If there's one honor almost every Pathfinder earns, it's Knots and Lashings. It's the gateway to camping life: without it, you can't build a pioneering project, can't pitch a tent properly, and can't pass the Pioneering honor, which is the foundation of rustic construction in the club.
The problem is that when someone looks up the requirements online, the first thing they find is a flood of copied answer keys, many from old editions, with ready-made answers. That gets you through the test and solves nothing in real life. And worse, the only text that actually counts is the South American Division (SAD) Honors Manual — the SAD itself states that only it has the authority to revise or replace requirements.
So here the approach is different: go requirement by requirement, explaining what you actually learn from each one and how to study it properly. The answers are still yours to write. If you want to understand the knots themselves first, it's worth reading essential knots and lashings and the four basic lashings first.
What is the Knots and Lashings honor (and why does it open so many doors)?
An honor, in club vocabulary, is a short, exploratory course: you learn about the subject, earn the patch, and find out whether it's something you enjoy. The SAD itself describes honors this way — a practical introduction, not professional training.
Knots and Lashings is one of the most sought-after honors because it's a practical prerequisite for almost everything that happens outdoors. Transcriptions of the Pioneering honor card list two prerequisites: being at least 12 years old and already holding the Knots and Lashings honor. And Pioneering, in turn, shows up in the class requirements for the older age group. In other words: get stuck here, and you get stuck later too.
| Fact sheet | Detail |
|---|---|
| Area | Recreational Activities |
| Code | AR 040 (advanced version: AR 099) |
| Level | II (intermediate) |
| Year created | 1975 |
| Where the official requirements are | South American Division Honors Manual |
| Where it appears in class work | Combined classes, Section V (Health and Physical Fitness), requirement 1, option (c), assigned to ages 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15+ |
| Serves as the foundation for | Pioneering, required in Section VIII (Camping Skills) from age 14 on |
One detail that trips a lot of people up: in the combined classes, Knots and Lashings doesn't appear in the camping section — it's in Section V, as one of three honor options (alongside Beginner Swimming I and Physical Culture). That's not a typo — that's how the official table is published, and it applies to every age listed. Data checked in July 2026.
The code changes from manual to manual. Old cards still in circulation use the numbering format "AR-38"; current archives use "AR 040." It's the same honor. It's worth noting where this data comes from: the code AR 040, level II, and the year 1975 appear in card transcriptions and Pathfinder wikis, not on an official adventistas.org page — the SAD's official honors page uses codes in the same format (AD001, AD006), but doesn't publish a fact sheet for each honor. If your card's code is different, check with your club's secretary which edition of the manual your Union/Association is using.
What are the requirements, one by one?
Before the list, a note that saves arguments: card numbering varies. The card transcription we consulted numbers items up to 18, because it counts the written reports attached to several requirements as separate items; other transcriptions in circulation list twelve, and one older version doesn't even include the Bible item. That's why the list below groups the content into twelve thematic blocks — it's the content that matters. The numbering that counts is whatever is on the card your Union/Association handed out.
- Define 10 technical terms — bight, running end, standing end, top knot, loop handle, turn, bend, hitch, splice, and whipping. What you learn: the vocabulary without which no knot instruction makes sense. Every handbook says "pass the working end through the bight"; if you don't know what each one means, you're memorizing instead of understanding.
- Rope care and maintenance — how to store, dry, coil, and when to retire a rope. What you learn: rope is safety gear, not leftover twine. Sun, mildew, being trodden on with boots, and rubbing against sharp edges are the four killers.
- Static rope vs. dynamic rope, with at least three uses of each. What you learn: static rope barely stretches (good for hauling, rappelling, zip lines); dynamic rope stretches and absorbs impact (good for climbing and falls). Swapping one for the other is a safety mistake, not a style choice.
- Identify four types of rope — polyester, sisal, nylon, and polypropylene — and write a report on the pros and cons of each. What you learn: to read a material. Sisal is natural and great for lashings (it grips, doesn't slip); polypropylene floats but suffers in the sun; nylon stretches; polyester holds up well against moisture.
- Advantages and disadvantages of synthetic ropes. What you learn: to compare honestly — synthetic is stronger and water-resistant, but melts under heat, slips more in knots, and degrades under UV light.
- Bible reference on the strength of rope: the card asks which type of rope the Bible says is strongest, and requires citing the book, chapter, and verse. What you learn: the devotional side of the topic. A hint without giving away the answer: look in Ecclesiastes 4 and read the whole chapter to understand the context before writing down the verse.
