote, "I would draw the cheat sheet on dry bag instead of tarp or taking cards, easier to move to the place where the help is needed than tarp, and no additional items in the kit as there is with cards."

A page back shows the AGG bandana– perfect.

@ Todd Taylor: Alpine butterfly (hanging stuff on a line between trees)– that is a handy knot and easy to learn. Thanks! http://www.animatedknots.com/alpinebutterfly/

[larry savage]

Cut and paste the knots you want into some MS application like Word and run a clear plastic sheet through the printer or take it on a flash drive down to a Kinkos or whatever.

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