The figure of eight is commonly used to attach a rope to a climbing harness.

Being able to tie a figure of eight knot properly is an essential climbing skill. If the climbing rope is attached incorrectly to the harness, the consequences could be fatal.

One of the BMC's first good practice posters was titled 'Check or Deck'. Produced in 1998, it featured a climber falling from high on a cliff, the rope unattached to his harness. The eponymous title was conjured up by Dave Turnbull, the BMC CEO. Another one in the running at the time was 'Tie or Die', but that was maybe a bit too blunt!

The Check or Deck poster is available from the BMC shop.

Also available in the BMC Shop are check your knot and check your harness signs for climbing walls, all free of charge.

A figure of eight is not a complicated knot, and the web film below will help if you're unsure how best to tie one.

WATCH: How to tie a figure of eight knot on BMC TV

Whenever tying a figure of eight avoid being distracted by other climbers. Lynn Hill, one of the world's most talented climbers, almost ended her career when she forgot to tie her knot correctly. Read more about her experiences here.

Lynn survived a 25 metre ground fall and went on to make the first free ascent of The Nose on El Capitan in 1993. A feat not repeated by another climber until 2005.

WATCH our Trad climbing skills playlist on BMC TV:

We want to say a big thanks to every BMC member who continues to support us through the Coronavirus crisis.

From weekly Facebook Lives and GB Climbing home training videos, to our access team working to re-open the crags and fight for your mountain access, we couldn’t do it without you.

Did you know that we've launched a U27 membership offer for just £1.50 / month? And with full membership from £2.50 / month, it's never been easier to join and support our work: 

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/join-the-bmc-for-1-month-U27-membership

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