What percent is the vertical hitch load relative to the basket hitch?

• A. 60%
• B. 50%
• C. 40%
• D. 75%

Answer: (B)

In an ideal rigging setup, a basket hitch shares the load between two rope legs. If each leg carries a tension of T, the total load supported by the rope on the load is 2T. A vertical hitch, on the other hand, applies force with a single leg, so the load on the object is T. Therefore, the vertical hitch load is half of the basket hitch load, i.e., 50%. In practice, factors like friction and rope angles can affect the exact forces, but the basic ratio in the ideal case is 1:2.