Knots Mechanics: A Genealogy of Climbing Hitches for Arborists Based on Association

The present article is an ongoing essay subjected to general public review, aiming to present the current arsenal of arborists' climbing hitches by association, serving as a praxis memorandum-vade mecum. It specifies the similarities and subtle changes between various hitches, highlighting simple relations that stand out instantly making complex hitches considerably easy to remember. As general feedback is gathered, this article will increase the number of associations and the number of climbing hitches that have become popular.

Even though the current genealogical tree based on associations represented in this article displays 25 hitches, only the most popular hitches are represented. This is a mere fraction of the colossal arsenal of climbing hitches that has bloomed in recent times. Tying knots is an ancestral technique that has rarely evolved as much as it’s doing nowadays since arborists started incorporating SRT to their climbing techniques. To get an idea of the immense amount of new climbing hitches available today, 'Brocky', a well-known member of TreeBuzz, creator of the phenomenal 'Knut H' (to be used exclusively with the Hitch Hiker SRT climbing device), tested 29 variations between the 'innovation' and the 'Knut' before settling for the outstanding 'Knut H'.

When we go under the hood and begin to demystify the mechanics of climbing hitches, we realize that in fact most of them are the result of attempts to tie other similar knots with a slight variation. Some by mistake, as it happened with the 'Michoacán' (pers.comm. Adolfo Sánchez) while attempting to tie a 'Blake' (a.k.a 'ProhGrip') or as it happened with the 'Distel' while attempting to tie a 'Schw?bisch' asymmetric 'Prusik'. Others are the result of mere curiosity to try a different closely related variation. The aim of having such a large arsenal of hitches is not purely for the sake of variation, but to the fact that all climbing hitches are interdependent of the combination configuration of the climbing line and the eye-to-eye tail or split-tail. A climbing hitch may perform with optimal reliability in a particular configuration setting, while it may perform poorly in another. In general, the climbing hitch is chosen depending on the combination configuration of the climbing line and eye-to-eye tail or split-tail, in accordance to its capacity to grip, release and slide. However, certain SRT devices require hitch adaptations like the 'Knut H' and 'Innovation' for the Hitch Hiker. 

The general mechanics of climbing hitches relies on a grip-release-and-slide system formed with a coil (multiple round turns usually counter clockwise) around the climbing line. What differs one hitch from another is in the way it is tied before, after or in between the coil, but adding or subtracting round turns rarely makes up for another hitch, it only adapts the hitch to the climbing line and eye-to-eye tail or split-tail combination configuration. In this sense, some hitches may be tied in the beginning or at the end in the same way as other hitches and they can be retained as a reference point to get to another hitch.

The basic hitch that forms a coil around a line is the classic combined hitch 'round turn & two half-hitches'. This knot secures the round turn coil with a 'clove hitch' (two half-hitches in opposite directions). As such, this hitch combination relates to the 'Helical' and 'Penberthy' open hitches tied with a split-tail. The only difference between these two hitches is in the way their bowline is tied. The 'helical’s' 'bowline' is tied with the working end on the lower leg, yielding an 'Inuit bowline', while the 'Penberthy’s' bowline is tied with the working end on the upper leg. When these two open hitches are set to grip, they react in the same fashion as a 'Vald?tin', thus, they can be considered as being a 'Vald?tin' that uses a split-tail instead of an eye-to-eye tail. Note that all climbing hitches tied with an eye-to eye tail can also be tied as open hitches, using a split-tail and securing the working end on the standing end in the same way as a 'helical' or 'Penberthy'.

Fig. 'Penberthy' ? Franck Ripault - Le classique des noeuds, 2000.

The 'Vald?tin' serves as a reference point to the large majority of climbing hitches. It represents the coil around the climbing line. It is usually tied with 6 round turns that are then set to grip without any additional tying appart from the upper leg crossing the coil to lay on the other side. The number of round turns may vary, as it may in any other hitch, depending on the climbing line and the eye-to-eye tail or split-tail combination configuration.

Fig. 'Vald?tin' ? Mark Adams - An Overview of Climbing Hitches, 2004. "With a carabiner attached, the legs could be pulled either up or down to form the Vald?tain hitch." .

The 'Vald?tin' serves as an exact reference point to the 'Machard' which is tied exactly in the same way using a loop instead of an eye-to-eye tail. 

The 'Vald?tin Tressé' a.k.a 'VT' is a 'Vald?tin' with an additional series of crossings around the climbing line making a tress, exactly as the 'Machard tressé' which uses a loop instead of an eye-to-eye tail. 

The only difference between the 'VT' and the 'XT', is in the tuck forming an 'X' in the 'XT' when joining both ends after the coil and before the tress. Note that this tuck is similar to that of a 'Blake' (a.k.a 'ProhGrip'). 

The 'Cooper' also has a tuck like the 'XT', followed by a series of crossings forming a tress without being in contact with the climbing line. 

Fig. 'Cooper' ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2021.

The 'innovation' is a variant of the 'Vald?tin', where the working end enters the coil in the top two wraps, similar to the two wraps of an inversed 'Blake' (a.k.a 'ProhGrip').

Fig. 'Innovation' ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2021.

The 'Knut' is a 'Vald?tain' where the standing end becomes the working end, making a lower bight behind the climbing line and making a half-hitch that seizes the standing end.

Fig. 'Knut' ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2019.

The only difference between a 'TK' and a 'Knut' is that the 'TK' twists the bight towards the top before the half-hitch.