- Six rope finishes and whippings — a simple or short splice, an eye splice, a crown/back splice (English whipping), finishing with a double crown (or Matthew Walker knot), a simple crown, and a pig knot. What you learn: a rope end that won't fray. It's the requirement that scares people the most and impresses the most on the final board.
- Make two handmade ropes from natural material (or twine), at least 2 meters each: one three-strand and one triple-braided. What you learn: where rope actually comes from. After twisting fiber by hand, you'll never look at manufactured rope the same way again.
- Describe three plants used to make rope. What you learn: applied botany. Sisal, jute, cotton, hemp, embira bark, and banana fiber are common choices; research which ones grow in your region — it scores much better in the evaluation.
- Tie from memory at least 20 of the 32 listed knots, telling the evaluator the name, what it's used for, and its limitations — plus a written report describing each one. What you learn: this is the heart of the honor. Notice the requirement doesn't ask for speed: it asks you to explain the limitation of each knot.
- Tie five lashings: square, diagonal, parallel (or round), simple continuous, and double continuous. What you learn: how to join poles without a single nail or screw.
- Build a board with at least 25 knots. What you learn: organization and naming. The board becomes the unit's teaching material for years.
Notice the teaching design: five blocks of rope theory (1 through 5), one Bible reading block (6), three hands-on blocks (7 through 9), and three evaluated practical blocks (10 through 12). Doing it in that order means less pain, because the vocabulary from the first block is exactly what the evaluator wants to hear during the 20-knot test.
How do you choose the 20 knots you'll present from memory?
The official list has 32 knots, and you need 20. The choice is yours, and this is where you can be smart about it: pick knots you actually use, because the requirement demands you explain the use and limitation of each one. A memorized knot with no real purpose falls apart at the evaluator's first question.
The table below is a study guide, not the card's answer key. It gathers knots that show up both in the honor's list and in class requirements, so they do double duty.
| Knot | What it's for | Limitation the evaluator wants to hear |
|---|---|---|
| Square knot (reef knot) | Join two ropes of the same thickness; tie off bandages and bundles | Slips and comes undone under load; never use it for life safety |
| Surgeon's knot | Same function as the square knot, with an extra turn | Only worth it on slick or wet material |
| Sheet bend | Join ropes of different thicknesses | Loosens if the rope loses tension |
| Double fisherman's knot | Splice thin ropes very securely | Once loaded, it's nearly impossible to untie |
| Bowline | A fixed loop that doesn't slip; the classic rescue knot | Can work loose if the loop is shaken with no load; always finish it with a safety knot |
| Double bowline | Two fixed loops at once | Uses a lot of rope |
| Clove hitch | Secures rope to a post; the start of a square lashing | Rotates and loosens if the pull changes direction |
| Timber hitch | Cinches a bundle of poles; the start of a diagonal lashing | Needs constant tension or it opens up |
| Anchor bend | Secures rope to a ring, hook, or anchor | Performs poorly under intermittent loads |
| Figure-eight knot | A stopper knot at the end that keeps the rope from running out | Jams tight after loading; hard to undo |
| Prusik knot | A friction hitch: slides freely, locks under load | Fails if the loop cord is the same thickness as the main rope |
| Round turn and two half hitches | Secures rope to a trunk or stake under tension | Not a splicing knot; for anchoring only |
| Constrictor knot | Locks off a hose end or bag; barely ever comes loose | Usually needs to be cut to undo |
Many of these knots are also tested on class cards. Studying them together saves months: you learn once and check off requirements in two places.
Read alsoBasic First Aid HonorThe five lashings and the 25-knot board: how do you avoid redoing the work?
The five required lashings are the square, diagonal, parallel (or round), simple continuous, and double continuous. Each does something different, and that difference is exactly what the evaluator wants to see:
- Square lashing — joins two poles crossing at a right angle that need to stay that way. It's the base of tables, tripods, and masts.
- Diagonal lashing — pulls together two poles that are spreading apart and locks the crossing point. It's the lashing used for bracing.
- Parallel (round) lashing — splices two poles side by side to make one longer pole.
- Simple and double continuous lashing — stitch a series of small poles together to form a tabletop, floor, or wall.
The step-by-step for each one is in the 4 basic pioneering lashings. Here's just the practical warning: a loose lashing fails. If the structure wobbles, the evaluator will send you back to redo it — and rightly so.
About the 25-knot board, three mistakes cause rework, and all of them are avoidable. First: using ropes with too much difference in thickness — it looks nice, but some knots disappear visually. Second: gluing before double-checking the name. Third: forgetting the label. Every knot needs to be identified, because the board is teaching material, not decoration.
