Bowline and 15 Bowline Variants

In this video we will be discussing the Bowline knot, the most useful knot in the world. We'll look at the advantages and disadvantages to this knot, where and when to use the Bowline and it's variants, several different tying methods, and look at 15 different variations of this knot.

0:00 Introduction
0:26 Standard Tie Method
1:56 Quick Tie Method
4:44 Snap Bowline
6:04 General Uses, Advantages and Disadvantages
8:28 Running Bowline
10:44 Cowboy/Dutch Bowline
11:50 Yosemite Bowline
13:21 Dangers of the Yosemite Bowline
15:36 Scott's Locked Bowline
17:12 Double Bowline
18:37 Water Bowline
20:49 Birmingham Bowline
23:05 Eskimo Bowline
24:55 Cossack Knot
26:55 Kalmyk Loop
28:58 Kalmyk Loop Quick Tie Method
30:01 Portuguese Bowline (Traditional)
31:50 Portuguese Bowline (Splayed)
33:10 French Bowline
35:07 Bowline On A Bight
36:35 Triple Bowline
38:11 Spanish Bowline
40:23 My Favorite Bowline Variations

[Scootchels]

Yay! So many videos claim the French and Portuguese are the same, or confuse them. Thanks for this fun vid. I added Kalmyk to my repertoire.

[Zolodar]

Easily one of the most comprehensive, yet super concise videos about a whole lot of bowline variants! Awesome video - really great work on the presentation and explanations!

My favorite is also the scott's lock bowline, aside from the bowline on a bight, which we use here in Germany for tying in to our harness while climbing. The scott's lock bowline is so easy to learn and to do and just gives so much extra security to the knot.

I appreciate the demonstration about the yosemite finish as well - looks like a magic trick when you first see it, until you realize that the loops are just working their way around each other in order to change the knots internal structure.

Thanks so much! It's a great reference as well!

[captainnemo]

I have been teaching people to tie knots and use rope (mostly in the maritime field) since 1975. In that time, I have seen only two other knot tying sites which are as useful and simple to follow as yours. Those are Grog on Knots, and JD from Tying it all Together. I put you in the same league as JD and I HOPE that you are a member of the International Guild of Knot Tyers, because based on this bowline video you deserve to be. (If you apply, just don't hold your breath waiting for them to get back to you, as I suspect they're a bit of a clannish bunch. i applied for membership about 8 or 9 years back, and sent them what I thought MIGHT be a new knot or a new way of tying an old one, and in three subsequent email attempts to ask them if they either got my post or had considered me, I've heard nothing. But my main point is that you have a real gift for teaching what many people consider to be a difficult subject. Keep it up!

[txtoolcrib]

0:00 Introduction
0:26 Standard Tie Method
1:56 Quick Tie Method
4:44 Snap Bowline
6:04 General Uses, Advantages and Disadvantages
8:28 Running Bowline
10:44 Cowboy/Dutch Bowline
11:50 Yosemite Bowline
13:21 Dangers of the Yosemite Bowline
15:36 Scott's Locked Bowline
17:12 Double Bowline
18:37 Water Bowline
20:49 Birmingham Bowline
23:05 Eskimo Bowline
24:55 Cossack Knot
26:55 Kalmyk Loop
28:58 Kalmyk Loop Quick Tie Method
30:01 Portuguese Bowline (Traditional)
31:50 Portuguese Bowline (Splayed)
33:10 French Bowline
35:07 Bowline On A Bight
36:35 Triple Bowline
38:11 Spanish Bowline
40:23 My Favorite Bowline Variations

[gailkellum]

Wow! The one hand method was a challenge but fairly easy. And I did one time eyes closed and was successful. Fantastic instructions!

[bcyork]

Awesome video!! Thanks for putting this together!

[rubenvillanueva]

Excellent video!, Gracias!, An excellent memory stimulator, whilst watching a video, I often practice tying these knots, makes those memory cells work overtime!

[JadensRedemption]

Nice! The pinch and twist one handed bowline!!!

[darnellb]

Thanks for the great review sharing this knowledge very useful 👍

[tomcat-]

Great VideoLesson! Thanks a lot for your efforts. My favorite is also the Scott‘s Locked version. 👍🏼👌🏼🖖🏼

[vibeslide]

I love the bowline.

It's one of the very few knots I can actually remember and it's so versatile that I don't have to remember much else

[bodhi]

Didn't even know there were this many variations, thanks.

[speedengineering]

This is an outstanding video. Thank you!

[nanaandbump.]

Very well done video, thanks for sharing your expertise!

[hansen]

Great knots. Thanks for showing this 👍

[nickjones]

I had never heard the rabbit analogy before. Just started getting into tree work, so that was a real help for me. Thanks for that.

[clgrooms]

Ben, I’ve rewatched almost all the knot videos you’ve produced and they’re awesome.
Just a couple of days ago I thought, “Why (k)not tie a Scott’s Locked into the Portuguese and French Bowlines?” I tie those knots and then just do the “over, under, over” through the nipping loop to lock it all in. And the loops still easily slide/adjust.
It’s awesome - and some of our favorites combined!

[arpakyna]

with the snap, slipknot wte, tieing method of bowline, you can choose if you want the loose end inside or outside the loop by simply going through the last loop towards or away from you.

[TexasElectrician]

Great knot content and well presented! You have a new subscriber.

[norrisjames]

Absolutely...my DAD showed me that..U.S. NAVY.