What is the "Correct" Taut-Line Hitch?

We aim to clear up the confusion surrounding the different forms of the taut-line hitch.
Multiple different adjustable tension knots are often referred to as the "taut-line hitch." You may have seen names used in place of the "taut-line hitch" like the Midshipman's Hitch, the Rolling Hitch, the Magnus Hitch, or others.
In this video, we examine the three knots that commonly are referred to as the "taut-line hitch", including some of the history that led to the naming confusion, how to tie all three knots, and when to use them.
► Ashley Book of Knots: amzn.to/481ShIN (affiliate link, small commission earned)
0:00 Intro
0:30 Naming History
1:43 Midshipman's Hitch (ABOK #1855)
2:44 ABOK #1856
3:33 ABOK #1857
4:12 Relationship to Rolling Hitch and Magnus Hitch
4:39 When to Use Which Knot
Music used in this video:
► Long Desert Hike: www.pond5.com/royalty-free-mu...
► Sci-Fi Discovery: www.pond5.com/royalty-free-mu...
► Well Paved: www.pond5.com/royalty-free-mu...
(All music by Enthalp: www.pond5.com/artist/Enthalp?...)
#knot #tutorial #howto #camping #tent #tarp #history #outdoors #getoutside #terminology #nomenclature

[@rodneygriffin5565]

Congrats on making the most clear and concise video I’ve ever seen on this topic! I am currently a scoutmaster of a very large scout troop. I happily shared this entire video with all my Scouts to show and explain the three versions of this famous knot. My note to them was that we teach version #2 (Abok #1856) because it’s what’s in the scout handbook. But I also agree with your wisdom to know all three versions and use them as a situation requires! Happy to subscribe and like your content! Keep it up!

[@tuberider1171]

fantastic - the care you've taken in producing this is outstanding - and the education totally unexpected and a delight I'm sure many who view this will have had no idea there were so many knots as outlined in Ashley's Book of Knots - he would have been proud to see your video

[@martinhafner2201]

As a former assistant scoutmaster mostly involved in camping activities, I have seen scouts struggle with #1856. Most of the rope today is much more slippery than in Ashleigh's time. By the time the scouts can get the 1856 (rolling hitch base) set tight enough to hold, it is so tight that it won't release to slide back. The #1855 tends to have better grab at a lower dressing tightness, which allows it to release and slide better when that is desired. The nautical books, mostly written by wooden ship captains, recommend #1855 when tied back to itself and #1856 when tied to a wooden spar or much heavier, stiffer rope. Those same captains tended to really dislike #1857 in the magnus or reversed final hitch style. Realize they were referring to tying these knots in hemp or manila. The #1856 rolling hitch build was seen as unreliable even in manila or hemp. Even well made synthetic ropes today are much more slippery than any of the old natural ropes until they add a grabby coating such as polyurethane, which is quite uncommon in camping and climbing ropes. I think the mistake is that many people try to set the midshipman's hitch (#1855) too hard. It holds quite well without much tightening. Some other friction hitches have an even better slide-to-grab ratio, such as Blake's Hitch or the Adjustable Grip Hitch, which can be set quite loose but grip really well after a small amount of loading. I find #1856 to be the worst of the bunch and have never recommended it. I don't like to recommend friction hitch forms that were discouraged in the nautical manuals when very grabby natural rope was the norm.

[@tanguerochas]

Also, any of these can be made to hold better by adding another turn or two.

[@haydenhowell1647]

Very interesting. What do you think about the animated knots by grog website? They put 1856 Midshipman’s hitch above the other variations.

[@CMSchlenke]

Thank you for this intelligent explanation.

[@tanguerochas]

@@haydenhowell1647 I agree because it provides more friction. If this is not what you want, go with the Magnus variation which slides / adjusts easily.

[@haydenhowell1647]

@@tanguerochas and how would you compare these to the adjustable grip hitch?

[@sierrasky2491]

OMG THANK YOU! 😂 I was tearing my hair out thinking I was going mad! Everybody did this not so differently you explained it so beautifully. Thank you.

[@yellowdog762jb]

1857 is the most esthetically pleasing.

[@PSnGa]

I was in scouts decades ago. I'm now a leader in scouts and I've wondered about this for years. I learned #1857 as a scout but the book now shows #1856 and the taut line. I prefer #1857 for my uses and it's seems more natural of a tie. Thanks so much for all the wonderful detail here.

