DID YOU KNOW? The Incas, who were an ancient civilization of South America, used a system of knots as their only “written” language. These knots were tied into necklace-like “documents” called quipus or “talking knots.” Their code, however, has never been definitively deciphered.
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TYING IT ALL TOGETHER Dear fellow OUTSiDER, This month's theme is KNOT just about how to tie paracord, but will teach you how to use different knots and carabiners. The skills and activities that come with your KNOT box are lifelong skills you can use KNOT only in outdoor activities, but also in many everyday situations! For extra fun, invite your friends and family to help you explore this month's box with you. While most activities can be done alone, all activities will be more fun creating experiences together with friends! Over & Out!
What these icon mean
Learn it
Try it
Live it
What did the mother rope say to her child? Don't be knotty!
This Month’s Gear Water Bottle Collapsible water bottle 20 oz | 600 mL Carrying loop BPA & PVC Free
PARACORD Hank
50 feet (or 15 meters) of 325 strength paracord
PARACORD Gear Set KNOT Cards
A great quick reference for knots on the go! The Paracord Gear set includes the following carabiners & gear: Figure 9 Rope Tensioner Paracord Tensioner T-Ring Hook Tactical Gear Clip 2 Dual Carabiner
CAUTION:
The carabiners and paracord contained in this month's box are not suitable for climbing.
Knot Tying Station To practice the different knots you will learn this month, we recommend building a Knot Tying Station! With the help of an adult, your Knot box, and the included wooden dowel & paracord, your station can be ready in minutes! Follow the steps below to get started. Have an adult drill holes on the sides of your knot box where marked. There are 4 spots for holes on the back and two spots for larger holes on each side. Run the wooden dowel through the larger holes on the two sides of the box. Cut the ends of the front side of the box to fold the flap down. Cut four pieces of paracord that measure 18-24" or 45-60 cm in length. Thread each piece of paracord through the holes in the back of your knot tying station and tie off with a simple stopper knot, like the OVERHAND knot (see next page).
TIP When cutting the paracord, have an adult help you seal the ends to prevent the yarn from pulling out of the paracord. To seal the paracord, simply hold the ends over a candle or lighter for up to 15 seconds so the outer shell melts to the inner strands or kerns.
Follow along with the visual instructions below when building your knot tying station. Visual diagrams are used throughout this booklet to help you learn the basics of tying knots and using your new carabiners!
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Tongue twister - a not neat knot is a knot that does not need knowing.
The Basics of Knots Knots are a very functional tool that can be used in many situations. It's important to understand the correct way to tie each knot to ensure it is secure for its purpose. The next pages will explain the different uses of the knots that are demonstrated on your water-resistant reference cards. But first, let's KNOT forget to learn the terms below as they will be used throughout this booklet.
Pull - Indicates tension on the rope that tightens the KNOT. The term "equal pull" means that each side of the rope should be pulled with the same level of tension to be secure.
Load -
Refers to the weight that may be applied against a knot. For example, when using a BOWLINE knot to hang your hammock, the load refers to the person's weight using the hammock.
Stopper or Jam - A knot or object that is used to stop rope
or paracord from slipping through a narrow space.
Binding - Securing two ropes or two sides of rope together. Bight - The curved or "U" shaped curve in a knot. Hank - A looped bundled rope (like what came in your box this month!).
Basic Knots Overhand The OVERHAND knot is one of the most commonly used stopper knots. This knot can tie off the end of a string for sewing or be used at the end of paracord to prevent unraveling. Tying this knot twice is called a DOUBLE OVERHAND knot.
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Clove Hitch & Clove Hitch on a Bight This knot is used for securing rope around objects, like tree limbs or posts. The proper use of the CLOVE HITCH knot would be to tie it near the center of your rope with equal pull from both sides.
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Bowline A BOWLINE knot gets stronger when it is pulled tight. This knot works well for attaching a hammock to a tree or tying up your bear bag when camping. You'll see throughout this booklet that many activities use it.
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Trucker's Hitch As the name might suggest, a TRUCKER'S HITCH knot is used mostly for securing a load on a truck or trailer. This is the type of knot you would want to use to tie a kayak to your vehicle for transporting.
