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 on the bight. It is used in

climbing Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or other parts 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 for locom ...

and

caving Caving, also known as spelunking (United States and Canada) and potholing (United Kingdom and Ireland), is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems (as distinguished from show caves). In contrast, speleology is the scientific ...

. 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 The figure-eight knot or figure-of-eight knot is a type of stopper knot. It is very important in sailing, rock climbing and caving as a method of stopping ropes from running out of retaining devices. Like the overhand knot, which will jam under ...

. In climbing, this knot is used to save time when repeatedly attaching the rope to climbing harnesses, using locking

carabiner A carabiner or karabiner (), often shortened to biner or to crab, colloquially known as a (climbing) clip, is a specialized type of shackle, a metal loop with a spring-loaded gate used to quickly and reversibly connect components, most notabl ...

s, 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 of the figure 8. This is not required for the knot's integrity during climbing, but could prevent ring-loading failure if belaying 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 Yosemite National Park ( ) is a national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service ...

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 Lead climbing (or leading) is a technique in rock climbing where the 'lead climber' Glossary of climbing terms#clip in, clips their rope to the climbing protection as they ascend a pitch (climbing), pitch of the climbing route, while their 'seco ...

. A well-dressed knot has a

symmetrical Symmetry () in everyday life refers to a sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion and balance. In mathematics, the term has a more precise definition and is usually used to refer to an object that is invariant under some transformations ...

appearance, with the strands parallel through each curve.

References

External links