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I once tied a bear bag with a haphazard bundle of knots, and despite being seemingly impossible to untie, it came loose when lowering the bear bag and nearly smoked my friend standing under it. What are some good knots to learn for most stuff encountered while camping / backpacking?

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Stick with the first question - how do you tie a knot for a bear bag. Your second question is way too general, we want questions that can have one correct answer! –  Ryley Jan 24 '12 at 21:45
All of these knots are great for camping, fishing, hiking and general all around usage but the absolute best knot in the world is "The knot that you remember how to tie!" So, with that in mind, I keep a small shank of rope sitting around and when I'm sitting by the fire I like to practice a few knots which is both fun and useful in helping me remember how to tie them. There are also quite a few free apps around that show how to tie different knots. Knot Wars is a free app from North American Fishing Club which includes video animations with audio instruction. –  Thomas McGrath III Mar 11 '13 at 13:26
I see lots of familiar knots here but to answer the question "what knots for camping". Learn the taught line hitch and the clove hitch. These get used 95% of the time even if you know how to tie all the rest of these knots. –  user3210 May 6 at 18:10

7 Answers 7

Tying knots is actually a bit of an art. Depending on what you need it for, there are knots that slide, create loops, tighten under load, and do tons of other things. Here are some backcountry essentials:

Bowline Knot: Use this when you need a knot that absolutely, positively will not slip (unless loaded wrong). When I was in camp, we'd use these when making climbing harnesses out of webbing, since they were so safe. [link]

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Double Overhand Knot: Use this when you need to make a section of rope chunky so it doesn't slide or is easier to grab onto: [link]

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Noose (or Hangman's Knot): Use this when you need to make a loop of rope that slides easily to tighten around or pull things. [link]

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Double Fisherman's Knot: Use this when you need to attach two ropes together, as it holds very well when force is applied in the direction of the rope. Essentially just a double overhand knot on two ropes tied around each other. [link]

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Slip Knot: Use this when you need a knot, but you'll be undoing it frequently. It is easy to undo, even if it's been under heavy load. [link]

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Once you've mastered these, you should start understanding the dynamics of how knots can make ropes do all sorts of cool things. It's important that you practice these and know them well. You don't want to make a mistake and then trust a heavy load or your safety to a knot that might slip.

Be careful, and good luck!

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Nice pictures. Bowlines are extremely useful. I would skip the fisherman's bend, as 2 bowlines will work as a bend without having to learn a new knot. Slipping a knot is a useful skill, but the slipknot picture shows something I would never advise a sailor to do. I'd skip the noose. –  Jay Bazuzi Jan 25 '12 at 0:30
Add the Taught line and two half hitch, and clove hitch and you get a double thumbs up –  mjrider Jan 25 '12 at 0:44
@mjrider hadn't heard of the Taught Hitch until you/Kevin. It seems like a stronger version of the noose, which is cool! I skipped the clove hitch because, while useful, it can also come apart pretty easily if you don't understand how to use it, so I wanted to keep things simple. –  Hartley Brody Jan 25 '12 at 2:16
yeah I guess the clove hitch is more for lashings (which is another fun topic =) ) you might just out right give the resorce you are using too animatedknots.com in regarding to your taught line statement. the taught line is more used for tightening stuff up. especially tent lines and the like. (quite useful for volley ball setup too), while the two half hitch is for connecting a rope to a loop or the like –  mjrider Jan 28 '12 at 17:24
should really add that the bowline will not slip under load. If you're bouncing about on it or if the load comes and goes, it can and will slip. - back it up with a second knot in these circumstances. –  Sirex Mar 14 '12 at 12:02

The most important knots you'll ever need to know are the taut-line hitch and the bowline. For instance, on your bear bag, you would tie a bowline through a handle or other loop the bag, and then the taut-line on the other side.

The best thing about a bowline is that no matter how much force you've put on it, you can crack it easily to take it apart.

