Climbing harness the purpose, primarily a variation of the double bowline, but the figure-eight is usually preferred. Although it is harder to untie after a fall, it is inherently more secure, easier to tie, and easier to verify that it has been tied correctly. There are many variations of the bowline knot, and some will untie themselves when repeatedly stressed and unstressed, as is common in climbing. In addition to the weight bearing parts of the harness, there are parts of the harness that are not designed to be part of the safety system. These include the gear loops, used for carrying
Overhand knot There are a number of ways to tie the Overhand knot. In heraldry, the overhand knot is known as a "Stafford knot", owing to a representation of it being used first as a heraldic badge by the Earls of Stafford, and later as a general symbol of Staffordshire. As a defensive measure, hagfishes, which resemble eels, produce large volumes of thick slime when disturbed. A hagfish can remove the excess slime, which can suffocate it in a matter of minutes, by tying its own body into an overhand knot, then sliding the knot from its head down to the tail.