Garda hitch

Garda hitch
Use(s)	(self-)rescue techniques, material hauling
Pros	Fast, simple, just two carabiners needed, works well on a tested setup
Cons	Works only one-way, almost impossible to release when loaded, high friction under load, can slip in specific cases, the system misbehaves with some carabiners
Category	Hitch
Strength	rope: slipping ~35% (specific cases), breaking ~45-60%

Garda hitch is one of the elementary hitches. It is used for example in self-rescue from a crevasse. Although it is simple to tie and works reliably with optimized setups, its application scope is limited by its unidirectional nature and high friction under load. In very specific cases, it has safety issues (slippage). For the Garda hitch reliability, carabiner choice and testing prior to use is crucial. In many applications, Garda hitch can be replaced by a tuber with guide mode.

Tying

The two carabiners used for tying should be identical for the knot to work properly! D-shaped screw-gate carabiners are recommended. Tying a girth hitch on the top sling in order to fix the carabiners position is recommended (not drawn). It is highly recommended to test the suitability of the carabiners and rope intended for Garda in-advance in a safe environment.

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  Hang a rope onto two carabiners (1)

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  Wrap the rear strand around the front carabiner (2)

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  Take the left strand of the rope and move it above the loop (3), Garda should seat itself into the corners of the D-carabiners

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  Secure the gates (4)

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  Inspect the gates and the Garda hitch (5)

Carabiner choice

D-Shaped carabiners are recommended over other shapes. Screw-gate carabiners are safe to use as long as the locks are not too bulky. Otherwise the carabiners might not snap properly. Movement of the rope in the system might unclip carabiners without gate locks.

Slippage

Garda hitch is, in some cases, prone to slipping, as illustrated and studied by Ryan Jenks (HowNOT2). In general, the smaller the rope diameter and the bigger/rounder the carabiners, the higher the chance that the hitch slips. The lowest recorded force when slippage occured was just 2.4 kN, when he used oval screw-gate carabiners together with a 6 mm nylon sling. In the case of a 9 mm nylon rope (diameter similar to most climbing ropes), limit force was generally around 8-10 kN (desheating), except when he used oval screw-gate carabiners (6 kN, slipping). As 8-10 kN is roughly twice the maximum force a climber experiences during a lead fall, slippage should not be an issue, as long as you use D-shaped carabiners together with a climbing rope.