How to tie a Figure 8 on a bite

The Figure 8 knot is a sturdy, reliable, no-slip knot well known to climbers. Its redeeming features are
that it does not slip, is easy to untie after absorbing a load, lends itself to easy visual inspection to ensure
it is tied correctly and does not significantly diminish the rope's load-bearing capacity.

The Figure 8 on a Bite is much easier to tie than the previous directions for tying a Figure 8. The end
result is identical but its usage is completely different. Tie a Figure 8 on a Bite only if you can easily clip
into the finished loop. In other words, you must be able to slip the finished loop over something or hook
onto or clip into it. If your anchor point is a closed loop or a tree that you can't loop over top of, this
knot won't do. Use the standard Figure 8 and loop the free end around/through the anchor before
completing the knot. In the examples below, the free end of the rope has been marked with a letter F to
make it easier to identify. However, remember that this knot can easily be tied anywhere along the length
of the rope as the final image will show.

Start by taking a bite of rope (a loop that can be at the end of the rope as in image #1 or anywhere along the
length of the rope.) Hold the ends of the rope in your left hand and take the loop at the bottom in your right hand.

As mentioned at the beginning, you can tie Figure 8's on a bite anywhere along the length of the
rope. The example below shows how you could set this up and use the rope as a ladder or as a
means of clipping off at multiple points on a rope. Force applied in any direction on any or all of
the loops will not result in their slipping.