Tutorial: Prusik Loops, Friction Hitches and F*cking Nazis
Dr. Karl Prusik was an Austrian mountaineer, credited for the eponymous, “Prusik hitch,” and… HE WAS A NAZI! Like, the capital ‘H,’ Holocaust; capital ‘N,’ Nazi. He used the prestige of mountaineering to promote “Aryan supremacy” and hatred for the Jewish people…
… So friction hitches?
Friction hitches are a fundamental tool in climbing and mountaineering. Adaptable for ascending, rappelling, load transfers, and progress capture systems, they cover more ass than any other tool in your kit. We’re going to go over the three common friction hitches, how to tie them, and the subtle differences between each one—the classic prusik, the klemheist, and the autoblock are all on our list.
First, let’s clarify some terms:
Friction Hitch - a hitch that will disengage, when slack, to slide along a rope and will engage, when under tension, to grip the rope.
Block - to engage and grip or break: (e.g. a friction hitch will ‘block’ under tension.); to fix the position of a friction hitch on a rope. (a knot or device can ‘block’ a rope)
Mind - to disengage and slide as a deliberate function: (e.g. a friction hitch will ‘mind’ when slack.); to move the position of a friction hitch along a rope: (e.g. a person or device can ‘mind’ a friction hitch.)
Open - to loosen a knot or friction hitch: (e.g. a friction hitch may need ‘opened’ to mind smoothly); of a system, potential to fail without redundancy: (e.g. a rappel system is ‘open’ without knots in the end of the rope.)
Prusik - noun: the Nazi, Karl Prusik; the loop of cord used for tying friction hitches; the classic prusik hitch; verb: to ascend a rope using friction hitches: (e.g. To self rescue, one may ‘prusik’ up a rope.)
* To avoid excessive ambiguity, let’s use the term, ‘classic prusik,’ when referring to the prusik hitch and, ‘prusik loop,’ when referring to a loop of cord.
Classic Prusik - a friction hitch tied in particular fashion: (i.e. a double or triple girth hitch.)
Prusik Loop - a length of cord sewn or tied into a loop for the purpose of tying friction hitches.
Nazi - a shit bucket who trades in Nazism, including genocide; a member of the Nazi party.
Grammar ‘n’ nazi - a grammar hobbyist who is more enthusiastic about grammar “correctness” than they are interested in communicating.
* Remember to clarify language to connect, not to correct. Words are just things people say and you don’t want to be a grammar nazi. (To be clear, actual Nazis are much worse; don’t be a shit eating fascist.)
Classic Prusik (The Nazi Hitch)
This is the slowest hitch to set up and dress, it applies the most friction, and it is symmetrical, so it blocks reliably in both directions.
Hold the knot or stitching at one end of the loop to keep it out of the hitch.
Make a turn around the rope passing the knot through the opposite end of the loop.
Make two subsequent turns in the same fasion, passing each turn through the end of the loop.
Clip the knot/stitching end with a carabiner.
Your turns should come in pairs, starting on the outside and moving successively towards the middle. Once this hitch has been loaded, it may jam and be difficult or impossible to mind, even once tension is removed. If this happens the hitch may need to be opened to mind smoothly again.
The Klemheist (Hug Hoist)
This is faster than the classic prusik and slower than the autoblock to set up and dress, it applies significant friction, nearly as much as the classic prusik, and it’s asymmetrical, so it only blocks reliably in one direction.
The Klemheist: the knot for this hitch has been placed on the opposite end with no adverse effect.
Hold the knot or stitching at one end of the loop to keep it out of the hitch.
Take either end and make three turns down the rope.
Pass the last turn (the lower end of the loop) through the upper end of the loop.
Clip the lower end with a carabiner.
Your turns should come in pairs, descending down the rope. Once this hitch has been loaded, it may jam and the hitch may need to be, opened to mind smoothly again.
The Autoblock
This is the fastest to set up and dress, it applies the least amount of friction, and it is symmetrical, so it blocks in both directions.
Mind the knot or stitching at one end of the loop to keep it out of the hitch.
Make three turns around the rope
Match the ends together.
Clip both ends with carabiner.
Your turns should come in pairs, traveling either up or down the rope. This hitch does not jam easily because it does not pull on one end or the other, but instead pulls both ends simultaneously, so your hitch is likely to mind, even under tension.
All friction hitches must be dressed to block reliably, but sometimes, even a dressed friction hitch will slip. Your hitch may need additional wraps to provide proper friction. Conversely, sometimes a friction hitch will be, ‘sticky,’ making it difficult to mind and blocking unexpectedly. It may need to be opened and redressed to mind more easily. Generally speaking three wraps is the magic number. Material slickness, suppleness, and diameter also play a roll in friction quality. Slick, stiff, and large diameter qualities all work to decrease friction and reduce holding power. Coarse, supple and small diameter qualities work to increase friction and improve holding power.
Each hitch has its purpose. For doing edge work or traversing on a fixed line, use the classic prusik; for emergency ascending, use klemheist; to back up a rappel, the autoblock is perfect.
Remember to practice in a controlled environment, dress your knots, and fuck Nazis.
Look good. Have fun. Climb Safe.
