Knots for Vertical Caving and Cave Rescue

To learn more about the National Cave Rescue Commission and to find out about training opportunities, visit: ncrc.info
To learn more about the newly formed Vertical Training Commission of the National Speleological Society, visit: staging.caves.org/vtc/
For more detailed information on caving techniques, caving gear, and cave projects, visit my website at: www.derekbristol.com
Caves are delicate and potentially dangerous places. For more information on wild caving, vertical caving techniques, and cave survey, visit the National Speleological Society website:
caves.org
To find a local grotto (caving club) visit:
caves.org/committee/i-o/grott...
White Nose Syndrome (WNS) is a disease that is devastating to bats. To learn more about what you can do to help, along with information on how to properly decontaminate caving gear, visit:
caves.org/WNS/index.shtml
Cave Videography Gear I Use: (Note that these are affiliate links)
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Soft-Case for Caving (a7iii) - amzn.to/2QanKDA
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Helmet-Mounted Action Camera: amzn.to/2qTa0yT
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In-Cave Prime Lens (a6500) - amzn.to/2DuyLZK
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Hard-Case for Wet Caving (a6500) - amzn.to/2DxFOki

[@matuszwalus9295]

Best knots video I've seen so far. Clean, easy to read and with good commentary. Thank you very much! Just in time to practice before my cave exploration camp in Tatra mountains, Poland.

[@benoduartebd]

Wow nice video👍

[@justrione]

Thank you

[@wozwandering4255]

great video and plenty of information will be watching again thanks Derek for your time 👍

[@lindseyschippers6156]

I love this video. Easy to follow along! Thank you!

[@bushuaiwei3840]

Thank you for your analysis！

[@southernindianaoutdooradve7783]

I’m a part of our local cave rescue team. Excellent video

[@dynamicconceptjb]

Great video, thank you for sharing.

[@syzygy2043]

Educational as always. Thanks Derek.

[@RawSauce338]

Nice! loving what the VTC has i store for the community.

[@lundysden6781]

Cool review!

[@bushuaiwei3840]

I learned a lot from your video. thank you very much! It would be better if there were more in-depth Technical Aid Climbing!

[@maxshramkov]

Thanks, man! Very useful video. I was searching for this tricky Yosemite bowline, you showed me. I personally use mostly double bowline when rigging , instead of double figure eight. By the way, in Russian speleology, we call it "rabbit's ear's" :)

[@DerekBristol]

I may make a video on double-loop knots to show how they're tied, applications, pros and cons of each. Would cover double figure-8, bowline on a bight, fusion knot, and figure-8 + butterfly. This video is limited to those knots taught by NCRC, which does not include the bowline on a bight. I think some cavers might say "rabbit ears" for any double loop knot, but in the US it means specifically the double figure-8.

[@douglaspinsak1246]

You seem like a guy who knows what he's doing.

[@benhazell470]

Great video, can you do a video on how to set up cowstails/safeties so they’re the right lengths for SRT etc?

[@maxshramkov]

Good morning mate. I hope Derek wil answer, but I want to share my experience also) As i was tought in speleology school, based on French sistems (sorry, don't know in English) - so, long cow's tail should be 65 sm and short one - 40 sm , including the carabineer. So we count as a standard Petzel Spelegyka

[@benhazell470]

@@maxshramkov thanks for your comment, do you attach your had ascender to a cows tail? Therefore do you find a cowstails length is personal to your arm length etc? Or do you have a separate line for hand ascender and foot loop?

[@maxshramkov]

@@benhazell470 in our school sometimes also have discussions about this)) Basic sistem, as i was tought, is when you have two standarted cowstails and ascender with the foot loope is your separate line. So in general, we have 3 cow's tails. And the length of that third one is individual and depends on hight and reach. Arguments to this sistem are: 1. lt is easier to walk on horizontal rope lines (don't know in English) when they're placed on the wall with no natural stares for feet. 2. You can use acender, when going through the station (also don't know the proper word:)) when descending, to remove short cowstail safely and easy. 3. When cowstails are standarted, then it is easier to do standart lengths of the rope loopes in stations when rigging, so it would be comfortable for every caver to pass them.

[@hauntedcaptainphoenix5363]

I need a cave deep underground.

[@CDurai]

Hi Derek. Why would one choose to do a clove hitch on a carabiner as opposed to a figure eight on a bight? I've used a clove hitch to attach buoys to the railing of a fishing vessel but never imagined using it on a biner. Is it simply like you said that it uses less rope and is easily adjustable?

[@DerekBristol]

These are knots taught by NCRC for cave rescue purposes. The most common use of the clove hitch in their world is to attach bridles to Ferno litters. They don't use a lot of rope, are easy to adjust, and hold tight when tied around a litter handle. I generally don't use them in cave rigging, though I frequently use them when building rock climbing anchors. The advantages are as you stated.

[@PedroSR97]

Derek I know this is not the topic, but I think it will be cool to talk more about what type of clothes, boots or backpacks take to a cave. Turns out that this topic is very difficult to find any information. If you know some site I will be grateful.

[@DerekBristol]

www.derekbristol.com/gear-overview

[@PedroSR97]

@@DerekBristol Thanks Derek.

[@cezarybadocha3587]

Hi Derek! In Your opinion, is knot in 3:00 well dressed? I think, the bottom left strands are crossing each other.

[@DerekBristol]

It's in process. Definitely a bit harder in stiff static rope. I'm not sure there's such a thing as a perfectly dressed knot, and it's generally a good thing to do, but a poorly dressed knot is not necessarily unsafe.

[@cezarybadocha3587]

@@DerekBristol thak You for Your answer. I totally agree.

[@AdHocF1]

No mention of the fusion knot, or even the bowline on a bight? The former is safer than the Fig-8 and doesn’t jam.

[@DerekBristol]

I may do a double-loop knot video in the future. This video wasn't intended to cover every knot... just what most would consider the fundamental ones. I agree the fusion is easier to untie than the double figure eight... but safer?

[@AdHocF1]

@@DerekBristol Can’t remember exact test results, but from memory, several load/strain tests showed the Fig-8 to rupture before the Karash/Fusion knot. The Fusion knot can also be used on two anchors vs. one for the Fig-8. It’s what we commonly use (along with the bowline on a bight) in Tasmania, no one has used Fig-8s here in many years.

[@jackk7380]

No square knot, in the history of square knots, has ever come untied.

[@DerekBristol]

Ha!