HMS carabiners
The HMS carabiner (type H) is a carabiner with a pear-shaped design specifically engineered for belaying with a Munter hitch. Its wide profile makes rope handling and clipping easier, making it a preferred choice for belaying from a harness. Explore our full range of climbing carabiners available with either a screw-lock gate or an auto-locking mechanism.
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Recommended price
£13.11
-33%
£8.71
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Recommended price
£18.39
-28%
£13.11
The Orient Express Green is a Beal screw-in carabiner designed to prevent the belay chain from turning over and weakening.
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Recommended price
£16.63
-21%
£13.11
The Petzl Rocha Screw Lock Orange is a lightweight, aluminium carabiner designed for climbers, offering a high strength-to-weight ratio, easy rope feeding, and a secure locking system.
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Recommended price
£15.75
-22%
£12.23
The Petzl Attache Screw Lock Gris is a lightweight, durable carabiner with a unique design for smooth rope handling and secure locking, ideal for climbing and mountaineering.
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Recommended price
£15.75
-22%
£12.23
The Petzl Attache Screw Lock Yellow is a lightweight, high-strength carabiner with a unique design for smooth rope handling and secure locking, ideal for climbing and mountaineering.
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Recommended price
£16.63
-21%
£13.11
The Petzl Rocha Screw Lock Gris is a lightweight, pear-shaped carabiner with an H-shaped cross-section, offering excellent strength-to-weight ratio, easy rope feeding, and snag prevention.
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Recommended price
£17.51
-25%
£13.11
The Petzl Attache Bar is a versatile, lightweight carabiner for climbing and mountaineering, featuring the removable BAR accessory for optimised load distribution and a smooth rope glide system.
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Recommended price
£12.23
-14%
£10.47
The Core Lock is a screw-lock HMS carabiner developed by the Italian brand Camp, a simple and robust model to have in your equipment.
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Recommended price
£17.51
-15%
£14.87
The Black Diamond Pearlock Twistlock Carabiner Gray is an ergonomic and lightweight carabiner, ideal for efficient and safe belaying.
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Recommended price
£18.39
-28%
£13.11
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Recommended price
£13.11
-20%
£10.47
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Recommended price
£12.85
-32%
£8.71
The Grivel Plume HMS – K3GH Twin Gate Orange is a compact and lightweight HMS carabiner with the Twin-Gate system that prevents unwanted openings.
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Recommended price
£13.99
-20%
£11.18
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INCLUDED
DAY RETURNS
Fixed costs
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Recommended price
£11.35
-15%
£9.59
The Camp Atom Lock is a simple and durable HMS carabiner, with an opening and rope-bearing surface designed to facilitate operation with Munter and double Munter hitches.
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Recommended price
£17.51
-19%
£14.08
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Recommended price
£21.91
-28%
£15.75
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Recommended price
£13.11
-20%
£10.47
The Pearlock Screwgate Black is a screwgate carabiner from Black Diamond. HMS type, it is perfect to use with a Munter Hitch.
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Recommended price
£18.39
-28%
£13.11
Black Diamond's GridLock Screwgate features an innovative design that prevents the carabiner from turning or being stressed transversely.
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Recommended price
£16.02
-29%
£11.35
Grivel's K7G Lambda Twin Gate Orange carabiner features a double-gate system for rope handling in climbing and mountaineering.
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Recommended price
£17.51
-25%
£13.11
The Grivel Mega - K6G Twin Gate is an HMS-type carabiner, made of forged aluminum and featuring a Twin Gate double locking system.
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Wide selection of auto-locking and screwgate carabiners
Discover our extensive range of HMS carabiners with either automatic or screwgate locking systems. An auto-locking model stands out for its speed and ease of use, reducing the risk of forgetting to lock it, ideal for repeated connections or situations where maximum safety is required.
The screwgate carabiner, on the other hand, remains more reliable in harsh environments: dirt, ice or sand can interfere with an auto-locking mechanism. It retains full efficiency as long as the manual locking is properly engaged, ensuring consistent safety even in extreme conditions.
Béal, CAMP, Black Diamond, Petzl, Edelrid: the best brands at Glisshop
- Petzl: a benchmark brand renowned for the quality of its carabiners, offering smooth handling thanks to Keylock noses and carefully designed geometries that prevent snagging when clipping and unclipping. The H-shaped cross-section reduces weight while maintaining excellent strength, making these models a favourite in sport climbing.
- Edelrid: focused on long-term durability, featuring Bulletproof technology with a steel insert on high-wear areas. This design minimises abrasion from repeated rope friction, making it ideal for intensive use.
- Black Diamond: hot-forged carabiners designed for strength and ease of use. Their straightforward ergonomics combined with an efficient Keylock nose ensure smooth clipping and reliable performance, offering an excellent balance between durability and price across versatile models.
- Beal: a range focused on safety and preventing handling errors, with directional carabiners designed to remain properly aligned with the load axis, reducing unfavourable mechanical stress.
- C.A.M.P.: an approach centred on optimising weight and efficiency, offering type B carabiners with clean lines, easy handling, and a design that lightens your rack without compromising strength, suitable for both climbing and mountaineering.
HMS carabiner: use and purpose
The HMS carabiner, recognisable by its pear-shaped profile, is designed for belaying and rope work. Its wide gate opening allows easy passage of the Munter hitch and connection of multiple ropes or slings. It ensures an even distribution of load and remains easy to handle, even when wearing gloves.
- Ideal for belaying from a harness or building anchors
- Compatible with most belay devices
- Allows use of the Munter hitch and abseiling
Difference between an HMS carabiner and a standard carabiner
An HMS carabiner differs from a standard model (type B, D-shaped). Its more symmetrical geometry doesn’t channel the rope towards the spine but offers smoother belay handling. The type B carabiner, being more asymmetrical, focuses the load along the major axis, ensuring maximum mechanical strength.
In practice, use an HMS carabiner for belaying or Munter hitch knots and opt for a type B model for quickdraws or anchor points. This combination optimises both safety and the longevity of your gear.
Origin of the name
The term HMS comes from the German ‘Halb mastwurf sicherung’, meaning ‘belay with a Munter hitch’. It refers to the primary use of this type of carabiner, which is perfectly suited for the Munter hitch knot, a common knot for belaying and abseiling. The acronym therefore highlights both the origin and the specific function of these carabiners, underlining their role in safety systems.
The Glisshop experience
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- Easy returns
- Responsive customer service
- Extensive range of climbing and mountaineering equipment
FAQ
What is the difference between an HMS carabiner and a standard carabiner?
The HMS carabiner, with its pear shape, offers a wider gate opening and better compatibility with belay devices, unlike the standard carabiner designed for quickdraws.
Which locking system should I choose for an HMS carabiner?
For intensive climbing use, a screwgate carabiner is recommended. For quick manoeuvres or via ferrata routes, an auto-locking model provides an excellent balance between safety and convenience.
How do I read the strength ratings on a carabiner?
The values engraved on the carabiner body indicate the breaking strength along the major axis, minor axis, and with the gate open. They allow you to check the equipment’s strength before use.
For more information, read our guide on the different types of carabiners.