Last updated on: January 23, 2024, 1:40 p.m.
If you’ve been climbing outdoors for a while, you’ve probably heard the term prusik.
A prussik is a knot that climbers used for several purposes. It can be used to ascend a fixed rope, relieve a rope and back down a rappel, among other things. Most beginner climbers most often use prusiks to strengthen their repulsion.
Although a prusik is a type of knot, people often refer to it as a prusik cord – a piece of rope or cord sewn together to form a loop.
What is a prusik?
Used in mountaineering, rope rescue, rock climbing, canyoning and much more, the Prusik knot is a versatile tool that can help keep you safe in a variety of situations.
When rappelling or descending a climb, they can act as an automatic lock to hold a climber in place when they need to use both hands or in an emergency. Climbers can use two prusiks along a fixed rope to ascend or descend. The bottom knot acts as a foot loop while the top one is controlled by the hands. You can also attach a carabiner to the loop of the knot to attach it to your harness or another person on a rescue mission.
The prusik knot
Used in mountaineering, rope rescue, rock climbing, canyoning and much more, the prusik knot is a versatile tool that can help keep you safe in a variety of situations. If you do any type of technical or multi-pitch climbing, this is essential learning to ensure your safety and that of your climbing partner.
How to tie a Prusik knot
Start by tying the ends of your rope together so you have a loop to work with. Create a double fisherman’s knot by wrapping one end of the rope twice around the other piece of rope next to it. There should be an X formation on one side and two diagonal lines on the other side. Pass the free end back through the turns under the X so that it forms a knot. Repeat this process for the other end of the rope.
Once your static loop is created, you can set up a Prusik hitch around the line you are attaching to. Place the loop behind the line and pull the double fisherman’s knot through the loop. Wrap the inside of the loop three times and pull tightly. At this point you should have a line running through the knot, and the knot should look like three lines, the pulled loop, and three more lines. The back should look like six vertical lines side by side with a long horizontal line on top.
How a Prusik knot works
Prusik knots are designed to move on a line as you climb. When not subjected to intense force or friction, they can slide up and down easily. If the end of the rope is pulled sharply, the friction of the knot will create enough tension to hold the load in place (you, a bag, another person, etc.).
Prusik couplers are bi-directional, meaning they can move forward or backward along the line without any problems. This is different from unilateral knots designed to go in only one direction.
Choosing the Right Cord
Choosing the right rope for your Prusik knot is essential. If you use rope that is too thin, it will easily tighten along the line and be difficult to move. If you use a rope that is too thick, it won’t have enough friction to lock when you need it.
As a general rule, the diameter of your Prusik loop material should be between 60% and 80% of the diameter of the standing line (approximately 2/3). Additionally, the cord material should be flexible enough that it can tighten quickly and anchor into the line. Be sure to test the rope you plan to use before climbing it to ensure that it will protect you at all times.
Prusik cords and Prusik buckles
Even if a knot is tied perfectly, there is always the possibility that it will come undone due to a worn section of the rope or human error. Although a Prusik hitch is generally reliable, it is important to remain cautious in critical situations such as rappelling from a high cliff or carrying out a rescue mission. It is essential to be aware of the potential risks associated with breaking a knot.
These are pre-sewn cords (or loops as some call them), which are useful. If you frequently use your prusik in situations such as rappelling from multiple pitches, it may be a good idea to invest in pre-sewn loops. concealed by a plastic sleeve that protects the nodes from abrasion, increasing the longevity of the system.
Best Prusik Cords
I’ll shoot straight with you, this isn’t really a situation where you can compare one prussik cord to another. In fact, I’m not even sure what variety there is. If you’re looking to get one, most climbing shops should have them. You can also purchase one here. Make sure the brand you choose is reliable.
If you’re looking for a starting point, check out this prusik rope from GM Climbing.
How to spell
Now you know what it is, but do you know how it is spelled?
THE prussic Or prusik the debate has been raging for a while. I know I’ve seen it spelled both ways, and you probably have too. In fact, a search for each of these terms on Mountain Project brings up several pages for each.
Technically this should be prusik. The inventor of the knot is a certain Karl Prusik, and his name is written only with the single S. I think the confusion comes from the way it is pronounced: pruh-sick (THE GOOD rhymes with you H), not pre-ill.
So this brings us to the next question: should it be prusik Or Prusik? I just took a look at 8 climbing instructional books in my collection to see what they do. Four of them have a lowercase P. Three of them have a capital P. And one of them has a lowercase P but writes it with the double SS. So it seems that lowercase P is the new norm. Books that capitalize it tend to be the oldest.
So, in the battle prussik/prusik/prussik/prusik, I declare prusik be the winner.