[@mailleweaver]

I was in the scouts around 2000 and was taught 1856. It's easier to remember since all of the turns go the same direction. Two inside, one outside; direction doesn't matter as long as they're all the same. Once I got that down, I would occasionally do the last turn the opposite direction to make 1857 just because it looks nicer. I've never noticed any performance difference between the two. I use them interchangeably these days. If the line is too slippery, I'll do three turns on the inside instead of just two so that it bends the standing line a tad more.

[@danpost4755]

I agree. #1857 is the one I use. I also use the Prusik to put tension on a Ridgeline for a tarp. Both are very useful. Great video and explanation.

[@winstonsmiths2449]

OH MAN you ROCK! I could SEE what you were doing and your explanations are second to NONE! I thumbed up and subscribed!!!

[@johnsullivan6560]

As a former Scoutmaster, I have used this knot and taught this knot to hundreds of scouts and scouters(leaders) over the years. Abok is still the most comprehensive reference. A knot can have many names, usually depending on the group using it. Thank you for this video.

[@crufflerdoug]

Thanks so much for explaining this!

[@hectic6981]

#1856 is the way i was taught and I tie it. I find it easy to remember because all the loops around the line going the same direction

[@nazaninnaderi3783]

Great video, thanks. Also loved the history.

[@jeffreyerwin3665]

Aound the back (towards the loop) once. Then around the front in the same direction three times, then around the back again. I have been using this knot for years in sailing and camping applications. It does not slip, but can easily be adjucted.

[@ergosum5260]

Explanations and references 👍

[@shteebo]

1855 (or midshipman) is the most secure and holds its knot tightness after adjusting without redressing. If you want a "set it and forget it" knot, it's the best choice. However, it's a bit tougher to learn and takes some practice to get the crossovers on opposite sides of the knot where they belong. The trick is to leave the first loop quite loose until after the second loop has been tightened. 1856 (or taut-line) is very easy to learn and works fine for many purposes, but it can't be cinched down as tight at 1855 and must be redressed after most every adjustment. However, it shines when tied around a pole or branch, rather than a rope, where it holds better than 1855. The pleasing symmetry of 1857 (or magnus) is easy to remember visually, so you'll be able to reason it out if your memory goes fuzzy. It's awkward to tighten, though, without opposing ends to pull. I find it slightly less secure than 1856. (Most of my experience is with paracord. Results may differ with other materials.) Good video. Thanks for posting.

[@johncoleman2990]

Excellent video and explanation, sir.

[@billvan5219]

Very clear, thank you. I use different ones depending on how hard it's raining and how steep and slippery the slope I'm standing on 😂

[@Leonardokite]

That's knot right.....🤣. Well done my friend!

[@thetautline]

Ahh, a missed knot pun opportunity. Thanks for watching! 🙌

[@gud2go50]

I would always get mixed up when it came to actually tying the tautline hitch. I would tie the 1856 sometimes and the 1857 other times. I did not know they were both correct. Anyway, I find myself preferring the tautline hitch over the new fangled plastic fantastic gadgets they put on guylines these days!

[@DarbukaDave]

I was taught (no pun intended) #1856 as a boy scout, and I've always considered it one of the absolutely essential knots. However, having used both extensively, I would say that the Midshipman's hitch (aka #1855) is the best option for modern materials. I spend several weeks every year living in rope-tensioned tents, and if you're using modern rope/cord (which is much more slippery than organic materials), it's still pretty easy to adjust but with less slippage. Obviously for any temporary usage these should be tied slipped (meaning that on the last pass of the knot a bight is passed rather than an end).

[@opts9]

Thanks for the video - I really enjoy these kind of explorations! I think of the knots in question as 'A' Tautline Hitch, rather than 'The' Tautline Hitch. Much like a square being a rectangle, but not vice-versa. I find it interesting that the Magnus Hitch is just one tag end wrap away from being a Prusik Knot, or half of a pair of Boatswains Handcuffs! I most regularly use the Magnus Hitch, as it's nice and tidy, and easy to adjust (for guy lines). The Midshipman's Hitch is nice, the second wrap should be pulled tightly to lock it off, before tying off with the half hitch - I didn't know this (pre half hitch) was known as the Awning Hitch, so thanks for that! It is surprisingly strong when locked off on that second wrap. They're all essentially riffs on the Lark's Head Knot - which many people discover just by playing around with cordage - a testiment to the ubiquity, practicality and simplicity of knots, as well as their complexity. It's quite interesting to see the connections to other knots/hitches. And it really shows the ingenuity of our ancesters, and how a knot tied 'wrongly' often leads to something new. Fascinating! Thanks again!