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If you hang the bear bag pct-style, a clove hitch knot can easily be used for the stick and you won't need a taut-line knot. –  calebB May 4 '13 at 5:00

Here is an article from Scoutin magazine





To prolong the life of your rope, protect it from dirt, sunlight, chemicals, and abrasion. When you store a rope, coil it following its natural lay. Don’t wrap it around your arm and through your outstretched hand like an extension cord. Keep it in a bag for storage.

Fortified Square Knot

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  1. “Right over left and under, left over right and under, then pull.”


Taut-line Hitch



  2. Finish by bringing the leading rope above the two loops and finish with a half hitch; pull tight.

Grapevine Knot

(also known as the Double Fisherman’s Knot)

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  2. Pull the knot tight.

Clove Hitch

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  1. Wrap the rope around a post and cross it.

  2. Wrap the leading end of the rope around the post again and tuck it under itself below the cross.

  3. Pull tight.


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  2. The “rabbit” sees a hunter, runs around the tree (the standing line of the rope)

  3. It goes back into the hole. Pull both ends of the rope to finish the knot.

Prusik Knot

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  1. Tie a grapevine knot to make a secure loop.


  3. secure the cord with the grapevine knot around another rope.

Chain Sennit (AKA Daisy Chain, Monkey Braid)


  1. Make an overhand slip knot.

  2. Pull the loose end through to make another slip knot.

  3. Repeat as many times as necessary and pull tight.

This entry was posted in Camping, Camping Advice and Tips, Outdoors and tagged Boy Scouts of America, Knots, Scouting. Bookmark the permalink.

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square knot is the same as a reef knot (outside the us) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reef_knot when scouts are learning can be confused with a granny knot en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granny_knot –  Mapperz Sep 2 at 14:57

There are three knots that I find cover most of my needs:

The trucker's hitch can be cinched very tight and it's easy to add or remove tension. It's useful for tying down loads (on boats or roof racks), applying variable tension (e.g., for tarps or hammocks), and winching. It can be undone with a quick pull.

The bowline is perfect for anchoring the end of a rope to a fixed object. It doesn't tighten when pressure is applied, and it's easy to undo. It's a good one for hammocks, tarps, tow lines, and tying up boats.

The square knot is for tying the ends of two shorter ropes to one another to make a longer rope.

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-1: The square knot is unsafe for use as a bend (to make two ropes act like a longer one), especially if the rope sizes are different. It can easily capsize in to a cow hitch, and come loose. It can easily jam when you want to untie it. –  Jay Bazuzi Jan 25 '12 at 0:25
@JayBazuzi are you sure your not talking about the Granny knot, which is the WRONG way to tie a square knot. the square knot is nice if you give it enough tail. –  mjrider Jan 25 '12 at 0:46
The square knot is good as a binding knot, for "brown paper packages tied up with string", securing a furled sail, or double slipped in shoelaces. However, it's a poor choice as a bend. Consider en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_knot#Misuse_as_a_bend –  Jay Bazuzi Jan 25 '12 at 0:55
The square knot is easy to learn, easy to tie, and widely known, but not very important. If the bowline and square knot traded places in our culture, we'd be better off. –  Jay Bazuzi Jan 25 '12 at 0:56
@JayBazuzi I kinda agree, except when you use a bowline to join two pieces of rope (like a square knot is used) it's called a sheep's bend (turn the sheep's bend over after tying and tell me it's not a bowline). –  MaskedPlant May 25 '12 at 16:10

The figure of 8 knot can be used instead of the bowline. It has a somewhat higher breaking strength. It is also very easy to untie even after being loaded.

You might want to consider the alpine butterfly, it can be used whenever you need a standing loop on a rope. It is also considered climbing safe.

