In our latest installment of the Knot of the Week, we’ll teach you how to tie the Diamond Hitch and explain what benefits it offers over traditional methods of securing a load.
What’s truly versatile about the Diamond Hitch is that once tied, it creates a diamond pattern in the center which not only is where its namesake comes from, but is what gives it the ability to compensate for the load shifting.
Whether being used to secure a load to a roof rack, truck bed or even a pack animal, the Diamond Hitch is definitely one to put into your knot tying toolbox.
Diamond Hitch » Hitches
(Strength: 3/Secure: 4/Stability: 4/Difficulty: 3)
Uses:
- Securing a load
- Tie down for a roof rack, truck bed or pack animal
Tying Instructions:
-
Attach the standing end of your line to a fixed midpoint in an array of 6 tie-down points. - Use the working end to span across the load and to the opposite midpoint.
- Route the working end through the second midpoint and back to the original midpoint.
- Wrap or pass the working end through this original midpoint.
- Grasp the double line created over your load and twist the two lines six times or so, creating a diamond pattern in the center.
- Ensuring to keep the diamond pattern, run your working end to the closest corner of your tie-down points.
- Wrap or pass the working end through this corner point and through the backside of the center diamond before passing it down to the opposite corner.
- Wrap or pass the working end through the opposite corner and down through the top of the center diamond and out to the bottom-most corner.
- Wrap or pass the working end through this corner point and back through the backside of the center diamond before passing it to the last corner.
- At this point take a few seconds to adjust the lines and tighten them up.
- Pull tension at the last corner and secure the working end to the midpoint you started at, which completes the Diamond Hitch.
Video and Photos
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add oneDiscuss in our Forum }
Thanks for this, I always need help with my knots!
I looks like a very sturdy set-up if you’re carrying a large load of material. How would you do it on a pick-up truck with only 4 lashing points? Would suggest going from opposite corner points?
Ditto on posting 4 point lashing technique if you have one available. I could use that for the cargo rack on my bike.
We’ll see what we can put together, thanks for the comment!
You guys are awesome. Keep up the good work. Scratch that…keep up the GREAT work!
Thanks for your support and kind words Greg!
An option for a 4 point anchor constraint might be to tie a rope between each of the two anchor points so the two ropes are parallel to each other. The trick is to tie an eye-loop in each of the ropes so it can be used as the needed additional anchor points giving you six.
Crude example (‘x’ is corner anchor in truck and the ’0′ is the eye-loop tied in the rope between the ends):
x——0——x
x——0——x
You’ve pretty much hinted at what we’re going to do for this David LOL. Our KOTW next week will cover the loop and the week after that we’ll get into the 4-Point Anchor.
Didn’t intend to post a “spoiler alert”… :)
ok this my be a stupid question but how does one determine the amount of rope , or 550 to use in doing tis knot ?
It’s really up to what you’ll be using it on James. Whether a truck bed or a roof rack, it’s all going to change, but suffice to say if you keep 100 ft. of paracord in your vehicle you’ll be good to go for quite a few situations you might find yourself in.