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Figure 8 & Figure 8 Loop These knots are commonly used knots that climbers use. The FIGURE 8 makes a good stopper knot as a jam when climbing and the FIGURE 8 LOOP is good for connecting a carabiner.Â
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Taut-Line Hitch
This is a great knot to use when you need to adjust the tension on a rope. You might use this when setting up your tent for camping because it will allow you to loosen the rope and more easily untie the knot when taking down your tent
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Binding Rope Techniques For securing two different pieces of paracord to each other (binding rope), certain knots are necessary to ensure the paracord stays bound. Follow along with the samples below by using two different rope or cord materials (of equal or varying sizes). Can you master these knots?
Double Fisherman
The DOUBLE FISHERMAN is a good way to bind two ropes together. If tied correctly, these knots can be used for rescue operations or other critical applications.
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Square Knot A SQUARE knot should always be used with ropes of similar thickness. This knot is used to secure two pieces of rope together, but should never be used in critical situations. Take caution using nylon rope for the SQUARE knot as it can easily come undone.
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Double Sheet Bend A DOUBLE SHEET BEND is a knot used to bind two ropes of different diameter and stiffness. It is stronger than a square knot and is a good choice in wet conditions or when one of the ropes has a smooth outer casing.
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Knot So Fast Grab your family and test out your knot tying skills with this timed challenge! Give everyone a chance to go practice before the competition begins.
How to play 1) Time one player at a time in tying each knot below 2) Track each time separately for each knot 3) Record the time in seconds in the below table 4) Add up your time and your age (each year = 1 second) to come up with your total score 5) The player with the lowest score is the KNOT Champion
Tips
Knot reference cards can be used. Ages 8 or younger can ask an adult for help after 30 seconds have passed.
Player:
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Firewood Carrier Camp fires and wood fire stoves are great places to spend some quality time with your family when the cold months start settling in. When gearing up for a fire, ask an adult if you can gather the firewood. This is a great chance to practice tying different knots! Try out our firewood hauler below and test out different knots to see which ones work the best!
Which knots work best?
Use two pieces of paracord that are roughly the length from your hip to your shoe.
The sticks will become your handles. Choose sturdy pieces that will help carry your load.
How to Use your Carrier
Your Paracord Gear Set In addition to knots, carabiners are an important part of your gear collection! Carabiners come in many forms and shapes for different uses. They are great for attaching gear to your backpack and can also replace the need for a knot in some situations. Let's learn more about the carabiners that came in this month's box!Â
Parts of a Carabiner Get familiar with the parts of a carabiner outlined below. When loading up your carabiner, you will always want the weight to run along the major axis. So hang the carabiner from the runner end, while attaching your gear to the basket end. Nose
Basket Prominent of the two sides designed to carry the load
Contains the latch where the gate snaps into place
Gate Spine The long side of the carabiner
comes The term CARABINER ase from the German phr ning KARABINERHAKEN, mea k". Hoo g "Sprin
Major Axis
Part that latches open and shut
Runner End Opposite side of the basket
Asymmetrical D Ring The paracord hank included in this month's box comes with an Asymmetrical D Ring carabiner. The "D" shaped carabiner can be used to carry heavy loads, as well as attaching items to your backpack. This is the most commonly used carabiner.
Dual Carabiners The S-shaped carabiners in this month's box are called dual carabiners because there is a gate on each side of the "S". These are also considered wire-gate carabiners as the gate is made up of a steel wire material. The benefit of using a wire-gate carabiner is that they do not freeze as easily in cold or wet weather. Attach these carabiners to the outside of your backpack to easily add and remove gear, like a water bottle.
T-Ring Hook Use the T-Ring hook by hanging it from a paracord line (like a clothes line). This style of carabiner allows you to hang items within it's claw. When items are secured in this carabiner, the weight of the load and gravity actually hold the claw closed! Cool
Cool tip: This piece folds together for easier storing!
Figure 9 Rope Tensioner
The Figure 9 Rope Tensioner is a great option for tightening ropes or paracord instead of using knots. Use this carabiner when setting up tents, securing a bear bag, or even hanging a clothes line. Simple directions are shown on the device, but below are three different ways to secure this tool.
