Down with the Sheepshank, long live Alpine Butterfly

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Last weekend I had to shorten a guy rope on a tent.  Perfect opportunity to use that Sheepshank knot I’d learned so many years ago.  A few minutes later, I was on Google and learning:

  1. how to tie a Sheepshank
  2. that you shouldn’t use it – it’s an unstable knot

Instead – use an Alpine Butterfly Loop – it can both shorten a rope, but also add loops mid-length.  And is stable; load bearing on all sides.

So, there you go.

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