How To Use Figure 9 Carabiner

I dear knots. I practice knots but for fun. Sitting effectually a campfire or conversation circle, some folks will whittle. Others will knit. I tie knots. Which is why I'thou surprised that I love Nite Ize Figure 9s as much equally I do. I guess I have to admit that, in the situations they're designed for, Figure 9s can not only replace knots, they're vastly simpler. Hither's how to apply them.

Why the Nite Ize Effigy nine?

Near people tin necktie ii knots: a bow for their shoelaces, and a square-knot-ish matter that they use everywhere else. Except that therein lies a funny little irony: that shoelace bow is actually a square-knot too. And then let's attempt that statement over again. Nearly people can only tie one knot: a square-knot-ish matter that they use everywhere.

Besides being a terribly over-rated knot, the square knot can't handle 1 of the most common uses for a piece of rope: a taut line (taut = tight). This might show up equally a guy-line for a tent, a line to secure a tarp betwixt two copse, a clothesline, tying downward a load, etc. The challenge in these scenarios lies in trying to go along that line as tight as possible while you secure the end. Most folks, not knowing what knot to use, tug at the rope so quickly wrap and constrict the terminate a few times and hope it holds.

The knot-tying world addresses this with one of my favorite knots of all — the taut-line hitch, which not only holds great tension on a line, but likewise lets you lot re-tension the line merely by sliding the knot back and along. Bright. Or the trucker's hitch, which is great for securing loads.

But the innovative folks at Nite Ize, recognizing how often people demand to secure a taut line, and recognizing that only a tiny fraction of even the adventurous people of the earth know how to necktie knots these days, produced another selection for u.s.a.: the Effigy ix.

What is a Nite Ize Figure ix Rope Tightener?

The Nite Ize Effigy 9 helps yous tighten and secure a line without having to necktie any knots. Information technology'southward a handy little device that looks similar a mal-formed ballast. Used properly, this device holds the rope deeply while you stretch it tight, then grips the rope with one quick wrap. We'll go through all of that step-by-stride soon. For now, but know that the Nite Ize Figure 9 makes securing a taut line so piece of cake that even a picayune kid can do it. One-handed. Loosening and re-tensioning the line is but as like shooting fish in a barrel.

The Effigy nine comes in a few different varieties, depending on the application and the corporeality of weight you'll have on the line. The one that I use and dearest for backpacking is a package of iv plastic Mini Figure 9s. This packet includes reflective tent lines, giving away its intended utilize. These niggling plastic Nite Ize Figure 9s weigh next to nothing and can concord plenty of tension to keep tarps and tent lines nice and tight.

The Figure ix also comes in a small metallic version which can handle most 50 lbs of load weight, a big metal version in blackness or silver which can handle 150 lbs, and a handy carabiner version in ii sizes (50 lb and 150 lb, respectively).

Using a Standard Nite Ize Figure 9 Rope Tightener

The Nite Ize Effigy ix is not a one-pull a fast one on pony. In fact, it'due south a surprisingly versatile little fellow, once you become used to it. Only despite its versatility, it just has two bones attachment methods to figure out. To know which one to use, ask yourself one simple question: How many loose ends does my rope have?

The Rope Has One Loose End

The first method assumes that one end of the rope is anchored down. For example, it's attached to a tarp necktie-out, tied to a tree, or tied to a load. Our first footstep is to insert the Nite Ize Effigy 9 onto the line. To do this, we:

Pinch a loop of line
Insert the line through the Effigy 9's superlative loop
Pull it all the style effectually the hooks
Tighten information technology upward

IMPORTANT: Make sure that the hook stop of the Figure 9 is points toward the loose stop of the rope!

Tighten and Secure the Rope

Now wrap the loose end of the rope effectually the other object (tent stake, the other tree, heart bolt, etc.), pull it back to the Figure 9, then …

Wrap it over the smooth hook on the Figure nine
Pull the rope tight
Wrap it nether the bottom of the Figure nine and then up over the jagged claw
Pull it tight

The just tricky part to remember is that, when you wrap the rope over the hooks, go the same management for both wraps. In other words, if you wrap from front-to-dorsum the first time, wrap front-to-back again the second time. This happens automatically if you wrap the rope under the bottom of the Figure ix when going from the smooth hook to the jagged hook.

The Rope Has Two Loose Ends

If the rope has two loose ends, similar if you lot're tightening a bundle or tying a sleeping purse to your pack, you'll have to tie one end of the rope to the Figure nine:

Feed the rope end through the loop from the back and cantankerous information technology over to the inside of the Effigy nine
Wrap it under and pull it downward the back side of the Figure 9
Bring it back upward the front side and tuck the rope under itself where it crosses horizontally
Pull the superlative line to tighten it

It doesn't seem similar a very secure knot, but it will hold just fine. If you're worried about it coming loose, put a stopper knot in the end. Now become alee and wrap the rope around whatever you're trying to secure, then tighten the rope and lock it merely like we did in Tighten and Secure the Rope to a higher place.