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Paracord Tensioner Similar to the Figure 9 Rope Tensioner, the Paracord Tensioner also helps to create an adjustable taut (tight) line. This is a great item to use with tents and clothes lines as it holds tight and secures paracord temporarily, but is still adjustable and easy to remove. Additional lines can also be attached to these loops
Tactical Gear Clip This clip can be used to hold many items! It is a great tool for securing a water hose to your backpack strap, or for attaching a small handheld flash light onto the outside of your backpack. What are some of the ways you can test out your new clip with gear from home or from the THiNK OUTSiDE program
Keeping Wildlife Wild The ecosystem of a park or forest is very important to its many inhabitants. As National Parks and natural preserves are visited by humans, it is important to leave the area just as it was when you first arrived. It is also important to make sure food is secure, not fed to animals, and trash is being picked up. Most animals will search for the easiest food sources available. This means that if they are being fed by humans, they will begin to forego some of their natural foraging skills. Here are some of the major reasons why it is important not to feed wildlife.
Young wildlife may begin to grow dependent on human food and not learn to scavenge for food through their natural hunting or gathering style. Human food is not nutritiously complete for wild animals and may not meet their dietary needs. Wildlife may become less afraid of humans and approach them. The lack of fear can also make animals more aggressive around or towards humans. Animals that are used to being fed by humans tend to hang out closer to the road, increasing their chances of getting injured by vehicles. Wildlife looking for human food can cause damage to your property, such as chewing on coolers, tearing through containers or bags, and more!
Bear Bags When camping in bear country, it is important to know the basics of how to store your food during the night to reduce the chances that bears or other animals might pay you an unexpected visit at your campsite! BEAR BAGS are for storing your food elevated in a tree to avoid losing your meals to these grizzly creatures. Practice 2 different knots as you learn the basics of setting up your BEAR BAG. Below are a few important points before you get started.
How to Hang a Bear Bag To complete this activity, you will need the supplies listed below. The bear bag activity that we will teach you involves securing your food supplies in a bag hanging from a tree limb (you can practice with your backpack, or a dry bag if you have one). Bag for Food Storage 40 ft (12 m) of Paracord 1 Carabiner Small Twig
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Using your reference cards, take your paracord and tie a bowline knot onto your carabiner. Attach the carabiner to your bag and place heavy items in it to add weight before moving forward with step number 2.
Toss your bag over a sturdy tree branch. Try to toss it at least 6 ft (or 2 m) from the tree trunk. Once the bag has been tossed over the branch, replace the heavy items with the food you are storing. Be cautious when tossing your bag. Stand back and hold onto the rope!
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Raise your bag all the way up to the branch. Now, using a small stick, tie a clove hitch as high as you can on the loose end of the paracord.
Feed the loose end of the paracord through the carabiner. Then pull the paracord down to begin raising the bag. Slowly
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Slowly loosen your paracord until the small stick hits the carabiner and acts as a stopper. Your bag should be suspended about 12 ft (or 4 m) from the ground. Make sure you are able to reach the loose end of the rope to release the bag.
I Did Knot Know That! Paracord came from the phrase "Parachute Cord." Paracord was originally the suspension line on parachutes used by U.S. soldiers during World War II.
Does Nature Knot? The weaver bird ties knots with its feet and beak as it is building its nest. The male birds are the nest builders and do this to impress their efmale counterparts
Paracord is weakened once a knot is tied on it. One of the stronger knots is the FIGURE 8 knot in which it still maintains 70 - 80% of the paracord's strength. Other factors like swinging the rope or the wear on the rope can also reduce its strength.
Pulley Systems Intro to Pulley Systems Imagine you need to lift up a big log or a person, but you don't have anyone nearby who can help you lift it. What do you do? Build your own pulley? Of course! Pulleys are simple machines that don’t have engines or gears, but because of their design, they can help us multiply the force our body produces. In simple terms, a pulley is the use of one or more "wheels" over or through which you loop a rope to help you lift heavy objects.
The Mechanical Advantage The more wheels you have and the more times you loop the rope around them or through them, the more you can lift. The so-called Mechanical Advantage (MA) helps you measure by how much your pulley can multiply a force. Therefore, the bigger the MA, the less force you need to use to move the object. The best way to explain how a pulley works is through illustrations. See the one-wheel pulley system on the next page? You pull the rope down to lift up the weight. Because it is only using one wheel and one rope section, you still have to pull the same weight as your object. If you want to raise the weight 1 ft (30 cm) into the air, you also have to pull the loose end of the rope 1 ft (30 cm) at the other end.
pulling ropes can’t just be learned
It must be “Taut”
One-wheel pulley While your MA (mechanical advantage) is only 1 in this illustration, your advantage of using this system is that you are now pulling the weight down instead of lifting it up. But you have not yet reduced the weight you are pulling.
MA = Number of rope sections that support whatever object you are lifting (not counting the section you are pulling on) Length needed to pull rope = Distance you want to lift object x MA
Two-wheel pulley If you add more wheels, and loop the rope around them, your MA increases. In the image here, you have 2 wheels and a rope looped around them. Your 100 lb (45 kg) object is attached to the second wheel and is now supported by 2 sections of the same rope (the 2 strands on the left) instead of just one. This means your MA is now 2, which allows you to lift it by pulling with a force of just 50 lbs (23 kg) — half as much! But you need to move the rope twice as far as you move the object.
Q. What do you call a Tangled rope in space?
Think of a Pulley as a Lever A pulley magnifies force similar to a seesaw, which acts as a lever. On a seesaw, if you want to lift someone 4 times heavier than you, you need to sit 4 times further away from the balancing point than they are. If you move your side down by 4 in (10 cm), the other end of the seesaw moves up only by 1 in (2.5 cm). The reason you can raise up a much heavier weight is because you are moving your end of the seesaw over a much longer distance.
The same thing happens with a pulley; except that you are pulling on a rope instead of moving the end of a seesaw. To lift something 4 times heavier, you can use exactly the same force but only if you pull the rope 4 times further. On your side, you use a small force over a longer distance. On the other side, there's a much heavier weight but it's moving a shorter distance.
a. AN astro-kNOT!
DIY Carabiner Pulley System Here's a great activity to test the strength of your paracord and carabiners. Follow along to create a pulley system with the gear you received this month!
You Need: 2+ Carabiners (D-Rings are best!)
10-13 ft (3-4 m) Paracord
Water Bottle (filled with water)
Before you Get Started Start by having a parent help you identify a sturdy bar from which you can hang your carabiners and that will be able to support the weight you will be lifting. A cabinet door handle or closet wire shelfing are good options, but make sure an adult helps you so you don't damage objects around you.
The 2 Carabiner Pulley
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With the end of your paracord, tie a BOWLINE knot either on a carabiner attached to your water bottle or directly on the water bottle loop.
Bowline Knot
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Take another carabiner and pull the paracord through the center.
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Now attach the second carabiner to a secure structure. Pull on the rope's end to lift the water bottle.
PULL
*This carabiner pulley system is similar to the one-wheel pulley
The 3 Carabiner Pulley
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Tie a BOWLINE knot at the end of your paracord to a secure bar or other structure.
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Take a carabiner and run the paracord through the center opening. Leaving some slack, attach this carabiner to another area either on the bar or a different structure. Take another carabiner and attach it to the object you are trying to lift. Then, attach it to the paracord slack that is spaced between the BOWLINE knot and carabiners. Pull on the rope end to lift the object. Ta-da!
*The carabiners act like the wheels in these pulley systems, but without spinning. This carabiner pulley system is set up similar to a two-wheel pulley
Test Your KNOT-ledge 1) Which pulley system required less force to lift? 2) How might you design a 3 Carabiner Pulley System? Give it a try and see if you can design a solution with a 3 or even 4 carabiner pulley system! Draw out your plans using circles for the placement of your carabiners and lines to represent the paracord. Now go test it out!
GLOBAL FEATURE:
Daisetsuzan National Park Japan Daisetsuzan National Park (大雪山国立公園 Daisetsuzan Kokuritsu Kōen), or Taisetsuzan, is located on the Japanese island of Hokkaidō. It is the largest national park in Japan with 876 sq mi (or 2,268 sq km) in size. The park not only offers some of the most rugged landscape in the country, but is also famous for its wildlife. You can even find the cute little tailless pikas here. The name Daisetsuzan is derived from the meaning "great snowy mountains", which makes sense given that the park is home to 16 mountainous peaks, each taller than 6,000 ft (or 2,000 m). The park is also home to 3 volcanic mountain groups that are made out of stratovolcanoes piled on top of each other. As one vent becomes active, it builds a peak, then stops until a new vent appears.
Tying the Knot It is known that Japan has a well established tradition of knotting, with the Mizuhiki being the most popular form of Japanese knotwork. This ancient Japanese craft uses a special cord made from rice paper, which is tightly wound, starched for stiffness, and colored. The Mizuhiki is most often used for gift giving, with each knot having a particular meaning. The history of the Mizuhiki knot goes as far back as 607 AD, where legend has it that a Japanese delegate returned from China with a knot-decorated gift for the Japanese emperor. The Japanese really liked the knot and its technique and started their tradition of using the Mizuhiki knot for special occasions and gift giving. The Mizuhiki has also been used in the 1600s for tying the hair of samurai warriors into a topknot using paper that was twisted into a strong cord. Today, the Mizuhiki is often used to beautifully decorate a woman’s hair for special ceremonies, such as her wedding.
Paracord and Carabiners Enjoy this game with a friend (also known as Dots & Boxes). All you need is a pen or pencil. See the rules below and let the game begin!
TO
How to Play the Game 1) Start by drawing a line (paracord) between any two dots (carabiners) on the grid above. Lines cannot be diagonal. 2) Each player takes turns drawing a different line, with the goal of "closing a box." 3) Once a player "closes a box", they claim it by writing their initials in the center of the box (see example in light grey). 4) You can play for a set time or until the dot grid is complete with every box closed. Player with the most claimed boxes wins!
EMPATHY : ANXIETY Ever heard of the expression: "It feels like my stomach is tied in knots?" Maybe you have even experienced it yourself. The expression refers to someone feeling nervous. And because your stomach, just like your brain, is full of nerves, anxiety (which is another term for nervousness) often shows up in an upset stomach. All of us feel nervous at some point in our lives, especially when we feel stressed. Preparing for a big trip, studying for a school exam, or getting ready to give a speech are all situations that most people get nervous about. And feeling nervous isn't a bad thing. In fact, it is the best indicator that what you are doing is important to you and you are challenging yourself. But some people feel anxiety in a very strong way, where it makes them physically sick and causes panic attacks.
How can you help someone with anxiety? Feeling anxious or nervous is nothing to be ashamed of. In contrary, the more open you are about it, the quicker it goes away. If you have a friend or relative who feels anxious, here are ways you can help them: Encourage them to talk about it and share their thoughts and fears. Do a deep breathing exercise with them to calm their nerves. Take them on a walk or to play outside with you. Most importantly, show them that you care and understand.
NATIONAL PARK SPOTLIGHT
Big bend national park The Southwest Texas Big Bend National Park includes the entire Chisos mountain range and a large part of the Chihuahuan Desert. Big Bend is often referred to as a "hiker's paradise" as it offers more than 150 miles of trails! In fact, its vast undeveloped areas don't only provide excellent opportunities for backpacking, but also for river trips, horseback riding, and mountain biking. The National Park is also known as one of the best places in North America for star gazing, having very low light pollution due to its sparse human occupation. It is estimated that you can see about 2,000 stars on a clear night! Because Big Bend's location is near the 100th meridian in the middle of the continent and along a migration route, it is an ideal place to watch all types of different species of birds. One of the park's famous birds is Colima Warbler, which is a predominately Mexican species that only nests in the United States in the Chisos Mountains from April to September
PRUSIK KNOT 1.
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FIGURE 8 Knot 1.
Make a loop with an end
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Now pass the end through it
Pull both sides to adjust the knot
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The finished knot resembles an “8�
CLOVE HITCH ON A BIGHT 1.
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BARREL HITCH 1.
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The two-half hitch
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