Bends
Double Fisherman's Bend
Grapevine knot
DIFFICULTY ●●●○○
Two double overhand (strangle) knots tied around each other's standing parts. The gold standard for permanently joining two ropes or closing a cordelette loop.
See it tied step-by-step ↗Why it earns its place
So secure it's treated as permanent — this is how climbers join rappel ropes and tie prusik loops. Properly dressed, it simply does not come undone.
Where it fails
Genuinely permanent: after real loading, plan on cutting rather than untying. Leave tails a few inches long and check that the paired knots nest neatly against each other.
Quick facts
| Type | Life-safety bend |
| Under load | Maximum |
| Untying | Effectively permanent |
| Best for | Rappel ropes, prusik loops |