Loops
Portuguese Bowline
French bowline
DIFFICULTY ●●●○○
A bowline tied with two loops through the same collar, so rope can slide between the loops and share the load adjustably — like a bowline with a sliding partner.
Why it earns its place
That adjustability is the point: two loops that self-balance around an awkward load, or one loop of exactly the size you need with spare capacity in reserve.
Where it fails
The same sliding that makes it useful makes it treacherous as an improvised harness — one loop can grow while the other shrinks. Never trust it around a person unattended.
Quick facts
| Type | Double end loop |
| Loops | 2, sharing rope |
| Untying | Easy |
| Best for | Balancing awkward loads |