The Running Bowline knot is a sliding Noose knot formed using a Bowline knot tied around the standing end of the rope.
If you know the classic Bowline knot, you are just one step away from mastering the Running bowline knot.
It tightens up under strain and can be slid near the object, and the best part?
It can be undone just as easily.
Let’s check it in detail.
Running Bowline Knot Details
Type: Loop
Other Names: Running Bowling Knot, Cowboys Bowline Knot
ABoK Reference: #1117, #2071
How to Tie a Running Bowline Knot
- Pass the rope around the object.
- Form a loop on the working end.
- Pass the working end over and under the standing end.
- Feed it through the loop.
- Go around itself.
- Feed it through the loop to form a Bowline.
- Tighten the Bowline.
- Pull the standing end to tighten the knot against the object.
Running Bowline Knot Step by Step
Alternative Way
If the standing end of the rope is available, it is easier to tie a Bowline knot first and then feed the standing end through the knot.
But heads up—this method works with short ropes. If the rope is too long, you will waste time dragging the entire rope through.
Keep it simple and use this method for shorter ropes!
Want Extra security?
The Running Bowline is pretty secure, but you can make it more secure with these two variations:
Double Running Bowline Knot
The Double Running Bowline knot is based on a Double Bowline and is more secure than the standard Running Bowline.
Running Bowline with a Yosemite Tie-off
The main disadvantage of the Bowline knot is that it can come undone if there is a dynamic load in the line.
The Running Bowline does not come undone that easily, but you can back it up with a Yosemite backup so that the knot stays put.
Application and Uses
In the past, it was used at sea to retrieve objects like lumbers or rigging objects that have gone adrift.
These days, it’s a go-to knot for many practical uses:
- Tree Work: Arborists use this knot to rig down the branches or as an anchoring rope at the top of the tree (canopy anchor) or at the bottom (base anchor).
- Swing Setup: Want to hang a swing around the tree branches? Useful if you are setting up a permanent swing because it’s hard to untie the knot up high in a branch.
- Raising and Lowering objects: It’s also used to hoist and lower objects.
- Parcel binding: Need to tie up a package? It can be used to bind parcels when paired with the Overhand knot.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to tie
- Doesn’t jam and easy to untie
- Retains most of the rope’s strength
- Difficult to untie if the knot is out of reach.
Other Similar Knots
Noose Knot
The Noose knot also creates a similar noose like the Running Bowline.
But it binds on the standing end making it difficult to slide the knot with ease.
It is mostly used in snares, traps and lightweight applications.
Figure 8 Noose
The Figure 8 Noose is based on the Figure 8 knot.
It creates a sliding noose at the end of the rope and draws up more smoothly than the simple Noose knot.
Bowline Knot
The Bowline knot is a popular knot that forms a fixed loop at the end of a rope.
Its downside is that it does not create an adjustable loop (Noose) at the end of a rope and tends to come undone under dynamic load.
Alpine Butterfly Knot
The Alpine Butterfly knot is a problem solver.
If the Running bowline knot is tied way up in the branches, the rope may be difficult to retrieve later.
The Alpine Butterfly knot makes it easier to retrieve the rope without having to climb back up— just pull the line where your butterfly knot is attached and the whole thing comes down with ease.
So grab a rope and give this knot a try!
Share this new skill with your friends or Bookmark the article for future reference.
