The Munter hitch, also known as the Italian hitch, is a simple knot, commonly used by climbers and cavers as part of a life-lining or belay system. To climbers, this knot is also known as HMS, the abbreviation for the German term Halbmastwurfsicherung, meaning 'half mast hitch belay.' Therefore, carabiners used for this belaying technique are called HMS carabiners, however the technique can be used with any locking carabiner wide enough to take two turns of the rope. The name 'Munter hitch' is due to a Swiss mountain guide, Werner Munter, who popularised its use in mountaineering.
The hitch is simply a set of wraps using a rope or cord around an object, generally a round object like a pipe, pole or more commonly, a carabiner. Its main use is as a friction device for controlling the rate of descent in belay systems.
