Hitch Knots

Choose a knot below, or scroll down for more information:

Adjustable Grip Hitch - Used to tension a rope or guy line

Used to tension a rope, e.g., a tent ridge line or a guy line.

Anchor Hitch - attaches an anchor line to an anchor

Excellent knot to attach an anchor line to an anchor.

Barrel Hitch - Secure method to lift barrels, buckets and other containers.

Secure method to lift barrels, buckets and other containers.

Basket Hitch - a closed loop made of rope or webbing

A webbing loop thrown over a branch provides an anchor.

Blake's Hitch - Slide and grip knot used for ascent and descent

Slide and grip knot used for ascent and descent.

Boom Hitch - tolerates tension at right angles to the boom

Attach rope to spar for right-angle strain or parallel strain.

Buntline Hitch - used to join buntlines to square sails

Secure hitch originally used to join buntlines to square sails.

Cleat Hitch - Attaches dock line or mooring line to cleat

Attaches rope to cleat. Often used for Dock Lines.

Clove Hitch - Half Hitches Method

Simple (weak) hitch to attach a rope to a pole or ring

Clove Hitch - attaches a rope to a pole

Simple (weak) hitch to attach a rope to a pole or ring

Clove Hitch - Rope End Method - used for stage scenery or mooring buoy

Temporary hold, e.g., stage scenery or mooring buoy

Cow Hitch using Rope Ends Method

Temporary hitch for a light load or animal.

Cow Hitch using Rope Loops Method

Temporary hitch for a light load or animal.

Distel Hitch - ascending a climbing rope

Slide and Grip knot: takes strain in only one direction.

Farrimond Friction Hitch - Scouting Knots

Quick method of rigging an adjustable tent ridge line.

Gnat Hitch - a small, secure hitch knot

Makes a very useful, small, secure hitch knot

Halyard Hitch - Join halyard to a shackle at top of a sail

Compact knot to join halyard to a shackle at top of a sail.

Highwayman's Hitch - Quick-release knot

Quick-release knot supposedly used by highwaymen.

Icicle Hitch - Slide and grip knot

Very secure slide and grip knot that may grip on tapered pole.

Icicle Hitch - Loop Method - Boating and Sailing Knot

Very secure slide and grip knot that may grip on tapered pole.

Klemheist Knot - Climbing Knots

Slide and Grip knot that takes strain in only one direction.

Lighterman's Hitch - Secure a tow line to a bollard

Simple strong way to secure a tow line to a bollard

Midshipman's Hitch - Adjustable loop in the end of a rope

An adjustable loop tied using a Rolling Hitch

Mooring Hitch - Holds a boat temporarily to a dock

Quick-release knot to hold a boat temporarily to a dock.

Munter Mule Combination Hitch - Climbing Knots

Slide and Grip Knot to control rappelling (abseiling).

Pile Hitch - Attach a mooring line to a dock post

Easy attachment to a mooring pole or to make rope fence.

Prusik Knot - Climbing Knots

Symmetrical 3-turn slide and grip (friction) knot.

Rolling Hitch Knot - Slide and grip knot

Popular slide and grip knot, may fail with modern ropes.

Round Turn and Two Half Hitches - Secure a rope to a post or ring

Excellent way of securing a rope to a post or ring.

Siberian Hitch | Evenk Hitch - Quick-Release Hitch

Quick-release hitch. May be tied in cold weather with gloves.

Super Munter Hitch Knot - Climbing Knots

Secure method to control the descent of a heavy load.

Tensionless Hitch - Rescue work or Rappelling

Simple wrapping hitch used in rescue work or rappelling.

Truckers Hitch - Power Cinch Knot

Valuable knot usually used for securing loads or tarpaulins.

Trucker's Hitch - Quick Release

Quick-release method of securing a load or tarpaulin.

Tumble Hitch - Bank Robbers Knot or Getaway Hitch

Quick-release hitch; released by a pull on the free tail.

Welcome to Rope Hitches

This page shows a selection of the knots commonly used to make rope hitches. This category includes: Slide and Grip Hitches; Quick-Release Hitches; and, Plain Rope Hitches. Some Fishing Knots function as Slide and Grip Knots. However, limited space prevented them from being included here.

Rope Hitches
Anchor Hitch
Barrel Hitch
Boom Hitch
Buntline Hitch
Cleat Hitch
Clove Hitch
Cow Hitch
Gnat Hitch
Halyard Hitch
Lighterman's Hitch
Midshipman's Hitch
Munter Hitch
Rolling Hitch
Round Turn & Hitches
Super Munter Hitch
Pile Hitch
Siberian Hitch
Tensionless Hitch
Trucker's Hitch

Rope: Quick Release Hitches
Highwayman's Hitch
Mooring Hitch
Tumble Hitch

Rope: Slide & Grip Hitches
Blake's Hitch
Distel Hitch
Icicle Hitch
Klemheist
Prusik Knot