Austrian guide - a node that saves lives

Going on a hike, not knowing how to tie a reliable knot correctly, is unjustifiably risking your life. For a long time people have invented several reliable techniques. So, everyone has a sea hearing - perhaps the most popular. But is it the most reliable?

As you know, tourist nodes are no less strong. They can safely trust their lives. And the best of them are mountaineering. Tying them is not easy, but you can learn this. The main thing is to know the scheme. If the first hike is planned in the life, and even without an experienced instructor, it is necessary to take with you several printed circuits for knitting knots with notes on the purpose of each of them. It is possible that this will save lives.

Site history

The Austrian conductor - the knot, also called the "middle knot", is widely used in mountaineering. This is how you organize the fixing points along the base rope, and also fix the middle in a bunch. It is for this purpose that the node received its name.

The main feature that distinguishes a butterfly from a widely applicable eight is a free tightening in both directions. In addition, such a node is easy to untie. There will be no slippage, even if there is a very strong pull for one of the two ropes.

The key features of the Austrian node-conductor:

• Simplicity of unraveling even after removal of a very significant load;
• Efficiency in three directions;
• Stability (will not drag on and will slide);
• Preservation of the safety factor of the climbing rope.

Like any other node, the butterfly has several important drawbacks. In particular, it will not be possible to tie it, if only one hand is free, it is difficult to cope if you can not remove the mittens, which is especially important to take into account in mountaineering. The size of the resulting loop is not easy to change. In addition, visually it will not be possible to determine whether it was properly tied. Finally, an important feature - the ends of the ropes do not hang in parallel, but diverge at an angle.

How to tie a knot

So, to save life in the mountains, an Austrian conductor (knot) can. How to knit it correctly? It's the first time you can create an average node, if you have a clear and understandable scheme before your eyes, and better than that - a video instruction. Briefly the sequence of actions is as follows:

• The rope turns twice around the palm of your hand;
• At the end of the first turn, the rope must be moved closer to the fingertips;
• The rope should be wrapped until its tip is behind the thumb;
• On the outside, the rope should be picked up, and then under the coils pass the loop from below;
• The rope is removed from the palm of your hand;
• The loop is tightened.

Where the node is used

The Austrian conductor is a knot, in demand, when it is necessary to make an additional point for the fastening or to strengthen the place where the force will be applied.

This is the optimal option for securing the load. Going middle in a bunch the participant is also insured by means of such fastening.

What other climbing knots are known?

Beginners have great interest in tourism, which are tourist nodes with names, schemes for their manufacture. All mountaineering fasteners can be divided into three large groups:

• Strapping;
• For binding ropes;
• Auxiliary.

The node described in the article belongs to the category of strapping. In addition to it, this includes the figure-eight, the buglin. The first gives a strong loop, which is easy to untie. The eight is tied either in the middle or at the end, and the technique is suitable for thin and thick climbing ropes. The strength of the material does not change due to the site.

The beeline is used at the ends of the rope. It is necessary for chest strapping and is used if you need to fasten the rope to a tree or stone.

The binding of ropes is most often made by a straight knot. If an effort is applied to the rope, the ends will be drawn into the fastener construction a few centimeters. If the material gets wet, it will be very difficult to untie a straight knot .

A good option for linking ropes is the Flemish knots for mountaineering. In this case, the running ends of the ropes are added in parallel and the eight is tied. This is a very strong connection, which, even under strong tension, will not spoil the material. Unleash it is not difficult, there is no slip on the rope; Suitable also for synthetic material.

From two simple it is possible to combine so-called weaving knot. The harness is produced by the running ends, directed towards each other to meet. It is suitable if you want to tie ropes, the thickness of which is approximately equal. If the tension is very strong, the loop is tightened so that you can not untie it.

If it is necessary to connect the auxiliary and the main rope, the brahm-knot knot comes to the rescue. It is reliable, simple, has an important advantage: it will not be a problem to untie it.

Auxiliary units in alpinism are used very much. Especially widespread are:

• Hammer;
• Simple canine;
• stirrup;
• Grasping;
• UIAA;
• Double reef.

The most reliable node

As experienced tourists and climbers say, the most reliable knot, if two ropes are to be tied together, is grapevine. It can not be tied up at once - it is complicated in execution, but security provides the highest grade. Such a node, if the load was applied to the rope, is very tightened. It is suitable for binding ropes as the same thickness, and different. In addition to mountaineering, the knot was widely used in fishing, where it is used on a line.

Danglers, loops - it's all wise to knit exactly with grapevine. But it should be understood, if such a knot is dragged out, there is no chance of unleashing it. Among all related knots, it has a maximum strength level of 56%, which means that the rope practically does not suffer.

By the way, if in some part it has lost strength due to damage, it is cut, and then the ends are tied with the help of grapevine - this is the safest and most reliable option. However, we must admit that the Austrian guide is a knot that is almost as good as grapevine in terms of reliability.

Schemes of tourist nodes

Below you will find tourist nodes with names, schemes, by which you can learn to knit knots, common in modern mountaineering and mountain tourism.

Butterfly:

Another instruction is the third node :

Fishing and tourist node :

And remember - the beauty of nature is open to everyone.

Security to you in the mountains!