abseiling / rappelling. The nominal load during abseiling/rappelling is one person - generally around 1.0kN (approximately 100kg). If the system is configured so the ropes are doubled through the anchor, the joining knot will only be subjected to 50% of the load (ie approximately 0.5kN) - which is well below the instability threshold. With due diligence given to dressing and setting the knot, the risk of capsizing is highly unlikely. Several sources recommend adding a second overhand as close as possible to the first (a stacked overhand or double overhand) for most situations, which maintains most of the benefits, while preventing it from capsizing. However, this doubles the overall footprint of the knot - which may be counter-productive. There are several different choices of offset knots - all offering varying levels of advantages/disadvantages. Forming a double overhand knot (based on #516 per Ashley) is one such example but again, it increases the overall footprint. Easily formed in most lines, the offset overhand bend is jam resistant at nominal loads of one person (approximately 100kg). In EN892 climbing ropes, the jamming threshold is thought to be in the vicinity of 3.0kN (300kg). The instability threshold is thought to be above 4.0kN (400kg) – that is, a capsizing event becomes increasingly probable as loads exceed 400kg. It is critically important to pay close attention to dressing and cinching of the knot before attempting to abseil. That is, climbers must exercise due diligence when tying this knot – by pulling firmly on each of the four rope segments – which is necessary to achieve a properly compacted and cinched dressing state. Despite questions about this knot's security, it does present some advantages for use in rappels. Because the knot is offset from the axis of tension, it can translate more easily over uneven surfaces and 90 degree edges than other knots; and it is quickly tied and readily untied. Since a stuck rope on a multi-pitch descent can be catastrophic for climbers, these advantages, along with ease of tying, have led to its popularity. As with all knots used in life critical applications, the tails must be of sufficient minimum length (never less than 200mm in offset knots), and be diligently dressed and fully tightened by pulling individually on all four rope segments. An interesting yet overlooked fact is that #1410 (offset overhand bend), can be rotated to induce a choking effect to