Description
A Prusik is a friction hitch or knot used to put a loop of cord around a rope.
Use
Applied in climbing, canyoneering, mountaineering, caving, rope rescue and by arborists.
Releasing
After being put under a great deal of weight, the Prusik can be quite constricted and difficult to untie.
This varies, depending on the diameter of the primary rope.
Security
Prusiks are ineffective upon frozen wet ropes. This is due to the necessity of friction for the Prusik to function.
Other names
Prusik knot, Prusik hitch.
Tying
The Prusik is tied by wrapping the prusik loop around the rope a number of times, usually 3-5 times depending on
the materials, and then back through itself, forming a barrel around the rope with a tail hanging out the middle.
When the tail is weighted, the turns tighten and make a bend in the rope.