What is a common hitch used for a one-person belay?

What is a common hitch used for a one-person belay?

• A. Figure Eight Follow Through
• B. Munter Belay
• C. Clove Hitch
• D. Bowline

Answer: (B)

The essential idea is using a friction hitch that you can control with your hands to arrest or lower a climber when you’re belaying yourself or with minimal gear. The Munter hitch fits that need because it turns a carabiner into a simple belay device: you wrap the rope through the carabiner in a specific two-wrap arrangement, creating friction. With one hand feeding rope and the other hand applying braking force, you can reliably hold a fall or lower someone. It’s quick, adaptable to different rope sizes, and doesn’t require a dedicated belay device, which is why it’s common for a one-person belay. By contrast, the other options are knots or basic attachments rather than friction hitches suitable for controlled belaying. The figure-eight follow-through is a knot used to tie into a rope (often for tying into a harness or anchor), not a braking hitch. The clove hitch is a general-purpose knot for securing a rope to an object but can slip under load and isn’t a braking mechanism. The bowline creates a fixed loop and does not provide braking friction for belaying.

The essential idea is using a friction hitch that you can control with your hands to arrest or lower a climber when you’re belaying yourself or with minimal gear. The Munter hitch fits that need because it turns a carabiner into a simple belay device: you wrap the rope through the carabiner in a specific two-wrap arrangement, creating friction. With one hand feeding rope and the other hand applying braking force, you can reliably hold a fall or lower someone. It’s quick, adaptable to different rope sizes, and doesn’t require a dedicated belay device, which is why it’s common for a one-person belay.

By contrast, the other options are knots or basic attachments rather than friction hitches suitable for controlled belaying. The figure-eight follow-through is a knot used to tie into a rope (often for tying into a harness or anchor), not a braking hitch. The clove hitch is a general-purpose knot for securing a rope to an object but can slip under load and isn’t a braking mechanism. The bowline creates a fixed loop and does not provide braking friction for belaying.