What the hell is a Double Munter Hitch?

Source: AMGA Technical Handbook for Professional Guides

Contributed by: Marty Comiskey ( martycomiskey@yahoo.com)
  

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Description: In an earlier posting to this "Tips/Tricks/Gimmicks" section of the PATC website, I 

mentioned converting a Munter to a Double Munter hitch to increase the amount of friction for a 

rappel and/or a lower.

Climbing at Great Falls recently, someone asked me "What the hell is a double Munter?"

Attached is a diagram showing both the Munter and the Double Munter. It will drastically increase 

the amount of friction that runs through the rope/biner. It can be especially useful in a rescue 

scenario where you might need to lower more than one person at the same time or while rappeling 

on a very thin or ice covered rope and you want more control managing the rope.

The Munter is infamous for putting kinks in the rope. It has been suggested (on a website) that the 

Double Munter does not kink the rope (i.e. first bend of the Munter bends/kinks rope and 2nd. 

Munter bend twists rope in opposite direction and unkinks rope). I will need to do more 

experimenting to verify this claim, but first time I tried it - no kinks!!