Using a Nite Ize Figure nine Carabiner

The carabiner version of the Figure 9 assumes that one cease of your rope is secured to something (tree, pole, truck bed tie-downwardly), and that the carabiner can clip to something secure where you lot want to attach the other end of the rope. The classic case is tying downwardly a load in a truck bed. Your rope is attached to a tie-down on one side of the bed, and the Figure nine is clipped into a tie-down on the other side of the bed.

From there, only toss the rope over your load, then follow the steps above to Tighten and Secure the Rope.

If you don't take a place to clip the Effigy 9 carabiner, you tin hook it to the rope instead. In this configuration, your rope is tied in one big loop that you can cinch down:

Tie a fixed loop in one end of the rope (an overhand knot on a bight is uncomplicated and strong)
Clip the loop into the carabiner
Wrap the rope around your load
Secure the other cease of the rope to the Figure 9

Ok, at present that nosotros accept the nuts down, let's wait at a few examples …

Case A: Using a Figure 9 Rope Tightener for Tent Lines

Loop your Nite Ize Figure 9 onto the tent line midway between the tent and the stake, making sure that the hooks are on the stake end of the line. Wrap the tent line effectually the stake, and then bring it back up to the Effigy 9, pull it tight, and secure it:

Example B: Using a Figure nine Rope Tightener to Secure a Bear Bag

You accept a couple of options with a bear bag. First, hoist your bag. Now wrap the bear bag rope around a tree trunk or branch, clip a Figure nine carabiner over the taut line, then secure the loose stop of the rope to the Figure ix:

Alternatively, loop a standard Figure 9 onto the taut rope a few anxiety away from the anchor point, wrap the loose end of the bear pocketbook rope around the tree or branch you're using as an anchor, so secure it to the Figure nine:

Example C: Using a Figure 9 to Tighten a Clothesline or Tarp Ridge Line

When information technology comes to clotheslines or tarp ridge lines, I similar to put a permanent loop in one end of the rope. This saves me from having to tie the rope around the first tree. Only wrap the rope around one time, then feed it through the loop:

If y'all have a standard Nite Ize Figure 9, yous'll adhere it to the main rope most the other anchor point. Wrap the rope around your anchor point (tree, branch, pole, etc.), then bring information technology back to the Figure 9, pull information technology tight, and secure it:

If you have a Nite Ize Figure nine Carabiner, y'all'll clip the carabiner over the rope, wrap the rope around the tree, bring information technology back to the Figure nine, pull the rope tight, and secure it:

Example D: Using a Figure 9 Carabiner to Secure a Load

Necktie your rope to a tie-down on one side of the bed. Clip your Nite Ize Figure 9 Carabiner to a tie-down on the other side; toss the rope over the load, bring it to the Effigy 9, pull the rope tight, and secure:

You tin can also put the Effigy 9 Carabiner on the same tie-down you originate from, loop your rope through all the the tie-downs, and bring it back to the starting point. Then secure it to the Figure nine. This lets y'all use one length of rope and one Figure nine Carabiner for the whole load:

Instance E: Using a Nite Ize Effigy nine Carabiner Like a pulley

Secure your rope above the load. Clip the Effigy 9 Carabiner in the same location. You can oftentimes clip the carabiner correct to the rope itself. Loop the rope through your load (for case, if your load is a saucepan, loop it through the handle), then upwards over the polish hook of the Figure ix. Now yous tin enhance the load with a two:1 reward, but similar with a caster. To secure the load, wrap the rope through the 2d hook on the Figure 9.

Warning: Stay within the load limits of the Figure 9! For the large Figure nine Carabiner, that's 150 lbs.

Determination

When I get-go picked up the Nite Ize Figure 9 Rope Tightener at my local outdoors store, it seemed like a gimmick — just some other cheap, money-grabbing doo-dad. That is, until I let myself endeavour one out. It was a windy evening up in the High Uinta Wilderness, rain but on the other side of the ridge from us. Not only did I take to get my tarp up chop-chop, the air current battled every step of the process. Under those conditions, I got the ridge line wrapped around a tree trunk, and seconds later, information technology was tight and secure. The guy lines went out just every bit fast, 1 paw holding the tarp from flapping around, the other securing the lines to the Figure 9s. I was impressed. And the next morning when the lines came loose without having to untie a single knot? Well, let's throw in a terrible pun and say … I was hooked.