Uses a webbing loop sling to attach item to harness.
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Girth Hitch Details
Found in: Arborist, Climbing, Search & Rescue
Also known as: Bale Sling Hitch, Strap Hitch
Purpose: The Girth Hitch (Strap Hitch, Bale Sling Hitch, Ring Hitch) (ABOK # 1694, p 294) attaches a sling to a bar, ring, or another sling.
Names: It looks like the Cow Hitch, so it’s often called names that fit the Cow Hitch better. These include Lark’s Head, Lark’s Foot, and Lanyard Hitch.
Familiarity: The Girth Hitch should look familiar. It uses the same method we use to connect two elastic bands. This familiarity provides a useful lesson. You can dress the two bands to resemble either a Square (Reef) Knot or take the form shown in the animation. To keep strength when linking two slings, the knot should look like a Square Knot. We call this a “Strop Knot.””
Strength: The Girth Hitch weakens a sling. This is true when someone ties two straps together without any intermediaries. This loss of strength can be as high as 50%. This occurs when one strap goes straight through. The other wraps around itself, like in the animation. To join two slings when strength is a concern, use a carabiner—not a Girth Hitch.
Uses: The Girth Hitch attaches a sling or a webbing strap loop to your harness or to another sling, strap, or rope. Users often use it when they use slings to connect anchor points to a static rope in a top-rope setup.
(Reference source: animatedknots.com)
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