Troop Leader Resources

Basic Knots

Bowline

Often referred to as the “King of Knots, the bowline forms a fixed loop at the end of a line.

Related Troop Meeting Activities
BOWLINE DRAW
BOWLINE SHEET BEND DRAW
LASSOING THE STEER
RESCUE RELAY
50 FOOT RESCUE RELAY
CANNIBAL RESCUE

Clove Hitch

The clove hitch is used to secure a line to a pole and to start and end a variety of lashings.

Related Troop Meeting Activities
HITCHING CHALLENGE
REMOTE CLOVE HITCH

Pioneering Knots
Clove Hitch / Half Hitches Video

Tying a Clove Hitch (Series of Half Hitches) Over an Open-Ended Pole

Related Troop Meeting Activities
HITCHING CHALLENGE

Lark’s Head

Often inadvertently tied around the standing part, the lark’s head has a wide variety of uses in and out of camp.

Sheepshank

The sheepshank can come in handy when you want to shorten a line without cutting it. It can also can serve as a temporary remedy when a portion of a line has been weakened,

Related Troop Meeting Activities
ROPE TOSS LOG LIFT CHALLENGE

Sheet Bend

This is the basic knot to tie when you need to join two lines together of the same or different diameters.

Related Troop Meeting Activities
KNOT HOOP RELAY
BOWLINE SHEET BEND DRAW
RESCUE RELAY
ONE-HANDED KNOT TYING

Square Knot

The square knot is a binding knot. It’s used to hold an object or objects together or in place.

Related Troop Meeting Activities
ONE-HANDED KNOT TYING
TWO-PERSON SQUARE KNOT

Pioneering Knots
Square Knot Visual Approach

Taut-line Hitch

The taut-line hitch is one of the more important and practical Scout camping knots.

Related Scout Meeting Activities
TAUT-LINE HITCH RACE
SUPREME A-FRAME TARP PITCH

Timber Hitch

For lifting or hauling boards and timbers, the timber hitch is easy to tie, won’t jam and can be instantly loosened.

Related Troop Meeting Activities
ROPE-TOSS-LOG-LIFT CHALLENGE
LOG HAULING

Two Half Hitches

This is a basic knot often used to attach a line to an object.

Related Troop Meeting Activities
HOT ISOTOPE TRANSPORT
TAUT-LINE HITCH RACE (Variation)