Climbopedia

Clove hitch: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox knot
{{Infobox knot
| image = File: clove.jpg
| image = File: clove.jpg
| image_alt = Detail of a clove hitch on an HMS carabiner
| pros = Fast, simple, robust, easily adjustable
| pros = Fast, simple, robust, easily adjustable
| cons = In specific cases it is prone to stuck or slip slightly under bigger loads. Due to chance of slippage, it is strongly recommended to back it up in critical applications.
| cons = In specific cases the hitch might get stuck. It is prone to slip slightly under higher loads. Due to the chance of slippage, it is strongly recommended to back it up in critical applications.
| uses = [[Anchor#Buidling_sport_anchors|Anchor building]], (self-)attaching climber to an anchor, belay station offsetting and more
| uses = [[Anchor#Buidling_sport_anchors|Anchor building]], (self-)attaching to an anchor, belay station offsetting and more
| category = Hitch
| category = Hitch
| strength = polyamid ~50-60%, 6mm aramid ~35%, slips lower in some cases<ref name=Edelrid2020>{{cite web | url=https://edelrid.com/eu-en/knowledge/knowledge-base/strength-reduction-of-textile-materials-by-knots | title=Strength reduction of textile materials by knots | publisher=EDELRID GmbH & Co. KG | author=EDELRID Team | date=20 October 2020 | website=edelrid | access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref>
| strength = Breaks: polyamid ~50-60%, 6&nbsp;mm aramid ~35%. Can slip at lower loads in some cases.<ref name=Edelrid2020>{{cite web | url=https://edelrid.com/eu-en/knowledge/knowledge-base/strength-reduction-of-textile-materials-by-knots | title=Strength reduction of textile materials by knots | publisher=EDELRID GmbH & Co. KG | author=EDELRID Team | date=20 October 2020 | website=edelrid | access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref>
}}
}}


Clove hitch is an essential knot used for its adjustability and reliability. Its employed for instance in [[Anchor#Buidling_sport_anchors|anchor building]], offsetting a belay station for belay of the second climber and for self-attaching of the lead climber with a rope to the anchor point.
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'''Clove hitch''' is an essential knot used for its adjustability and reliability. It is employed for instance in [[Anchor#Buidling_sport_anchors|anchor building]], offsetting a belay station for belaying of the second climber, and for self-attaching to the anchor point with a rope.


== Tying ==
== Tying ==
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This method is very robust. Suitable for learning how to tie the hitch.
This method is very robust. Suitable for learning how to tie the hitch.


{{#invoke:FlexGallery|gallery_with_widths
{{#invoke:FlexGallery|gallery_with_widths_alt
|File: clove_1.png
|File: clove_1.png
|140px
|163px
|Take two bights of a rope next to each other (1)
|Take two bights of a rope next to each other (1)
|straight rope with two arrows
|File: clove_2.png
|File: clove_2.png
|140px
|163px
|Form loops out of them by rotating them counterclockwise (2)
|Form loops out of them by rotating them counterclockwise (2)
|rope with two bumps and arrows pointing to twist the bumps
|File: clove_3.png
|File: clove_3.png
|140px
|163px
|Form a hitch by placing the right loop over the left one (3)
|Form a hitch by moving the right loop over the left one without any rotation (3)
|rope with two loops
|File: clove_4.png
|File: clove_4.png
|140px
|163px
|Pull a carabiner through the loops (4)
|Pull a carabiner through the loops (4)
|clove hitch in the air with screw-gate carabiner being clipped into it
|File: clove_567.png
|File: clove_567.png
|140px
|163px
|Seat the knot by sequentially pulling the rope ends (5,6) and lock the gate (7)
|Tighten the knot by sequentially pulling the rope ends (5,6) and lock the gate (7)
|File: clove_final_p6.png
|loose clove hitch on unlocked hms carabiner
|84px
|File: clove_final.png
|100px
|Inspect the knot and the carabiner gate (8)
|Inspect the knot and the carabiner gate (8)
|clove hitch on a locked HMS carabiner with eye icon
|File: clove_final_rainbow.png
|100px
|Rope ends (pink) leave the knot in the opposing directions from inside of the loop underneath the carabiner (lime)
|clove hitch on a locked HMS carabiner with differently colored rope sections
}}
}}
To safely tie and inspect the knot, remember that the rope ends coming out of the knot should be sticking in the opposite directions and that they should be surrounded by the section of the rope that stems from between the loops.


=== One-hand method ===
=== One-hand method ===
Non-crucial, but handy once you have only one hand free.
Non-crucial, but handy once you have only one hand free. Always use the hand at the same side as the gate is facing.


