Blakes hitch options???

Richard Mumford-yoyoman

Richard Mumford-yoyoman

Been here a while
Location
Atlanta GA
The other day I climbed on a Blakes hitch as I was out of town and using provided equipment.
I think it is good to go back to the very minimum once in awhile. You never know when all you might have is a rope and a carabiner.

Thoughts?
Question: why is it popular to use a F8 knot on the carabiner?
 
The F8 on a Bight is what was taught for years by rec climbing instructors. That practice has been revisited due to it not being a cinching knot, Anchor Hitch is a good choice for the carabiner attachment point for a "closed" Blake's Hitch system. -AJ
 
JontreeHI: the bowline only works well if you are using a rope snap with a thimble, but if you are using a carbiner, you should (ANSI z-133 requires) use a knot or hitch that cinches so that the 'biner cannot be move and become cross loaded. try the anchor hitch, clove, buntline, ladder or fishermans as they all work well on carabiners. good luck!
yoyoman, nice video, thanks for sharing. "It is good to revisit the past, but I try not to dwell on it"
 
moss said:
The F8 on a Bight is what was taught for years by rec climbing instructors. That practice has been revisited due to it not being a cinching knot, Anchor Hitch is a good choice for the carabiner attachment point for a "closed" Blake's Hitch system. -AJ
Click to expand...
And I often still see it used and taught today. I'm not one to tell anyone what is best for them but when I open the subject I often get a defensive response. To me it is almost like an update notification could be sent by those that have tough it to give a "seal" of approval for the change. Something to "approve" other options.
Just thinking.
 
Yep, we're all habitual in our climbing practices/techniques, mostly because it's linked to our overall sense of security while climbing. Some people don't like change, others thrive on it, especially if it makes their climbing safer and more efficient. -AJ
 
I was taught to use the F8 on a bight as my attachment knot, but now my preferred attachment is the scaffold knot. It's much less bulky, cinches tight to the carabiner, and the tail exits parallel to the climbing line. When the carabiner is removed, it comes apart easily. It's a great companion to the Blake's hitch. My Arbormaster doesn't have an eye splice, so when I use it with the Hitch Climber, I'll set it up as an O-rig, so the termination knot doesn't interfere with the VT. (Time to put an eye on that line.)
 
Thanks, Yoyoman, for that interesting tutorial on the Blake's hitch, especially the idea of using a short bridge so you can climb hand over hand. I'll have to give it a try. By the way, speaking of minimal gear, I ran across this video the other day on Youtube:
 
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