What knot is recommended for tying two separate pieces of webbing together?

The water knot is specifically designed for joining two lengths of webbing together, making it the most suitable choice in this scenario. It is particularly beneficial for its security and reliability. When tied correctly, the water knot creates a strong connection that maintains the integrity of the webbing, which is essential in high-stress situations often encountered in firefighting and rescue operations.

This knot seamlessly integrates the two pieces of webbing, minimizing the risk of slippage, which could occur with other knots. Additionally, the water knot is easy to untie after being loaded, making it practical for scenarios where the knot may need to be adjusted or released after use.

In contrast, while knots like the bowline, figure-eight, and square knots may have their own applications, they are not the best choices for joining webbing. The bowline creates a fixed loop and is typically used for securing ropes to objects, the figure-eight knot is more suited for a stopping knot or creating a loop and may not perform as well when tying webbing together, and the square knot is known for joining ropes of similar diameter but can become unstable if the ropes are not under equal tension, which is less than ideal for securing webbing in rescue operations.