Yeah, different priorities. Sport climbing you're trying to minimize hassle, and can do it frequently enough to be confident tying a secure bowline. I get to pl

Yeah, different priorities. Sport climbing you're trying to minimize hassle, and can do it frequently enough to be confident tying a secure bowline. I get to play with ropes maybe every other month between training and actual incidents. That's infrequent enough that sticking with a simple, bomb-proof knot like the figure-8 is the safer bet. Like you said, the figure-8 excels in strength (which matters more in rescue, since you're often dealing with loads heavier than a single climber), and has the added advantage of being easily inspected. I can look at a figure-8 someone else tied and have a high degree of confidence very quickly; I feel like that's harder with the bowline (since it's asymmetrical, etc).