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Actually, one of the reasons usually given to prefer a Bowline Knot to a Figure of Eight is that the Figure of Eight can be very difficult to undo after a heavy loading, whereas a Bowline can usually always be undone. –  Paul Lydon Apr 1 at 6:23
Never had a problem undoing a Figure of Eight even after shock loading it. F8 is better on climbing ropes while the bowline is suited to braided ropes. –  papirtiger Apr 2 at 12:09
Fair enough. However, I was told this by a qualified Mountain Guide and it appears that the British Mountaineering Council agree: thebmc.co.uk/Download.aspx?id=514 where is is said about a Figure of Eight "Disadvantages Few, but it is not so easy to adjust as the bowline. Can be difficult to untie after loading." –  Paul Lydon Apr 2 at 16:44

When considering the knots, there are several characteristics you would like to take into account:

  • is it useful, that is, it's better to know only a few reliable knots well, than a lot of fancy ones poorly;
  • is it secure, do not use insecure knots, you will only hurt someone;
  • is it easy to tie, for example can you make it fast in the dark (i.e. with feel only), are there any similar versions which are dangerous (e.g. reef knot vs. granny knot);
  • is it easy to untie, e.g. does it jam;
  • does it have good mechanics, knots have different mechanics, some work well under load, other work well if the force is applied in some particular direction, etc.; for example, it's not good if the rope is bent too much, another example could be the overhand loop which is terribly bad as a loop-in-the-middle knot (applies too much stress).

The bowline knot. (Animation: basic way.)

  • Simple.
  • Fast.
  • Secure.
  • Useful.

However, I strongly recommend learning an alternate way of tying it:

fast bowline tying method

It might look complicated at first, but with a real rope (instead of pictures) it's actually simpler than the standard way. The only thing to watch for, is to ensure that the knot transforms, that is, the slip-knot part does slip, in the process pulling the free end inside (it's important because the knot is not secure before).

The figure eight knot. (Animation.)

  • It's one of the basic knots.
  • It's easy to modify and accomodate to other needs, e.g. see figure-eight loop.
  • It's frequently a better choice than just the overhand knot.

Reef knot and the surgeon's verion. (Animation.)

  • It's simple and well-known (your colleague might use it).
  • It is crucial to know that the second overhand should be tied with different orientation, otherwise it results in the insecure granny knot.
  • The surgeon's version adds additional security (not exactly, but it's close enough interpretation).

Alpine butterfly and the butterfly bend. (Animation: loop and bend.)

  • It's a very useful loop-in-the-middle knot.
  • Other knots of similar function are complicated (the simple ones are insecure or have bad mechanics).
  • The butterfly bend is the same knot and a quite secure bend.

Sheet bend and double sheet bend. (Animation: single.)

  • Simple and secure.
  • Still ok if tied incorrectly (i.e. the left-hand sheet bend is much better than granny knot).
  • You can add a second loop (i.e. double sheet bend) for additional strength.
  • It works great even if the ropes are of different diameter (the simplest knot with this property).
  • Doesn't jam that much.

Clove hitch and ABOK #1674 (it's a version of Miller's knot, sometimes called bag knot). (Animation: clove hitch.)

  • Clove hitch is easy to remember because of its symmetry (you can immediately tell if something is wrong).
  • Clove hitch is a base for many other knots, e.g. see the water bowline.
  • It is useful by itself, e.g. see the rolling hitch.
  • The #1674 is my personal favorite for attaching a rope to an object: it's almost a clove hitch, secure and doesn't jam.
  • In fact, any of the Miller's knots, constrictor knot, transom knot would do, so whatever you tie should be ok.

I hope this helps :-)

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The knots I use the most while camping is the Taught-line hitch, Siberian hitch, Trucker's Hitch, Prusik Knot, Figure 8 loop, and the slip knot. In fact these are the only knots I ever use, besides tying my shoes.

A great easy way to rig up a ridge line between two trees is to use the Siberian hitch and Trucker's hitch. The Siberian hitch allows for a quick anchoring of one end of the rope to a tree. And then a Trucker's hitch on the other end allows for you to pull the rope nice and tight. Both knots have a slip-knot release, so take down is easy!

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