In-line figure 8

[dmonn]

I know it's been discussed before, but I thought I'd bring it back. It's my go-to knot for tying a trucker's hitch when lashing down a load on my trailer. It's not a figure 8 on a bight. It's a figure 8 WITH a bight which gives you a directional mid-line loop.

. I find it very easy to tie and untie after loading moderately. I think it's easier to untie than an alpine butterfly loaded to the same weight. It has different applications and limitations than an AB. If the load is going to be very heavy, my all-time favorite in-line directional loop is a bowline with a bight--easy to untie even when the rigging load is pretty extreme. It's different than a bowline on a bight--it's a bowline WITH a bight.

How do others feel about the In-line Figure 8, AB, and bowline with a bight for various applications? (maybe this should be on the rigging and roping thread, but it also has climbing applications)

 

[CjM]

Love it. I often take it a turn more for the inline figure 9, it seems to untie a little easier if you're going to reef on it, but everyone on your crew will think it looks incorrectly tied.

This knot is also why I refrain from "backup" knots in any figure 8, even one at the terminal end. If a retrace 8 comes half untied, it just turns into an inline. A great directional alternative to the AB as you mentioned, and I never forget how to tie it, unlike the circus bowline.

I tie inline 8 faster than bowline with a bight, so I don't often tie that one. I've seen it tied many times with great results before though.

 

[Winchman]

Thanks for posting it. I can see where I'm going to use it the next time I climb. It seems to dress itself really well.

 

[dmonn]

I was not taught this knot--I was just playing around with creating a better loop for a trucker's hitch and came up with it. Then I checked on-line and found the name for it. So you can call it "Don's Knot" if you like, but then nobody would know what you're talking about.