Munter Hitch
Also known as:Italian Half Hitch, HMS Hitch
Description
A friction hitch used in climbing for belaying and rappelling without a mechanical device. It uses a locking carabiner to create friction on the rope through crossing turns.
Common Uses
Emergency belaying, rappelling without a belay device, controlling load descent in climbing and rescue.
When to Choose This Knot
Choose this knot only in the context of proper climbing instruction, inspected equipment, and a complete safety system. Climbing knots are not isolated tricks; they interact with harnesses, carabiners, anchors, belay devices, and partner checks.
Safety Notes
- Use professional instruction and follow the standards of your climbing gym, guide, rescue team, or local authority.
- Perform a partner check before every load-bearing use.
- Retire damaged rope and never experiment with unverified knots at height.
How to Tie
- 1Clip a bight of rope into a locking carabiner.
- 2Twist the bight 180 degrees to form a crossing loop.
- 3Clip the loop back into the carabiner alongside the original bight.
- 4The brake strand exits on the rope's loaded side below the carabiner.
Common Mistakes
- Practicing the knot correctly once and then skipping inspection under real conditions.
- Using the wrong carabiner orientation or anchor geometry.
- Replacing supervised training with a web article.