A suggestion that works well in club settings: plywood or heavy cardboard, 4-to-6mm rope in two colors (so splice knots stay legible), knots secured with staples or hot glue, a printed label under each one, and the honor's name and the Pathfinder's name at the bottom. A tip from someone who's redone a board before: if you're planning to tackle the advanced version later, plan the base with that in mind now — there, the board needs 50 knots, 5 lashings, and 5 decorative knots, meaning double the area. A little extra base now is cheap, and it saves you from starting over.
What changes in Knots and Lashings - Advanced (AR 099)?
Advanced honors in the SAD use the suffix "- Advanced" in the name and, generally, require the basic version as a prerequisite. Knots and Lashings follows the rule: AR 099 lists "holding the Knots and Lashings honor" as a stated prerequisite. A methodology note before the table: the advanced-level details below come from the same community transcriptions, and both reference wikis were offline when this article was researched (an expired certificate on one, access blocked on the other). Treat it as a faithful snapshot of what's in circulation, and confirm against the official card.
| Item | Knots and Lashings (AR 040) | Knots and Lashings - Advanced (AR 099) |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite | No prior honor | Holding the basic Knots and Lashings honor |
| Knots from memory | At least 20 of the 32 listed | At least 40 from the expanded list |
| Board | 25 knots | 50 knots + 5 lashings + 5 decorative knots |
| Decorative knots | Not a focus | Its own block of decorative work |
| Bible | One reference on rope strength | At least three Bible stories in which rope appears |
| Lashings | Square, diagonal, parallel, simple and double continuous | Expands to variations like the Japanese square lashing and the figure-eight lashing |
There's a requirement in the advanced honor worth calling out because it teaches real engineering: understanding why furniture lashings loosen over time and what to do to prevent it. Wet rope shrinks, dry rope loosens, green wood loses diameter. Whoever answers this well isn't just memorizing knots anymore — they're understanding materials.
Both honors, basic and advanced, appear on the list for the Recreational Activities Master Award, which requires seven honors chosen from that area's list. That makes Knots and Lashings a good starting point for anyone going for the Master Award — without covering it fully, of course: it's only two of the seven.
How do you plan the honor across club meetings?
Trying to finish Knots and Lashings in a single Saturday afternoon is the most common recipe for frustration: the board ends up sloppy, and nobody remembers the knots the following week. At the unit level, the format that works is six meetings of about an hour each, with homework in between.
| Meeting | Focus | Requirements covered | Homework |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vocabulary and rope care | Terms, maintenance | Write out the 10 terms with a drawing |
| 2 | Materials: static, dynamic, and the four types | Comparison and report | Report on pros and cons |
| 3 | Handmade rope and fibrous plants | 2m ropes and the three plants | Finish the second rope |
| 4 | Knots, part 1 (splices and loops) | Half of the 20 knots | Practice 10 knots with eyes closed |
| 5 | Knots, part 2 + end finishes | Remaining knots and the 6 whippings | Cut the board's base |
| 6 | Lashings, board, and evaluation | 5 lashings, 25-knot board | — |
Two adjustments that save the schedule. First: the Bible research and the report go home as homework, never as a meeting activity — that's home time. Second: order the rope in the first week. Missing materials is the number one thing that delays a camping honor.
If you're a counselor and have never led an honor before, the general guide on how to earn an honor shows the full process, from instructor to patch ceremony.
Where is the honor recorded (and what only the official system does)?
Earned it? The patch gets awarded and sewn onto the honors sash, grouped by area — Knots and Lashings goes in the Recreational Activities block.
The formal record, though, isn't the stitching — it's the entry in the SGC, the church's Club Management System. That's where club registration, member records, class records, and insurance coverage all run through. The SAD even published a specific guideline creating the role of SGC Coordinator (OMD 019/2023), which shows how institutionally important the system is.
It's worth saying this plainly: no support tool replaces the SGC. Official registration, insurance, and the link to the church's structure are its job, full stop. Desbravai is a secretarial and study support tool — it helps track who's on which requirement, organize the unit's material, and keep the history from one year to the next from getting lost. It doesn't issue official records and doesn't provide insurance coverage. If you still don't know how to access the official system, start with what the SGC is and how to log in.
One last word about the answer keys floating around online. Beyond many being outdated, a good chunk of them are unauthorized copies of the manual. If your club uses printed material, prefer the official manual purchased through the church or the SAD's own download channels. That's where the current version comes from — which is, in the end, the only one an evaluator can hold you to.