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
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