{{#invoke:FlexGallery|gallery_with_widths
{{#invoke:FlexGallery|gallery_with_widths_alt
|File: clove_onehand_0.png
|100px
|Start with a rope through a carabiner with the gate pointing towards right
|rope hanging in a carabiner
|File: clove_onehand_0_w_hand.png
|100px
|Grab the rear rope strand from the left side by your right hand, thumb pointing down
|rope hanging in a carabiner with hand grabbing the rear string
|File: clove_onehand_1.png
|File: clove_onehand_1.png
|86px
|100px
|Start with a rope through carabiner by grabbing the strand further from you with your thumb pointing down and rotating it into a thumb-up position (1)
|Rotate the hand into a thumb-up position, making a loop (1)
|rope hanging in a carabiner with hand grabbing the rear string and curled arrow pointing
|File: clove_onehand_2.png
|File: clove_onehand_2.png
|140px
|163px
|Note that the rope is crossing the front string now, thus making a loop. Open the gate and pull the rope through it (2). The rope string coming from the hitch should go behind the carabiner in this step
| Position the rope in a way, that the rope end coming from the top of your hand goes from the carabiner's front towards its back (2)
|tangled rope held by carabiner and hand, arrow pointing to the carabiner gate
|File: clove_onehand_3.png
|File: clove_onehand_3.png
|140px
|163px
|After pulling the rope through, the gate should close itself automatically (3)
|Push the rope coming from the top of your hand through the gate (3)
|tangled rope held by carabiner and hand, arrow pointing to the carabiner gate, rope is partly behind the carabiner gate
|File: clove_onehand_456.png
|File: clove_onehand_456.png
|98px
|114px
|Seat the knot by sequentially pulling the rope ends (4,5) and lock the gate (6)
|Tighten the knot by sequentially pulling the rope ends (4,5), and lock the gate (6)
|loose clove hitch on the hms carabiner with an unscrewed gate lock
|File: clove_onehand_7.png
|File: clove_onehand_7.png
|86px
|100px
|Inspect the knot and the carabiner gate (8)
|Inspect the knot and the carabiner gate (8)
|tightened clove hitch on a tightened carabiner with an eye icon
}}
}}


== Quick repositioning ==
== Quick repositioning ==
One of the strongest points of the clove hitch is that it can be repositioned quickly without cancelling the setup, or opening the carabiner.
One of the strongest points of the clove hitch is that it can be quickly repositioned without cancelling the setup, or opening the carabiner on which it is tied.<ref>Clove hitch repositioning starts at 7 minutes 10 seconds: {{Cite AV media | first1=Alice | last1=Kerr | date=19 July 2022 | title=Learning to Trad Climb: Part 3 - How to build a belay | url=https://youtu.be/-r9TK6pb9KE?t=430 | publisher=DMM Wales | access-date=28 September 2025}}</ref>


{{#invoke:FlexGallery|gallery|84px
{{#invoke:FlexGallery|gallery_with_alt|100px
|File: reposition_1.png
|File: reposition_1.png
|Loosen the knot by pulling the middle strand between the two loops (1)
|Loosen the knot by pulling the middle strand between the two loops (1)
|tightened knot on a carabiner, arrow pointing from the mid section
|File: reposition_2.png
|File: reposition_2.png
|Pull only one of the strands (2)
|Pull only one of the strands (2)
|loosened clove hitch on a carabiner, arrow pointing to pull one of the strands
|File: reposition_3.png
|File: reposition_3.png
|The knot got repositioned
|The knot got repositioned
|tightened clove hitch on a carabiner
}}
}}


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{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left: 10px;"
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left: 10px;"
|+Table of slipping forces (*=breaks):
|+Table of slipping forces (*=breaks):
! Material !! Force (kN)  
! Material !! Force&nbsp;(kN)  
|-
|-
| 7.9 mm 1/2 rope ||  6.5
| 7.9 mm 1/2 rope ||  6.5
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|}
|}


The clove hitch generally does not slip below 6 kN of force if you use a dynamic rope on a carabiner. Chance of the clove hitch slipping is higher if it is tied with a static rope, and/or around a big-diameter object (tree, smooth stone). There is a report of slow slippage already at 3 kN of force applied in case that an 8mm dyneema sling was tied on a carabiner. In critical applications such as [[Anchor#Buidling_sport_anchors|anchor building]], Clove hitch should therefore be backed-up, otherwise it might slip off.  
The clove hitch generally does not slip below 6&nbsp;kN of force if you use a dynamic rope on a carabiner. Chance of the slipping is higher if the clove hitch is tied with a static rope, and/or around a big-diameter object (tree, smooth stone). There is a report of slow slippage already at 3&nbsp;kN of force applied in case that an 8&nbsp;mm dyneema sling was tied on a carabiner. Therefore in critical applications such as [[Anchor#Buidling_sport_anchors|anchor building]], the clove hitch should be backed-up, otherwise it might slip off.  


For detailed list of values, see the table on the right.<ref name=Edelrid2020 />
For detailed list of values, see the table on the right.<ref name=Edelrid2020 />
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