Basic Essentials Knots for the Outdoors, 2nd (Basic Essentials Series) [Paperback]

Cliff Jacobson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Basic Essentials Series | Publication Date: March 1, 1999

An information-packed tool for the novice or handy reference for the veteran. Distills years of knowledge in an affordable and portable book.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Another title from renowned outdoorsman Cliff Jacobson! In this updated second edition, you'll discover how to master the top 10 most important knots and hitches, determine the best knot for the task at hand, choose the right rope for the right application, prepare new ropes for outdoor use, and care for the ropes you count on. (5 1/2 X 8 1/2, 58 pages, illustrations, diagrams for both lefties and righties)

About the Author

Cliff Jacobson teaches environmental science and resides in Hasting, Minnesota. He has a summer outfitting company and takes extensive summer canoe trips into remote areas of Canada. He has written six books on camping and canoeing related topics. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Falcon; 2nd edition (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762704284
• ISBN-13: 978-0762704286
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #354,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BIOGRAPHY
CLIFF JACOBSON


Cliff Jacobson is one of North America's most respected outdoor writers and wilderness guides.

Each summer, for more than 30 years, Cliff organized and led canoe trips for the Science Museum of Minnesota into the wilds of northern Canada--paddling many rivers above the Arctic Circle. A retired environmental science teacher (34 years!), Cliff is strongly committed to the ethic of "leave no trace" camping.

Cliff's unique methods are proven by the sweat of pack and paddle and are reminiscent of the days when skills were more important than things. Cliff is a popular speaker; he has presented hundreds of seminars at stores, schools, colleges and Universities in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom.

Cliff is the author of more than a dozen popular books on outdoor skills. His flagship book, Expedition Canoeing, 20th Anniversary Edition, has been called the most authoritative resource available for canoeing the bush rivers of northern Canada. Cliff developed and wrote the Orienteering/Map and Compass, and wilderness ethics materials for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. His unique "Wilderness Meal" activity--which simulates a canoe trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area--is among the most popular environmental education activities of all time. It's detailed in his book, Boundary Waters Canoe Camping. Cliff was the chief consultant for the canoeing section in the recent edition of the Boy Scout Field Book (Boy Scouts of America). His popular "ninety minute Forgotten Skills" video (DVD) details the most important campcraft procedures.

Cliff Jacobson is a Distinguished Eagle Scout, a recipient of the American Canoe Association's prestigious Legends of Paddling Award and a member of the ACA Hall of Fame. His hobbies include canoeing and camping (of course!), precision rifle shooting (powder-cartridge and air guns) and driving his 14 year old little red roadster on curvy roads with the top down. He and his wife, Sue Harings, were married in 1992 on a canoe trip down the Hood River (Canada) north of the Arctic Circle. The fully story is in his book, Expedition Canoeing.

You can contact Cliff through his web-site, www.cliff-jacobson.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good basic book; some technical errors..., July 7, 1999

By 

Laurence Perkins Jr. "flying_lp" (Clayton, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Basic Essentials of Knots for the Outdoors (Paperback)

Knots for the Outdoors is a great take-along knot manual. If you are looking for useful knots and a book with clear illustrations from which to learn them, then this is a good choice. If you are as "hung up" on technical accuracy as I, then have a care. For example, learning to tie the Fisherman's Knot from this manual may be lead one to believe that they have also mastered the Water Knot. This confusion arises because Water Knot is the subtitle used on the Fisherman's Knot illustration. Of course, these are two different knots.

Generally, the illustration and the "practicality" of the manual are good. The reader should, however, take with a grain of salt some of the pronouncements about the relative merit of the various knots. It seems that many of Mr. Jacobson's opinions are based on his personal experience, which is good -- for Mr. Jacobson. Your mileage may vary. Remember that the intended purpose, the type of rope available, the skill level of the "knot-smith," weather conditions, and even one's "handedness" may affect the utility of the various knots shown. Temper acceptance of Mr. Jacobson's pronouncements with *your* personal experience.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars handy, practical, and (usually) easy to follow, July 3, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Basic Essentials of Knots for the Outdoors (Paperback)

A brief guide to the basic knots every camper should know. Left-handed illustrations are unique. Generally well illustrated with clear, step-by-step tying diagrams. Starts with a good introduction to types of rope and their care.

The author's knot and rope nomenclature is not always consistent with most authorities, and a couple of the illustrations are either incorrect or difficult to follow. One gets the impression that author and illustrator failed to communicate under deadline pressure.

Nevertheless, a handy little book that's easy to throw into your pack or glove compartment.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Generally useful, sometimes difficult to follow, October 25, 2002

By 

Erin K. Darling "naive cynic" (olympia, wa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Basic Essentials Knots for the Outdoors, 2nd (Basic Essentials Series) (Paperback)

Cliff Jacobson's second edition of this book is, by and large, a very handy field guide. Most of the illustrations are easy-to-follow, but some are infuriating and frustrating. As a plus for left-handed folks, he includes how-to diagrams for them, too.

Jacobson starts out with some basic rope care guidelines, and how to select the right rope for the task. He then goes over the 10 most useful knots, and then moves on to more complex and less-often-used knots. There's a small tear-off card with a few handy knots on it that's easy to slide into a pocket or pack. The book itself is fairly small and thin, too, but probably larger than I'd want to take on a long hiking/camping trip.

By and large, it's useful; but I have a sneaking suspicion that there are better knot-tying books out there, with better diagrams (especially for beginners.) I gotta say it again; I got *really* frustrated with some of Jacobson's.