The Munter Hitch is without doubt one of the most respected knots utilized in climbing and each climber ought to turn out to be accustomed to this versatile hitch. Whereas Werner Munter didn’t invent the hitch, just a few Italian’s did within the Fifties, he was the one who popularized it within the Nineteen Seventies and why it bears his title. This hitch works greatest on a big pear formed locking HMS fashion carabiner like a Petzl Connect or Petzl William Screwlock Carabiner. Enjoyable reality, the “HMS” is a German abbreviated for “Halbmastwurfsicherung” which translated means roughly “half a clove hitch” which describes the construction of this hitch. You possibly can learn extra on this historical past of the hitch right here.
To tie the Munter Hitch you type a twist within the rope just like the Clove Hitch and drop a strand into the carabiner as effectively. It’s very easy when studying this hitch to take away the twist whenever you add the second strand which leaves you with the rope simply double looped by the carabiner which needs to be clearly incorrect. Watching just a few movies of easy methods to tie it together with loads of observe tying it inside your property or on the bottom ought to proceed you tying it for actual life utility.
One of many cool points of the Munter Hitch is that it’s “reversible”, that means it is going to flip by the carabiner into a distinct orientation relying on which strand is being loaded. Throughout instruction we use the phrases “load” strand and “brake” strand. In the event you solely apply load to the “load” strand the hitch will find yourself in what’s known as the “reducing” orientation. If we solely apply load, or extra generally pull in slack whereas belaying, the hitch will flip by the carabiner into what’s known as “belay” orientation. Usually when creating the Munter Hitch it’s common to create an “air” hitch like demonstrated within the above video after which set up it onto the carabiner. With slightly observe it turns into environment friendly to tie the hitch instantly onto the carabiner.
For these with a robust grasp on the essential methods to type the hitch it may be helpful to discover ways to tie the hitch onto the carabiner within the orientation it is going to first be operated. For instance tying it so it’s already in belay orientation, or tying it’s it’s already in reducing orientation. These strategies can add effectivity particularly when progressing to superior self-rescue expertise and for these in search of out guiding certifications in rock and alpine guiding.
- Belaying– The commonest use for the Munter Hitch is a substitute for a plaquette fashion belay system like a Petzl Reverso or Black Diamond ATC Information when belaying a second instantly from the anchor. This selection could also be due to a dropped belay system, or it could be for velocity and effectivity, or it could be out of necessity (ice’d up frozen ropes whereas mountaineering can work higher on this hitch and be close to not possible to put in right into a plaquette).
- Decreasing– The smoothest solution to decrease a climber instantly from above is by utilizing a Munter Hitch and reducing instantly from an anchor. A standard false impression is that this technique will twist your rope up and/or significantly put on your rope because the hitch rubs on itself. Each of those conceptions are false with correct use of the hitch, which primarily means retaining the orientation of the BRAKE strand PARALLEL to the LOAD strand whereas reducing. Doing so will forestall any twisting of rope. The second consideration is conducting a clean, regular, non-high velocity decrease. This is not going to harm the rope and fashionable rope have sheaths that may simply deal with the minimal put on utilizing this hitch lots of of instances will put in your rope. It’s a good observe to make use of a “third hand” friction hitch on the brake facet of the hitch related to your belay loop whereas conducting something however the shortest and easiest of lowers.
- Rappelling– Whereas it’s potential to rappel brief distances with the Munter Hitch connected to a locking carabiner in your belay loop it’s a bit awkward to take action and the dramatic distinction in angle that the 2 strands depart the hitch results in large rope twisting (and the place this hitch most likely obtained a misguided bad-wrap). In reality when you rappel by holding your brake strand parallel to the rope you’ll be able to handle this with out twisting your rope however this observe could be very unintuitive to different modes of rappelling and I might solely use it as a final resort.
Abstract
The Munter Hitch needs to be in your high 5 acquainted climbing knots. From belaying to reducing it has quite a lot of purposes in climbing, particularly within the self-rescue world after we begin taking a look at pressure releasable options (coming quickly). In the event you haven’t used this hitch in your climbing take someday to construct it at house and see the way it operates. Even with all of the superior and nice belay gadgets available on the market it’s sensible to have a fall again plan that solely requires a single locking carabiner.
See you within the mountains,
Northeast Alpine Begin
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