Prusik Knot

Applications: ascending a rope, backing up a rappel, holding a rope for emergency rescue purposes

The Prusik Knot is a versatile way of attaching a loop of cordage to a larger rope. The Prusik slides easily up and down the rope, but under force it will cinch down, supporting a huge amount of weight. It can be used as an emergency ascender system, as a backup for a rappel, or to hold a rope during emergency rescue, as well as many other purposes. The ratio in size between the two types of rope is important: generally, you want to use about 6 mm cordage on a 10 mm rope. If the ropes are too close in size, the friction in the system will be greatly reduced.

Instructions below: