To convert kips to kilonewtons, multiply by 4.448221615. That factor is the whole relationship: both units measure force, so the conversion is a proportion with no offset and no substance-specific constant.
Used in structural engineering and climbing-gear ratings. One thousand pounds-force, the working unit of American structural engineering.
Mass is not force. A kilogram is a mass; a kilogram-force is the weight of that mass at standard gravity, 9.80665 N. Bathroom scales blur the distinction because they are calibrated for Earth; engineering calculations cannot. Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real force figures into kilonewtons so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
kips- The amount you are converting, in kips
4.44822161526- The exact number of kilonewtons in one kip
kilonewtons- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in kips.
- It is multiplied by 4.44822161526, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in kilonewtons, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
An adult’s body weight: 0.175 kip in kilonewtons
At 0.175 kip (an adult’s body weight), the same quantity in kilonewtons is 0.175 × 4.44822 = 0.778439 kN. One kip is 4.44822 kilonewtons, so the numbers grow as expected.
A climbing rope’s rated load: 4.95 kip in kilonewtons
A climbing rope’s rated load comes to about 4.95 kip. Multiplying by the factor: 4.95 × 4.44822 = 22.0187 kN. Dividing the answer back by 4.44822 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many kilonewtons are in one kip?
Exactly 4.44822161526. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert kips to kilonewtons?
kilonewtons = kips × 4.44822161526. Reversed, kips = kilonewtons ÷ 4.44822161526, which is the same as multiplying by 0.2248089431.
Which is the bigger unit, the kip or the kilonewton?
The kip. One kip equals 4.44822 kilonewtons.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure force. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a kip?
One thousand pounds-force, the working unit of American structural engineering.
What is a kilonewton?
Used in structural engineering and climbing-gear ratings.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Is there a quick way to do kip to kN in my head?
Plenty of people do this in their head: multiply by 4.4 instead of using the exact factor 4.448221615. At 100 that shortcut gives 440 kilonewtons, off by 4.822 kilonewtons or about 1.08%. Fine for a rough estimate, not fine for anything you are cutting to size or dosing.
Kips to kilonewtons reference tables
| Kips | Kilonewtons |
|---|---|
| 0.5 kip | 2.22411 kN |
| 1 kip | 4.44822 kN |
| 2 kip | 8.89644 kN |
| 3 kip | 13.3447 kN |
| 5 kip | 22.2411 kN |
| 10 kip | 44.4822 kN |
| 20 kip | 88.9644 kN |
| 25 kip | 111.206 kN |
| 50 kip | 222.411 kN |
| 75 kip | 333.617 kN |
| 100 kip | 444.822 kN |
| 250 kip | 1112.06 kN |
| 500 kip | 2224.11 kN |
| 1000 kip | 4448.22 kN |
| 5000 kip | 22,241.1 kN |
Exact factor: 1 kip = 4.44822161526 kilonewtons.
| Quantity | kip | kN |
|---|---|---|
| A sheet of paper’s weight | 1.102e-05 kip | 4.9e-05 kN |
| Lifting a bag of sugar | 0.002205 kip | 0.00981 kN |
| A firm handshake | 0.06744 kip | 0.3 kN |
| An adult’s body weight | 0.1754 kip | 0.78 kN |
| A climbing rope’s rated load | 4.946 kip | 22 kN |
| A car’s braking force | 1.798 kip | 8 kN |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.