Munter hitch

Munter hitch
Other names	HMS, HMS knot, Munter
Use(s)	Belaying, rescue techniques
Pros	Fast and simple, requires only an HMS carabiner, works at any angle, allows smooth lowering of a second climber
Cons	Causes rope abrasion, prone to rope tangling, no braking assistance
Category	Hitch

Munter hitch (also known as HMS) is a knot used for belaying when a belay device is unavailable or impractical. For its simplicity, it is often employed in advanced rope techniques, including rescue techniques.

Tying

Tying for an anchor belay (easy method)

This method is very robust and ideal for learning the Munter hitch.

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  Make a loop (1)

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  Pull your thumb through the loop (2)

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  Place another strand over your thumb and close the hand with your index finger (3)

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  Pull the carabiner through the rope exactly in the path of your thumb (4)

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  Screw the safety-lock (5)

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  Inspect that everything is correct (6) and as a final test, pull the brake strand (7), the Munter hitch flips into another Munter

Tying for a harness belay

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  Start with a rope through the carabiner which is attached to your harness

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  Take a bight of the rope (1)

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  Make a loop (2)

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  Open the carabiner gate (3) and seat the loop into the carabiner (4)

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  Screw the safety-lock (5)

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  Inspect that everything is correct (6) and pull the break-strand (7) to test if the Munter hitch flips into another Munter

Belaying

Always hold the break strand! Belaying with Munter hitch is reliable and reasonably comfortable. In works smoothly when not loaded, but provides plenty of friction to catch a fall once tensioned. It works at any angle of the brake strand. The main drawback is that if the rope is pulled through the hitch under load (for example during belaying of the second climber or during abseiling), it tends to tangle the rope, which is together with the rope abrasion the main reasons why it is now used only rarely.

Belaying risks

Belayer should keep their fingers at a respectful distance from the knot. Otherwise they might risk jamming the fingers into the belay, which might result in a severe finger injury. Belayer should also ensure to tie the Munter in a way that it wont interfere with the carabiner gate/lock. Otherwise the rope friction might unlock, and maybe even open the carabiner gate.

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  When catching a fall, the rope slips a bit through the Munter. Keep your hand in a respectful distance from the hitch...

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  ... otherwise you risk jamming a finger

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  If you plan to belay from the harness...

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  ... tie the Munter in a way that it does not interfere with the carabiner gate/lock

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  Otherwise the rope friction might unlock...

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  ... or even open the carabiner during belaying

Tie-off - Mule overhand

To set your hands free from belaying, tie-off the mule overhand. The tie-off consists from a slipknot followed by an overhand knot. Both of them are tied around the sharp end of the rope. The knot looks very tangled as both of these knots are tied with a bight and the rope is also pulled through the carabiner. It takes practice to reliably tie and inspect the tie-off.

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  If the knot is not in the correct position, flip the knot by giving a bit of a slack (1)

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  Make a loop (2)

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  Move it behind the sharp end of the rope (3)

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  Pull a bight of the rope belay end through the loop (4), making a slipknot around the sharp end

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  Grab the bight with a hand (5) and simultaneously take slack out of the system while releasing the other hand (6), note that the break strand is still always being held during this step

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  Pull the bight through the carabiner (7), increase its size if necessary for the next steps

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  Secure the tie-off...

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  ... by making an overhand around the life end of the rope (8,9)

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  And the mule-overhand tie-off is done

Alternative tying methods

Single hand method

Fast method using single hand move.

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  Start with a rope through a carabiner. Grab the rope strand further from you with your right hand thumb pointing down and rotate your hand counterclockwise (1)

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  Pull the rope through the carabiner gate (2,3)

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  Screw the gate of the carabiner (4)

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  Visually inspect if everything is correct (5) and as a final check pull the break-strand (6) to see if the Munter hitch flips into another Munter

Detailed method

Step-by-step, very detailed description.

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  Make a loop on the rope strand farther from you (1)

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  Open the carabiner gate (3) and pull the rope through the gate (2)

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  Sit the rope into the carabiner (4)

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  Close the carabiner gate (5)

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  Screw the safety-lock (6)

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  Visually inspect that everything is correct (7) and pull the break-strand (8)...

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  ... to see if the Munter hitch flips into another Munter hitch as a final check