Ever heard of Gnat Hitch?
It was introduced in February 2012 by the Notable Knot Index.
But I wouldn’t be surprised if you have been tying this knot for years not knowing what it is.
It was born out of necessity. The goal?
A simple, non-jamming, non-slipping noose like knot that could be tied quickly and secured around an object.
And guess what? Gnat does just that.
Let’s get into it.
Gnat Hitch Details
Type: Hitch
Other Names: None
ABoK Reference: NA
How to Tie the Gnat Hitch
- Wrap the rope around the object.
- Tie a Half hitch around the standing end.
- Pass the tail end behind the standing end.
- Feed it through the loop of the Half hitch.
- Tighten the knot.
Done! To untie, just pull the working end out of the loop, then untie the Half hitch knot.
Quick TIP: If you are working with a critical load, leave the tag end longer to account for the slippage.
Gnat Hitch vs Buntline Hitch
Gnat hitch is often compared to the Buntline Hitch and for good reasons—they do the same job.
But, Gnat hitch is easier to tie.
What’s even better is that it’s largely not affected by the cross-sectional shape of the object being hitched.
That said, it can jam with small diameter objects when subjected to extreme load.
The buntline hitch self tightens when there’s a load on the line.
But, it jams under heavy load and is also difficult to tie under load.
Applications and Uses
The Gnat hitch is not that popular in the knot world as it’s a relatively new knot.
It works well when you need to tie an object to a branch, tree or post. If you’re working with limited rope, this doesn’t waste much of it.
If you have used Gnat hitch before for any particular application, share us your experience in the comment below.
Pros and Cons
Gnat hitch is easy to tie and remember.
With a Half Hitch and an extra tuck under the loop, you have a knot that holds around the object.
Not only that, it has a noose like attribute meaning it can be adjusted and tightened when required.
It also requires minimal rope to tie this hitch.
It does not jam under moderate loads, but can be difficult to untie when used with small diameter ropes.
It’s a relatively new knot, so it’s still not well trusted in the knotting community, but it’s said to perform well compared to its counterparts like the Buntline hitch and Two half Hitches.
Knots Similar to Gnat Hitch
Buntline Hitch
Buntline hitch is a secure hitch knot used to attach lines to rings, posts and railings.
It’s similar in strength to the Gnat hitch.
But, it tends to jam under heavy loads.
Two Half Hitches
The Two half hitches is used to tie mooring lines to docks or anchor points.
It’s easy to tie and adjust.
But, it’s less secure than the Gnat hitch because it tends to collapse when used under dynamic tension.
It also jams and is difficult to untie.
Clove Hitch
Clove hitch is less secure than the Gnat hitch and is used for light load conditions like tying boats and fenders.
It comes loose when there is no tension in the line.
Anchor Hitch
There are few secure hitch knots than the Anchor hitch.
It’s even more secure than Gnat hitch and Round turn and two half hitches.
It can be tied under load, but it can jam after being subjected to heavy load.
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