WhatKnot
Hitch. Difficulty 2 of 5.

Two Half Hitches

Also known as the double half hitch.

A reliable way to fasten a rope to a post, ring, or grommet. Two simple half hitches stacked together. Quick to tie, quick to learn, and good enough for most camp jobs.

  • CategoryHitch
  • StrengthStrong for steady loads
  • Time to learn5 minutes
  • Best forTying a line to anything round
Two half hitches tied around a wooden post.
Two half hitches. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
When to use it

The hitch you reach for without thinking.

Use two half hitches to tie a rope to a tree, post, or ring. It is fast and forgiving. For heavier loads or where the rope can chafe, take a round turn first to bear the strain.

Step by step

Wrap, hitch, hitch, set.

A half hitch is just an overhand knot tied around something. Two of them stacked together is what gives this hitch its name. The trick is making sure both hitches spiral the same way.

  1. Pass the working end around the object

    Take the working end fully around the tree, post, or ring once. Bring it back to the front so it now lies alongside the standing line.

    Leave at least a forearm's length of working end. You need rope to tie with.

  2. Cross over the standing line

    Lay the working end across the top of the standing line, then bring it underneath and back up. You have just made the first half hitch.

    A half hitch on its own can slip. Both hitches working together is what locks the rope.

  3. Tighten the first half hitch

    Slide the first half hitch up the standing line so it sits snug against the object. Both wraps of this hitch should mirror each other.

    Imagine the half hitch as a tiny noose around the standing line. Both lines should point the same way as they enter and exit it.

  4. Tie the second half hitch in the same direction

    Below the first hitch, tie another half hitch around the standing line. Critically, spiral it the same way as the first.

    If the second hitch spirals the opposite way, you have just tied a cow hitch and it will slip under load.

  5. Slide the second hitch up to meet the first

    Slide the second hitch up the standing line until it nests against the first. The two hitches now form a single locking unit.

    The locking effect comes from the two hitches biting against each other. Spaced apart they each work alone, which is weaker.

  6. Set hard and trim

    Pull the standing line hard. The hitches grip and the wrap on the object holds the rope in place. Leave at least eight rope diameters of tail.

    For a slick synthetic rope add a stopper knot in the tail or use a third half hitch to be safe.

Field check. Look at the two hitches from the side. Both should appear as a tidy pair of identical curls. If one curls right and the other curls left, you have a cow hitch and need to retie.

Watch for these

Common mistakes

  • Reversing the second hitch and tying a cow hitch. Slips under load.
  • Forgetting the first wrap. The hitches must sit on a wrap, not on bare rope.
  • Loading sideways. The pull must come along the standing line.
When you are done

How to untie

Take the load off, slide the second hitch up to the first, then unhook them in turn. Both hitches release with a flick of the wrist.

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