+ How to Tie a Bowline — Step-by-Step Climbing Knot Guide | BoulderingList
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Bowline

intermediate

The bowline is a fixed-loop knot used to attach a rope to a hard point. It is famously strong, easy to inspect, and easy to untie after heavy load.

When to Use

Tying the rope to a fixed object (anchor, harness in some climbing traditions) — strong, secure, and easy to untie after loading.

The bowline (pronounced "BOH-lin") is one of the most respected knots in sailing, climbing, and rope work. It creates a secure fixed loop at the end of a rope, holds tight under tension, and unties cleanly even after holding hundreds of kilos of load. The mnemonic that climbers and sailors learn: "the rabbit comes out of the hole, around the tree, and back down the hole."

In climbing, the bowline is most often used to tie into a harness in some traditions (particularly older British and European climbers) or to attach a rope to a fixed anchor. The standard climbing tie-in knot in most modern instruction is the figure-8 follow-through rather than the bowline, because the figure-8 is easier for beginners and instructors to inspect at a glance. The bowline remains common in trad climbing and big-wall climbing where the easy-untie property matters after long lead falls.

A standard bowline has one weakness: it can shake loose if not loaded continuously. For this reason, climbing variants like the "Yosemite bowline" and "double bowline" add a backup wrap or a stopper knot. If you tie a bowline for any climbing application, always finish with a stopper knot through the loop.

How to Tie the Bowline

  1. Step 1

    Make a small loop in the standing part of the rope, about 30 cm from the working end. The loop should be just big enough to pass the working end through twice.

  2. Step 2

    Pass the working end up through the small loop from underneath. The mnemonic: "the rabbit comes out of the hole."

  3. Step 3

    Pass the working end behind the standing part above the loop. The mnemonic: "around the tree."

  4. Step 4

    Pass the working end back down through the small loop from above. The mnemonic: "and back down the hole."

  5. Step 5

    Pull the standing part to tighten while holding the working end. The knot will sit clean against itself.

  6. Step 6

    Tie a stopper knot (overhand or double overhand) on the working end through the main loop for backup. Always.

Tips for Tying It Well

  • The mnemonic — rabbit out of the hole, around the tree, back down the hole — is universal among climbers and sailors. Memorise it.
  • Always finish a climbing bowline with a stopper knot. Never tie in with a bowline alone.
  • A correctly tied bowline has the working end on the inside of the loop, not the outside. Working end outside is a "Dutch bowline" — much weaker.
  • Practice tying a bowline behind your back. The skill becomes muscle memory after a few hundred repetitions.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting the stopper knot. A bowline without backup can shake loose in cyclic loading (e.g. wave action or repeated falls).
  • Tying it backwards (Dutch bowline) with the working end outside the loop. This variant has roughly half the strength.
  • Loading the loop sideways instead of with both legs of the loop. Side-loading can roll the knot.

Related Knots

Figure-8 Follow-Through

beginner

The figure-8 follow-through is the climbing tie-in knot used by virtually every climbing gym and instructor in the world. Tied through both tie-in points of the harness.

Overhand Knot

beginner

The overhand knot is the simplest knot — a single loop with the working end passed through. Used as a stopper, a backup, and the foundation for more complex knots.

Double Fisherman's Knot

intermediate

The double fisherman's knot is the climbing standard for joining two ropes. Two double-overhand knots tied around each other create a low-profile, bombproof join.

Take it further

Browse the full climbing knots library, or find a climbing gym to practice tying knots in real climbing situations.

All Climbing Knots Find a Gym Beginner's Guide

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