Overhand Knot

The Overhand Knot is like the ABCs of canyoneering knots – it’s simple, foundational, and helps you build/learn upon more complex knots down the line.  Think of it as the “building bock” for essential knots like the Water Knot, EDK, and Double Fisherman’s Bend – all heavily used in canyoneering.

Pros:

• Serves as the basis for many other knots and is very easy to tie.

• Can be tied quickly and used as a simple stopper knot (in some situations: can’t see the bottom; kid rappeler, etc.)

Cons:

• Not strong enough for load-bearing applications; it’s more of a building block knot.

• Not strong enough to rappel on its own

Caution:

• Do NOT rappel using this knot; it’s not reliable for critical loads (or force).

Canyoneering Usage Examples:

• Used to build other knots such as the Water Knot, EDK, Double-Fisherman Bend.

• Tied as a stopper knot at the end of a rappel rope to prevent accidental descent off the rope’s end.

• Used to secure loose ends of a rope or to back up a primary knot, such as a Figure 8 Follow-Through, in anchor systems.

Additional Reading:

• Wikipedia.com: Overhand Knot

• AnimatedKnots.com: Overhand Knot

• Youtube: Canyons & Crags: An Overhand is an Overhand Not