Back up knots should be?

• A. Safety Knot - Barrel or overhands
• B. Figure-eight knot
• C. Clove hitch
• D. Slip knot

Answer: (A)

Back up knots are used to prevent the main knot from slipping or coming undone under load. A safety knot done as a barrel knot or an overhand knot is the best choice because it’s simple, quick to tie, and reliably holds the tail in place when the rope is under tension. It sits right at the end and stops the main knot from loosening if the load shifts or the tail tries to pull free, and it’s easy to untie after the load is removed.

A figure-eight knot is a stopper knot, but not the standard backup in many rope systems because it can be harder to inspect and remove in some setups. A clove hitch is a friction hitch that can loosen if not continually loaded and secured, so it isn’t as dependable as a dedicated backup knot. A slip knot is designed to slip and release under tension, which makes it unsuitable as a backup.