A pile of rope at your campsite is just… well, a pile of rope. But learn a few key knots, and that rope transforms into your best friend, helping you set up shelter, hang gear, and a whole lot more. These ten knots are the ones you’ll use again and again, becoming second nature with a little practice.
Basic fastening knots
Square Knot (Reef Knot)
- Good for: Tying two ends of the same rope together. Think securing a bandage or bundling kindling. Not for anything heavy though, seriously.
- How: It’s a simple right over left and under, then left over right and under. If it looks a bit off, like a lopsided granny knot, it probably is… and it’ll slip when you least expect it. Make sure the two loops lie neatly together.
- Camper tip: Use it for non-critical jobs. Its super handy for tying up small bundles or closing stuff sacks. Quick and easy, but know its limits.
Two Half Hitches
- Good for: A swift way to tie a rope to a post, tree, or ring. Simple and reasonably secure for lighter loads.
- How: Wrap the rope’s working end around your object. Make a loop around the standing part of the rope and pass the end through. Snug it up. Do that exact same thing again, making a second hitch right beside the first. Thats it.
- Camper tip: Great for temporarily securing a clothesline or a dog leash to a pole. Easy to adjust if you need to give it some slack or tighten up.
Secure loops and stoppers
Bowline
- Good for: Making a fixed loop at the end of a rope that won’t slip or tighten, no matter the load. A real champion.
- How: Folks often use the rhyme: “The rabbit comes out of the hole, goes around the tree, and then back into the hole.” Form a small loop (the hole), pass the rope end (rabbit) up through it, go around the main line (tree), and back down the hole.
- Camper tip: Perfect for securing guylines to tent stakes, hanging a bear bag (where permitted!), or any time you need a super reliable loop that won’t constrict. It’s a true workhorse of a knot.
Figure Eight Knot
- Good for: Creating a strong, bulky stopper knot at the end of a rope. This prevents the rope from pulling through a hole, grommet, or a device.
- How: Make a loop near the end of your rope. Then, take the working end, pass it around the standing part, and back through the initial loop, forming a clear “8” shape. Pull it tight.
- Camper tip: Essential for safety lines or anywhere you absolutely don’t want a rope end to slip. Much stronger and way easier to untie than a simple overhand knot after being heavily loaded.
Attaching lines to objects
Clove Hitch
- Good for: Quickly attaching a rope to a pole, carabiner, or tree branch. It holds well under consistent tension.
- How: One common method is to make two identical loops in your rope, then overlap them and slip them over the post. Another way is to wrap the rope around the object, cross it over itself, and tuck the end under the cross.
- Camper tip: Ideal for starting a clothesline, securing a tarp ridge line, or tying a boat to a dock cleat. Keep in mind, it can loosen if the load isn’t constant or shifts around a lot.
Taut-Line Hitch
- Good for: Creating an adjustable loop that slides to tighten but grips firmly under load. Think tent guylines or tarp lines.
- How: Wrap the working end around your anchor point (like a tent stake). Bring the end up and make two wraps inside the loop, around the standing part of the rope, working away from the anchor. Then make one more wrap outside those first two, on the other side of the standing part.
- Camper tip: This is your go-to for making tent lines perfectly tight and keeping them that way, even if the rope stretches a bit overnight. No more saggy tarps in the morning!
Timber Hitch
- Good for: Securing a rope to a log, branch, or other cylindrical object for dragging or temporary hoisting. It grips tighter as more pull is applied.
- How: Pass the rope around the timber. Then, wrap the working end around the standing part of the rope inside the loop. Continue by tucking the working end under itself at least three or four times, laying these tucks neatly alongside each other.
- Camper tip: Fantastic for dragging firewood back to camp or for the initial hold when setting up a ridgeline. Simple but incredibly effective for its specific purpose.
Joining ropes and creating tension
Sheet Bend
- Good for: Joining two ropes together, especially if they’re different thicknesses or made of different materials.
- How: Make a bight (a U-shaped curve) in the end of the thicker rope. Pass the working end of the thinner rope up through this bight, then around behind both parts of the bight, and finally tuck the thinner rope’s end under itself, where it first came through.
- Camper tip: Super useful if you need to make a longer rope from two shorter pieces you have on hand. Generally more reliable than a square knot for joining ropes, particularly mismatched ones.
Prusik Knot
- Good for: Creating a friction hitch using a separate cord loop that can slide along a main rope when loose but grips tight when weighted.
- How: You’ll need a shorter piece of cord tied into a loop (a Prusik loop). Wrap this loop around your main rope three or more times, passing the loop through itself with each wrap. Make sure the wraps are neat and don’t cross over each other.
- Camper tip: Often used in climbing for ascending ropes or as a safety backup. For campers, it can be handy for creating adjustable hanging points on a ridgeline for lanterns or gear.
Trucker’s Hitch
- Good for: Creating a 3-to-1 mechanical advantage to pull lines really tight. Like, super tight. Essential for securing big loads.
- How: Tie a loop (often a figure eight loop or a simple slip knot that won’t bind too badly) partway down your rope. Pass the working end around your anchor point (like a D-ring on a trailer or a tree), then back up and through the loop you created. Pull hard on the working end; you’ll feel the advantage. Secure the tightened line with a couple of half hitches or a quick-release slippery hitch onto the standing part of the rope.
- Camper tip: The best knot for cinching down gear on a roof rack, securing a canoe to your vehicle, or getting a tarp ridgeline banjo-string tight. It’s like having a mini pulley system in your pocket.