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Prusiks

Submitted by An Outdoor Idiots Team Member.

Page 4 of 10 Previous Next [Index]

The Bachmann Prusik

For the Bachmann Prusik, the back bar of a karabiner is placed along the length of the main rope, and the Prusik loop is turned around both the rope and the back bar.

The primary effect of including the back bar of a karabiner in the turns is that it helps the Prusik to slide smoothly along the rope. The reduced friction can also make it easy to free up after being loaded, though this is not always the case. Another feature of the Bachmann Prusik is that the turns are usually very well behaved and stay in place - they certainly don't stretch out like the French Prusik when under load.

If you don't climb and don't have climbing equipment, that shouldn't mean you rule this particular Prusik out. You do not need a high-strength karabiner - the karabiner actually takes very little weight. For example, you could tie this Prusik with a small "not-for-climbing" keyring type karabiner and some small diameter cord, and use it for applications that do not need to take the weight of a person.

Tying a Bachmann Prusik

A Bachmann Prusik is tied with a Prusik loop and a karabiner. Here's how:

First, clip the loop into the karabiner, as in Fig. 16:

Tying a Bachmann Prusik (1)

Fig. 16. Clip.
Next, place the back bar of the karabiner along the rope, and begin to wind the loop around both the rope and the back bar, from the top down. See Fig. 17:

Tying a Bachmann Prusik (2)

Fig. 17. Wind from the top down.
Keep going until you either run out of back bar, or run out of Prusik loop - it is important that a small bit of the loop extends beyond the bottom of the karabiner - it is this part of the loop which should be loaded in order to lock the Prusik, and a further karabiner is usually clipped into it. Fig. 18:

Tying a Bachmann Prusik (3)

Fig. 18. Neat.

Important note about the Bachmann Prusik

Some texts advocate the use of the karabiner as a hand-hold to hoist yourself up if using this Prusik as a means to ascend a rope. This may work, but the description is a bit misleading. It is important to realise that, for the Prusik to lock, the weight must be applied to the bottom of the Prusik loop - not the karabiner. That is, a further karabiner is clipped into the Prusik loop at the bottom, and it is this that is loaded. The karabiner that forms part of the Prusik is not intended to be loaded - it is simply providing a smooth, low-friction surface to twist the Prusik loop around, and something to grab hold of when you want to slide the Prusik along the rope.

Having said that, provided the bottom of the Prusik loop is loaded with a significant weight, the karabiner that forms part of the Prusik can be pulled up on, and it will not slide.

Importantly, though, rather than regard this karabiner as something to apply weight to when you want the Prusik to lock, it should be regarded as something to apply weight to when you want to un-jam the Prusik: By pulling down on the karabiner, you are effectively applying a downwards force to the top of the turns of the Prusik, i.e. effectively pushing it down, which is a good way to cause it to slide.

Page 4 of 10 Previous Next [Top of Page]

Page 1: Introduction to Prusiks, and the Original Prusik knot

Page 2: History of the Prusik Knot, and Understanding Prusik Knots

Page 3: The French Prusik

Page 4: The Bachmann Prusik

Page 5: The Kreuzklem Prusik and the Kleimheist Prusik

Page 6: The Penberthy Prusik

Page 7: Example Use (1) - An Adjustable Loop made with the Penberthy Prusik

Page 8: Example Use (2) - A Line Tensioner made with two Original Prusiks on the Same Cord

Page 9: Example Use (3) - Tying a Prusik to a Rigid Pole

Page 10: Getting the most from Prusiks, and Prusik Safety

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