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Home How to Tie a Bowline Knot

Loop knot · 5 moves

How to Tie a Bowline Knot

A fixed loop that won’t slip or jam, and still unties easily after a heavy load.

Makes
A fixed loop
Moves
5
Unties
Easily
Start step 1Watch it wholePin it
A finished bowline knot: navy standing part, orange collar around it, a round loop and the tail lying inside the loop Standing part Collar Tail, inside the loop Main loop
4× speed
The whole knot in 8 seconds

Watch it once, then go step by step

Small loop, up through, round the standing part, back down, pull tight.

“The rabbit comes out of the hole, runs round the tree, and goes back down the hole.”

Chart it in 3D

Tie it in 3D

Turn the rope, zoom into the collar, scrub to any step. Then take the knot quiz.

Interactive 3D model of the bowline knot, tied step by step

· Drag to turn · pinch to zoom

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Before you start

Know the two ends

An untied rope: the navy standing part comes in from the left and loops round to the orange working end Standing part Working end
Standing part
The long part that takes the load. It stays put.
Working end
The free end that does all the moving.
Main loop
The loop you are making. Leave enough rope for it.
Step by step

Tie it in five moves

Each clip loops. Tap a clip to pause it, or use ½× to slow it down.

  1. Make a small loop

    Twist a small loop in the standing part so the side leading to the working end crosses on top.

    Watch for

    The crossing. If the working-end side goes underneath, the knot pulls apart.

  2. Up through the loop

    Bring the working end up through the small loop from underneath.

    The rhyme

    The rabbit comes out of the hole. The dashed line shows where the end goes next.

  3. Around the standing part

    Take the end behind the standing part, then back round to the front.

    The rhyme

    Round the tree. Going behind first makes this the standard bowline.

  4. Back down through the loop

    Push the end back down through the same small loop, right beside itself.

    The rhyme

    Back down the hole. The tail now lies inside the main loop.

  5. Pull tight

    Hold the tail with the side of the loop and pull against the standing part until it sets.

    Watch for

    The collar should hug the standing part snugly. Pull slowly.

Before you trust it

Check your knot

Why learn it

What it’s used for

Use it whenever you need a loop that keeps its size under load, and that you can untie easily afterwards.

Safety: a bowline can shake loose when not under load. For climbing or anything holding a person, use a knot you are trained in, such as a figure-eight follow-through, or back it up.

How to tie a bowline knot in 5 steps: make a small loop, up through the loop, around the standing part, back down the loop, pull tight
Quick reference

Save this guide

All five steps on one card. Pin it or keep it on your phone for the next time you need a fixed loop.

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