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Offset figure-eight bend

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Offset figure-eight bend
Offset figure-eight bend
Names Offset figure-eight bend,
flat figure-eight bend[1],
abnormal figure-eight bend[2]

The offset figure-eight bend is a poor knot that has been implicated in the deaths of several rock climbers.[1][3][4][5][6] The knot may capsize (invert) under load, as shown in the figure, and this can happen repeatedly.[7] Each inversion reduces the lengths of the tails. Once the tails are used up completely, the knot comes undone.

Offset figure-eight bend
An offset figure-eight knot inverting itself

More secure knots for this purpose are the Flemish bend (the “figure eight bend”), (doubled) offset overhand bend, or double fisherman’s knot.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Moyer, Tom (1999-11-09). “Pull Tests of the “Euro Death-Knot”“. Rope and Gear Testing. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  2. ↑ “Rock Climbing Tech Tips: Joining Two Ropes”. Chockstone.org. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  3. ↑ “Report from Zion Rap Accident Survivor”. groups.google.com. Retrieved 2026-04-09. grab both ropes together and then tie a regular single fig-eight knot in both ropes at once. … single fig-eight in one rope then follow this through with the other rope – we did NOT do this
  4. ↑ Jackson, Jeff. “Rappel Knot Fails, Climber Falls to Death on the Goat Wall”. Rock and Ice. Archived from the original on 2016-12-05. Retrieved 2018-07-10. Erps had rigged the previous rappels using a flat figure 8
  5. ↑ “Rappel Failure – Inadequate Knot”. Rock and Ice Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-09. it’s likely he too used a at figure-8; it’s unknown if he backed up the knot. Testing has shown the at figure-8 is prone to rolling or “capsizing” under loads
  6. ↑ “Fall on Rock, Failure of Rappel-Knot Came Undone, No Hard Hat, West Virginia, Seneca Rocks”. Accidents in North American Mountaineering. The American Alpine Club. 1995.
  7. ↑ Dahlberg, Robin. “Cross load test of common climbing knots”. Vimeo. 0:08-0:35. Retrieved 2020-06-10.

This article is adapted from “Offset figure-eight bend” on Wikipedia, written by its contributors, and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Text on this page is available under the same licence. Source snapshot: Wikipedia via Kiwix, 2026-07-20.

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