Bowline on a bight Bowline on a bight The Bowline on a bight is a knot which makes a pair of fixed-size loops in the middle of a rope. Its advantage is that it is reasonably easy to untie after being exposed to a strain. This knot can replace the figure-eight knot when tying into a climbing harness. However, it is critical to use a strong backup knot with plenty of tail beyond the knot. 2011 testing shows that the knot might slip when only one loop is loaded. Cavers and canyoneers ought to fasten their cow-tail carabiner through both loops. European cavers widely
Double bowline is easier to untie after being weighted in a fall, and so is used by sport climbers who take multiple lead falls and then have trouble untying their figure eights. The disadvantages of the double bowline are that it is less secure than a figure eight knot, takes longer to tie, and is not as easy to check. Unlike the figure eight, there are many variations of the bowline, with ambiguous names, and some are not safe for climbing. The Bowline on a bight, when re-threaded instead of being tied on a bight, can also be used for tying into