Any activity that involves ropes is potentially hazardous, and outdoor activities such as rock climbing are inherently dangerous. It is the responsibility of the participant to ensure that all safety procedures are in place. Learn from a skilled instructor if you plan to use ropes or knots in a situation where failure could cause property damage, injury, or death. Columbia Sportswear Company has made every effort to ensure that the knot descriptions contained in this guide are accurate. However, many critical factors are beyond our control, including: the choice of materials; the age, size, and condition of ropes; and the accuracy with which the knot descriptions in this guide have been followed. For this reason Columbia Sportswear Company assumes no responsibility for incidents arising from the use of this guide. Be careful out there, we still need you to buy our gear!