[@thetautline]

Good points. I think I favor ABOK #1857 (the Magnus Hitch-based version) because it most closely resembles a Prusik, as you mentioned. Thanks for watching!

[@CR3W1SH03S]

I'm an 1857 fan. Never "learned" it but used it for guy lines and based it on a prusik.

[@TheMule71]

I usually tie 1857. It's easier to visualize and also has something in common with two wraps prusik.

[@thetautline]

Same here! I think the similarity to the Prusik is what draws me to it.

[@winstonsmiths2449]

@martinhafner2201 mentions below that some rope was/is less/more slippery when ABOK was written. Can you do a video on which ropes work best with which knot and vice versa?

[@scottstults8756]

Thank you! Every time I tie this hitch I fuss over the "correct" way to tie it. The only idle curiosity I have left is whether the midshipman's can be tied with the half-hitch in the reverse direction, like ABOK #1857 is to ABOK #1856.

[@thetautline]

The final half-hitch can be made in the opposite direction, Ashley called it an Adjustable Hitch (ABOK #1800, pg 304). I should've included this extra tidbit, a totally natural variation to wonder about! Ashley writes that the #1800 version is less prone to twisting, but is apparently harder to dress/tighten.

[@ryanreyes5364]

great video

[@trakyboy5128]

Thanks 👍🏼 None of us should ever quit learning 😅. Perhaps sometime you will make a video with bigger rope going much SLOWER so we ( me 😂 ) Can follow along. I want 2 get into tarping. These knots will speed up. And will also work on the spikes as well as ridge line. To me it looks very much like what they called the presit (?) Knot also 🤔😀. Great video ATB

[@thetautline]

Thanks, sorry the speed was not to your liking. You can try changing the playback speed if that's helpful (click the gear icon and look for "playback speed"). The knot you're thinking of is the Prusik I believe, and yes it's similar!

[@AnonymITOps]

yeah i aware of this... many different tautline... but i like the third one

[@mystixa]

Do you have a video that will show the preferred knot for dealing with the slipperty material situation?

[@thetautline]

I think your best bet for that would be a Trucker's Hitch: kzbin.info/www/bejne/opOrmqeCds6Uaas It won't slip, but it's less convenient for adjusting the tension once it's tied compared to the Taut-line Hitch.

[@mystixa]

Thank you! watching it next then.@@thetautline

[@toby4290]

​@@thetautlinewith both the 1856 and 1857 knots, couldn't you add a few more wraps before tying the half hitch to increase the friction on a slippery line?

[@thetautline]

@@toby4290 true!

[@FirstLast-ml7yf]

I seem to have replaced all of these with the adjustable grip hitch.

[@elizabeththompson4424]

the 2nd is what's in many books the 3rd is what I use, it looks better, more like a prusik loop -or- a prusik loop

[@hjdhbcfjjb]

crossing/not-crossing lefthand/ righthand clove/cow 'taut-line' hitch/loop. 16 variations total, not including bend variants.

[@kennethwilson8633]

Wow no wonder I can’t remember one knot name from another…

[@Lew114]

Like most things, there’s more than one right way to do it.

[@hugbearsx4]

There's at least one more variation, which never crosses back towards the load but instead does the third (locking) loop still towards the anchor, over BOTH cords. I like it and use it for the simple reason that it eliminates "contradicting" movements and better allows for simpler "muscle memory" to kick in in tough conditions. You can see it being demonstrated by Paul Kirtley here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/omqtm2R8j6iDeNEsi=I17EP0vLBWYB5K-b&t=90

[@farhadtorkaman6553]

Thank you man , but this model knot not easy to open rope after use and fasten

[@paulmaximov9442]

Нельзя ли использовать потолще веревки?

[@paddor]

#1855 forever. Because wind gusts in the Alps can get pretty rough.

[@baileymartin2092]

Can we get a reference to the knot book

[@thetautline]

Certainly! amzn.to/481ShIN (I earn a small commission on that link if you buy it)

[@verticalfeel]

Taut line in the middle, Magnus in right pic

[@richarddiss1643]

👍🙏

[@JBaads]

I like survivormans version.

[@AngryArmadillo]

Your namesake!

[@thetautline]

Yessir!

[@geraldpatrick9463]

The one on the left is actually a midshipman's hitch.