The 'Knut H' has a lower bight similar to the 'Knut', although inverted (over the climbing line) and unlike the Knut' it makes the half-hitch without seizing the standing end.

Fig. 'Knut H' (to be used exclusively with the Hitch Hiker SRT climbing device) ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2018. Notice that the 'Knut H's tail does not have splices, 'H' stands exclusively for use with the Hitch Hiker which uses a tail with stopper knots instead of splices. 

The 'Catalán' makes a lower bight similar to the 'Knut H' and the standing end becomes once again the working end, going over the lower bight, under the climbing line and into the bight seizing the standing end.

Fig. 'Catalán' ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2021.

The 'Pindonga+' is a 2 wraps-1 inverted crossing 'VT' with a 'Catalán's bight. It is tied in the same fashion as a 'Blake' (a.k.a 'ProhGrip') using the thumb inside the first two wraps to pass the working end through, however in the opposite direction.

Fig. 'Pindonga' (left) & 'Pindonga+' (Right) ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2021.

The 'Catalyst' is a 'Knut H' where the free-standing end becomes the working end again and enters under the bight over the climbing line.  

Fig. 'Catalyst' ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2021.

The 'Enzyme' is a 'Catalyst' where the working end does not go inside the bight but goes under it all the way through. The side of the hitch is reminiscent of a 'Schw?bisch'.

Fig. 'Enzyme' ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2021.

The 'Klemheist' is a 'Machard' (also tied with a loop), where the working end on top of the coil serves as a bight and the standing end then becomes the working end and enters the bight seizing the coil.

Fig. 'Klemheist' ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2021.

The 'Icicle' is a hybrid hitch between a reversed 'Klemheist' tied with an eye-to-eye tail or split-tail instead of a loop and a 'Schw?bisch'. The working end at the top of the coil makes a bight under the climbing line and the standing end, retaining the bight as it makes a loop to lay parallel to the standing end. The bight is then placed over the climbing line and both ends enter the bight similar to a reversed 'Klemheist', reminiscent of a 'Schw?bisch' asymmetric 'Prusik'. The 'Icicle' is often used as an open hitch as well, it has an outstanding grip that can secure even the smoothest poles.

The 'Prusik' is a double 'lark's head' with two wraps on top and two wraps on the bottom, while the 'Schw?bisch' is an asymmetric 'Prusik' with three wraps on top and one wrap in the bottom.

Fig. 'Prusik' ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2021.

Fig. 'Schw?bisch ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2021.

The 'taut-line' is a 'clove hitch' with two wraps on top and two wraps on the bottom, while the 'Distel' is a 'clove hitch' with three wraps on top and one wrap in the bottom, an inverted "Schw?bisch".

Fig. 'Distel' ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2021.

The only difference between the 'Distel' and the 'Cornell', is that the 'Cornell's' working end makes a half-hitch seizing the standing end like a 'constrictor' hitch making a 'figure of eight', while the 'Distel' makes its half-hitch without seizing the standing end like a 'clove hitch'. 

Fig. 'Cornell' ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2018.

The outstanding 'Blake' (a.k.a 'ProhGrip') is an extremely reliable and versatile hitch. It's an 'ABOK #1470' (Ashley Book of Knots) with two wraps on top and two wraps on the bottom. The 'Michoacán' is an 'ABOK #1470' with three wraps on top and one wrap on the bottom, using an eye-to-eye tail instead of a split-tail like the 'Blake' (a.k.a 'ProhGrip'). In simpler terms, arborists refer to a 'Michoacán' as being a 'Blake' with the working end passing only through the first wrap and both extremities being clipped into the carabiner.

Fig. 'Michoacán' ? Brocky (TreeBuzz), 2019.

Fig. 'Michoacán', Illustration by Bryan Kotwica taken from 'Knots at Work', Jepson, 2013.

The 'Blake' (a.k.a 'ProhGrip') and the 'Michoacán's' tuck, where both extremities intersect, is reminiscent of the 'XT' and vice versa. 

(Note that this article will remain open to constant revision and may go through various modifications in order to be as explicit as possible.)

A very special thanks and recognition to Brocky (TreeBuzz) for his superb illustrations and transmitting his vast tree climbing hitches knowledge.

Knots Mechanics: A Genealogy of Climbing Hitches for Arborists Based on Association - Praxis Memorandum-Vade Mecum - v.1.4.5.2021.04.04-Restrepo

ORIGINAL SOURCES

Blake (a.k.a 'ProhGrip'): Heinz Prohaska

Catalán': Casey Selner / Jesse Bouchard-Nestor

Cooper: Sam Cooper

Cornell: Matt Cornell

Distel: Uli Distel

Knut: Knut Foppe

Knut H: 'Brocky' (TreeBuzz)

Machard: Serge machard

Michoacán: Martín Morales 

Penberthy: Larry Penberthy

Pindonga +: Rubén Skidelsky

Prusik: Karl Prusik

TK: Todd Kramer

REFERENCES

Way too many... including:

Adams, Mark, 2004. An overview of climbing hitches. Arborist News.

Adams, Mark, 2005. Son of a Hitch: A Genealogy of Arborists’ Climbing Hitches. Arborists News.

Adams, Mark, 2007. Addenda and Corrigenda. Aborists News.

Ashley, Clifford W. 1944. The Ashley Book of Knots. Doubleday Books.

Jepson, Jeff, 2013. Knots at Work. Beaver Tree Publishing.