Figure-eight loop (also figure-eight on a bight, figure-eight follow-through, figure-eight retrace, Flemish loop, or Flemish eight) is a type of

knot A knot is an intentional complication in Rope, cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including List of hitch knots, hitches, List of bend knots, bends, List of loop knots, loop knots, ...

created by a

loop Loop or LOOP may refer to: Brands and enterprises * Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live * Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets * Loop Mobile, ...

on the bight. It is used in

climbing Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or any other part of the body to ascend a steep topographical object that can range from the world's tallest mountains (e.g. the eight thousanders), to small boulders. Climbing is done ...

and caving. The double figure eight is used to put a loop in the end of a rope, or around an object. It is relatively easy to tie and is secure, but can become difficult to untie after heavy loading, and can jam badly in any rope type.

Tying methods

On a bight

A figure-eight loop is created by doubling the rope into a bight, then tying the standard figure-eight knot. In climbing, this knot is used to save time when repeatedly attaching the rope to climbing harnesses, using locking

carabiners A carabiner or karabiner () is a specialized type of shackle, a metal loop with a spring-loaded gate used to quickly and reversibly connect components, most notably in safety-critical systems. The word is a shortened form of ''Karabinerhaken'' ...

, such as when a group of people are climbing on the same top-rope.

Follow-through

Alternatively, to tie the knot directly around an object, the follow-through method must be used. * Tie a regular figure eight knot with a significant amount of extra tail. * Loop the tail around the object. * Thread the tail back through the figure eight to create a normal looking figure eight on a bight.

Climbing

This is the standard method for attaching a rope to a climbing harness. Often an additional strangle knot (which is half of a double fisherman's knot) "backup knot" is tied in the tail the figure 8. This is not required for the knot's integrity during climbing, but could prevent ring-loading failure if

belaying Belaying is a variety of techniques climbers use to create friction within a climbing system, particularly on a climbing rope, so that a falling climber does not fall very far. A climbing partner typically applies tension at the other end of ...

from the rope loop (instead of a dedicated belay loop). It also ensures that adequate tail length has been included, and gets excess tail out of the way. If the finish knot is not included, the tail should be 4 to 8 inches long. The tail can also be tucked back into the knot, called a " Yosemite finish" or "Yosemite tuck". This holds the bottom loop open, making the knot easier to untie after falling, but also making it weaker in a ring-loading configuration. The diameter of the loop should be kept small, to avoid being caught on protrusions while falling, or clipped into accidentally while lead climbing. A well-dressed knot has a symmetrical appearance, with the strands parallel through each curve.

References

External links