How to Tie a Prusik Knot

Climbers use the Prusik Knot to get up a hanging rope more efficiently. It's used in mountain rescue situations because it is so quick and simple to tie. Basically, you'll wrap a smaller rope or cord around the hanging rope that slides up the rope with you in a kind of step loop.

Things You'll Need

  • 6-foot chord
  • Long climbing rope
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Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare a 6-foot small cord into a loop. Join the two ends with a Double Fisherman's knot. The Double Fisherman is basically two double overhand knots tied around the other standing end.

    • 2

      Pass about a quarter of the byte end of the loop under the rope to be climbed. Also called the static rope or line.

    • 3

      Grab the remaining length of the smaller cord and loop that over the climbing rope, and through the byte end. This will spiral the cord to the inside of the byte.

    • 4

      Loop the cord in this manner two more times around the static line. Then cinch up and tighten the cord to the rope to be climbed. You will have a loop secure enough to step into.

    • 5

      Step into the loop. When weight or pressure is put into it, the cord tightens to grab onto the static rope so that it is strong enough to hold a person. The knot will slide easily along the static rope once the weight is removed. The sliding loop will let the climber be able to lift himself up the rope with his own leg power.