Touring - Favorite knots and applications

In preparation for this summer's bicycle camping adventures, I was reading "Beyond Backpacking" Ray Jardine's excellent book on lightweight hiking. I found a marvelous knot (yes I am easily amused) in his "Knots" chapter.

The Sheet Bend Knot (http://www.mistral.co.uk/42brghtn/knots/42ktshtb.html) is used to tie off a tarp that has no grommets or tie-outs. The description above shows the knot being used to join two pieces of line, but it can be used to join the corner of a tarp and a small line.

Not having to use grommets or tie outs means that I can buy an inexpensive sheet of tyvek or blue poly and not have to bother with grommeting the tarp to use it as a shelter.

Anyone else have a favorite knot and application.

Dan

I have always felt inadequate at using the appropriate knot. Both my brother and Dad were sailors and know how to tie several knots. One of these days I going to buy a good knot book.

knots are pretty cool. i've learned how to make quite a few useful iones through out my life. unfortunatly for me atleast it's the type of thing where if i don't use them i forget how to tie them. right now i don't think i could do better than a square knot :(

:) The figure eight with a bite and the clove hitch. I use these often when rock climbing.These are my favorites.

As a mountaineer and former boy scout, I am fascinated by knots. My favorites include the double fisherman's (for tying together two ropes of similar size), the figure eight, the bowline, and the water knot (for tying together two pieces of flat webbing).

Another suggestion for your tarp guy-out; rather than the sheet bend, you can wrap a small rock into the corner of the tarp and secure a slipknot loop around it--works like a charm!

b.

:beer: