Belay from above using hip belay.

As the title states, any of you who have a lot of experience ever forget or drop a belay device and use this or a munter, if so what was your success with it?

M

The munter works great and would be the better choice for steeper routes, hanging belay, etc.  A hip belay is nice when you're moving fast on low angle terrain, have a solid stance, and don't expect your partner to fall (though you must still belay as if they will).  I belay from above with a tube far more than either of these, but they are both extremely useful to have in your toolbox and quite effective when done correctly.

I always bring three belay devices with me on every climb. An ATC, a Munter,, and a hip belay.  They have all worked great for belaying. But I've only been able to drop one of them.

Mason Stone wrote:

As the title states, any of you who have a lot of experience ever forget or drop a belay device and use this or a munter, if so what was your success with it?

I belayed that way for the first few years of my climbing until the Stitch plate became available. The Munter was virtually unknown among climbers then. Caught lots of falls with a hip belay. On some climbs - eg: relatively easy friction pitches - it was far faster, more efficient, and easier to keep up with the climber to use a hip belay for the second.

I use a hip belay occasionally when my partner will be moving fast through low 5th/class 4 sections of an alpine route. I make sure there is a good stance first, preferably sitting with my feet against a large boulder.

Running the climber stand of rope in through a locker off your belay loop does help increase friction some (brings the rope in around more of your hip).

Nick Drake wrote:

I use a hip belay occasionally when my partner will be moving fast through low 5th/class 4 sections of an alpine route. I make sure there is a good stance first, preferably sitting with my feet against a large boulder.

Running the climber stand of rope in through a locker off your belay loop does help increase friction some (brings the rope in around more of your hip).

Nick, I'm trying to picture this. If you are right handed, the climber strand would go through the locker in front of you left to right, rope proceeding around back, then that strand held in your left hand, changing it's position as needed? Right hand then on the strand ahead of the locker?

I've not hip belayed, and had to miss my chance to learn this and probably a great many other things from one of the true master climbers on here, this summer. :-(

Best, OLH

Marc801 C wrote:

I belayed that way for the first few years of my climbing until the Stitch plate became available. The Munter was virtually unknown among climbers then. Caught lots of falls with a hip belay. On some climbs - eg: relatively easy friction pitches - it was far faster, more efficient, and easier to keep up with the climber to use a hip belay for the second.

My experience also.

Old lady H wrote:

Nick, I'm trying to picture this. If you are right handed, the climber strand would go through the locker in front of you left to right, rope proceeding around back, then that strand held in your left hand, changing it's position as needed? Right hand then on the strand ahead of the locker?

I've not hip belayed, and had to miss my chance to learn this and probably a great many other things from one of the true master climbers on here, this summer. :-(

Best, OLH

This might help, strand on the right would come in through locker:

It also seems to help having the load "squared up" making it easier to avoid rotating the hip and loosing friction:

Never use a redirect on a hip belay. 2 biners on opposite side of your harness and direct rope through it. You'll be good.