How To: 4 Quick Release Knots

Siberian Hitch (or Evenk knot)

The hitch is known for the ease in which it can be tied even whilst wearing gloves or mittens in cold climates. This hitch is also slipped and therefore can be released by pulling the short end of the rope.

It consists basically of three loops. The first is made by looping the rope around the object to which it is to be attached (leaving enough length of rope at the end). In the end is then made a loop, which is given a half twist and bent around the main rope. The remaining end is then looped again and bent around the other side of the main rope and inserted into the previous loop.

The highwayman’s hitch

The knot is three bights linked through one another. To tie, begin by forming a bight behind the pole. Next, pass a bight formed from the standing part (the end that will receive tension) over the pole and through the first bight. Then, pass a bight formed from the working end over the pole and through the second bight. Pull the standing part tight to ensure that it holds.

Until the knot is tightened and properly dressed the highwayman’s hitch has little holding power. The treacherous problem with this knot is that the bight that nips the slip-tuck (last-formed bight, which is pulled for release) presses it against the rope and the hitched object, and does so with great force, as it is the bight in the (fully loaded) standing part; especially with relatively larger diameter objects vis-a-vis rope diameter, the rope pulls away from the object such that it is possible –all too easily, in some circumstances– for the nipping bight to collapse the toggle bight and pull it the “frame” against which it should be pressed.

The Getaway hitch

 It may look similar to the Highwayman’s Hitch, but this hitch doesn’t capsize as easily as the Highwayman’s Hitch.  Unlike the Highwayman’s Hitch, the slipped working end on the Getaway Hitch tends to cross the knot sideways.  This sideways dressing helps to prevent capsizing.

Quick release slipknot

This short video shows in detail how to do these quick release knots.

Practice, practice, practice.