hey what's up with guys running the tail back through a nice figure eight anyhow? i've seen that knot come untied over the course of a long day, but, wonder why the fascination with the practice of running the tail back through the knot...does this come from the Seattle Mountaineers or the REI climbing pinnacle certification course or something?
say what? You mean the yosemite finish and whatnot? I do that all the time. figure-8's do not need backing up, but I run the rope back through the knot to make untying easier if it gets weighted, and it provides a bit of a backup.