[@geraldpatrick9463]

I've always used the midshipman's hitch.

[@craigmatthews4517]

The explanation of the midshipman hitch first turn vs second turn is not clear. The first is towards the object and the second is away???

[@NickLoganbill]

Yes, because it tucks in BEHIND the first turn (farther from the object than the first turn).

[@scottcates]

I prefer the Midshipman's Hitch (ABOK 1855) for both tautline hitching and hitching to secondary objects and lines. It works particularly well in sailing. For instance, when a jib sheet becomes bound up on its own winch (called an override), it can be very dangerous to release with bare hands (sometimes causing finger amputations). By hitching a different line to the tightened jib sheet and then winching that different line to a different hitch, the overridden jib sheet can be loosened safely and readjusted onto its primary winch. Then the temporary hitch can be removed and stowed.

[@jonathanlee34]

Very familiar background music, which old pc game did it come from?

[@perelfberg7415]

I think its problematic to talk of similaritys to other knots as they have different aspects of the knot providing the biting function. This type of hitch was used by vikings to tightwn the rope that hold the mast sideways. "VANTKNOP" the knot=knop and Vant being the side stabilisation rope. When this hitch is made on a thin line like in the video one aspect is hard to see. But when a thicker rope its more clear. The dubble loops around the string peovide a length of the knot that create a leaverage on the string. Its not simply abiut the increased surface area but about the increased force that provide higher friction. Thats an element that is not at all the fact when comparing it to a similar knot tied on aseparate string.

[@AnonymousWon-uu5yn]

I prefer the "adjustible grip hitch" and to see some of the knots that I like checkout my knots playlist.

[@Venom-nk8nd]

🇵🇬🇵🇬,,,

[@benklusman7565]

Forget the taut line hitch, use the trucker hitch. Way better.

[@pedroclaro7822]

Truckers is awesome but takes more time to adjust. I find myself being lazy to do so if I have to during the nighttime when it’s cold and I have to adjust half a dozen guylines.

[@benklusman7565]

@@pedroclaro7822 I never find I have to adjust them that much, and I've had taut lines slip more often than I've had to readjust truckers myself, but to each their own.

[@pedroclaro7822]

Fair, I've had taut lines slip under strong winds too. In retrospect I could have used the midshipman's.@@benklusman7565 But how do you not have to readjust your guylines? I find myself having to loosen and tighten some to find a better placement for the tarp. Even in A-frame which is the simplest config, I have to readjust to get one side lower or whatnot (to adjust for the wind)

[@benklusman7565]

@@pedroclaro7822 I hear that. My experience has been that I don't usually have to re-adjust much, and I tie my truckers with a slip lock knot anyway, so it is marginally harder, just pull the slip tail, adjust, and pop the slip back in. I think I have taut-lines slip more often, and imo they take longer to tie and dress down so they'll hold than it takes me to tie two truckers with slip locks. To each his own, though, that's why there's so many knots :)

[@pedroclaro7822]

@@benklusman7565 yeah I know the slip method, and that’s what I often do. I’ll have to time myself doing both methods, see if it’s actually worth it. Now I added elastic cord to my tieouts so I shouldn’t need to adjust after the tarp gets wet and stretches. Should also give me some wind resistance so truckers might be better now. Btw check out Dave Canterbury’s vid on ‘best ridgeline for everyone’. He shows an alternative to truckers which is half sheepshank. Easier to tie and untie with a long working end. Hope thst helps bud.

[@skhrm91]

Really? 8 min for something that takes 50 sec. We don’t want a history lesson. We all know you’re very smart.

[@petem.3719]

I've been sailing and around biats for 60 years and didn't know about (or had forgotten about) ABOK. So, speak for yourself.. He's probably so smart because, like some of us, he's interested in history and doesn't have ADHD.

[@jonathanmedina6775]

it is supposed to be a history video

[@petem.3719]

@jonathanmedina6775 8 minutes is an interminable amount of time for the tik-tok generation. Six whole videos, at least.

[@jeffro1245]

Your camera angle sucks for making a how to video

[@Czernowayback]

Too fast and poor camera view

[@Aj-po9dc]

What? Well you're in luck than, it's a video so you can watching repeatedly and even slow it down... And I could see everything that was going on. Camera view was just fine. Sheesh....

[@yellowdog762jb]

Disagree. Found the video interesting and easy to watch. Production qualities are far better than I could produce.