Smart Alpine Instructions - Mammut

MAMMUT Smart Alpine Instructions 

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MAMMUT 

Smart Alpine 

Instructions


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Mammut know-how 

Mammut is a world-leading all-around 

supplier of mountain sports equipment. 

From recreational climbers to extreme 

mountaineers, from competitive climbers 

to big wall experts – wherever they are in 

the world, they all put their trust in the 

know-how of Mammuts product 

designers and our intensive process of 

testing both in the lab and in the field. 

The Smart Alpine is one example of our 

unwillingness to compromise on quality 

of mountain sports equipment we 

manufacture. We are not satisfied until 

our customers are. 

However, our philosophy of customer 

satisfaction goes beyond the simple 

desire to manufacture the best possible 

products. For us, it is just as important to 

provide information about how to use our 

products correctly. That's why we've 

created this booklet. It contains tips on 

how to use the Smart Alpine belay 

device correctly. We try to explain the 

highly technical features in easily 

understandable language. 

Your Mammut Team.


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How to use the Smart Alpine belay device 

The Mammut Smart Alpine is the first belay device with braking force support that 

can be used with twin and half ropes as well as single ropes. By “braking force 

support” we mean that in a fall the device exerts most of the braking action itself, 

virtually locking the device. The shape and geometry of the Smart Alpine provides 

dynamic braking of the rope in order to minimize impact on the fallen climber and the 

equipment, so the belayer only needs to apply a small amount of force to lock the 

rope completely in the belay device. For the lead climber these features are 

particularly useful in alpine environments, allowing falls to be held dynamically yet 

safely. The Smart Alpine can also be used to independently belay one or two second 

climbers from the belay anchor. After you have reached the summit, the Smart Alpine 

is also ideal for abseiling /rappelling. 

Certain aspects of handling are described below. If you follow the instructions you 

can be sure that you are using the Smart Alpine correctly: 

Smart Alpine and rope diameters 

The Smart Alpine is available in two versions: the Smart Alpine 7.5 – 9.5 (silver) and 

the Smart Alpine 8.9 – 10.5 (black). 

Why are there two versions? 

New climbing ropes are being developed all the time, with advanced technologies 

allowing thinner and thinner – and therefore lighter – ropes. These days, rope 

diameters commonly range from 7.5 mm diameter twin ropes (each strand) to 10.5 

mm single ropes. 

During the development of the Smart Alpine, it was obvious that no single belay 

device could handle the wide range of rope diameters – from 7.5 mm to 10.5 mm – 

while offering the same high level of protection. That is why the Smart Alpine is 

available in two versions, one for ropes of 7.5 mm – 9.5 mm diameter and one for 

ropes of 8.9 mm – 10.5 mm. For clarity the compatible rope diameters are included in 

the product name and are also clearly printed on the belay device itself:


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Which version is best for what purpose? 

Alpine climbers often use Half or Twin ropes. Half ropes and Twin ropes usually 

have a diameter in the range of 7.5 mm (Mammut Twilight twin rope) to 8.5 mm 

(Mammut Genesis half rope). 

This means that the Smart Alpine 7.5 – 9.5 is suitable for all widely-used double 

ropes, and can also be used with thin single ropes. The Smart Alpine 7.5 – 9.5 is 

therefore the ideal choice for alpine climbing routes, ice climbers or challenging highaltitude 

tours - whenever double ropes are needed. The device can also be used with 

single ropes up to 9.5 mm in diameter for indoor and outdoor climbing walls. 

The Smart Alpine 8.9 – 10.5 is the best choice if you are climbing with a single 

rope (8.9 mm or larger diameter) and you plan to abseil / rappel back down the 

route. Examples include many alpine sport climbing routes as well as various sport 

and especially trad climbing areas in the USA. 

Can ropes with different diameters be used? 

In the situation described above (climbing with a single rope then abseiling / 

rappelling back down the route), climbers will often bring a much thinner second rope 

with them. The idea of the second rope is to allow a longer abseiling / rappelling 

distance than would be possible using a doubled single rope (which is often essential 

in alpine routes). 

However, the Smart Alpine is not suitable for use with different rope diameters, 

either in the 7.5 – 9.5 version or in the 8.9 – 10.5 version. 

Because the belayer only needs to apply a small amount of force to lock the rope 

completely in the belay device, using ropes of different diameters poses a real risk 

that the thicker rope will be locked, leaving the thinner rope to pass through the 

device. In this situation the climber is likely to fall – that is why our instructions so 

clearly state that the Smart Alpine should not be used with different rope diameters. 

To find out more about using the Smart Alpine for abseiling / rappelling, see 

"Abseiling / Rappelling" on page 18.

Belaying a lead climber 


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The Smart Alpine can be used to belay a lead climber using the single rope or double 

rope technique. The belay device is always operated and handled in the same way 

regardless of the type of rope, so the following description only peripherally mentions 

twin or half ropes. Steps 1 to 4 are identical if you are using single or double ropes.


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1 Threading the rope/basic position 

The two rope strands are threaded into the safety device as shown in the diagrams 

on the device itself. 

The rope leading to the climber passes up and out of the curved opening of the 

Smart Alpine: 

The brake line passes forwards out of the curved opening, over the bar/handle of the 


A symmetrical locking carabiner (e.g. Mammut Element 

Smart HMS) is then placed through the curved opening of 

the Smart Alpine and also through the two strands of the 

double rope. 

In the basic position, the braking hand (the left hand in 

figure 1) is always below the belay device, grasping the 

brake line. The guide hand (the right hand in figure 1) feeds 

the rope to the climber, so it is above the Smart Alpine. 

Can I remove the braking hand from the brake line and 

rely on the braking effect of the safety device? 

It is true that the Smart Alpine is designed to exert an 

enormous braking effect on the rope, virtually locking it – 

however, you must always keep the braking hand on the 

brake line. This is because the braking effect of the Smart 

Alpine depends on two important factors: the carabiner and


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the rope. If the wrong combination of carabiner and rope is used, the braking effect is 

much lower, and the rope will continue to pass through the device. This is why the 

braking hand must always grasp the brake line, allowing the rope to be locked if 

necessary with a small amount of force. 

2 Paying out rope when belaying 

To pay out rope for the lead climber place the thumb of the braking hand under the 

nose at the end of the bar/handle of the Smart Alpine. Now, with your thumb under 

the nose, pull the device away from your body horizontally. From this position, you 

can quickly and precisely pay out rope by loosening your grip of the brake line and 

pulling the rope through the device with the guide hand. 

While paying out rope, do not move the Smart Alpine 

vertically upwards as this movement is similar to the action 

that cancels the braking effect. 

What happens if the lead climber falls while you are 

paying out rope? 

You cannot pay out any rope unless you pull the Smart 

Alpine away from your body horizontally. If you do not do 

this, the rope will be locked when you attempt to pay it out. 

If the lead climber falls just as you are paying out rope, you 

quickly discover one of the main advantages of the Smart 

Alpine compared to other belay devices: the way the Smart 

Alpine works corresponds to the natural reflexes of the 

human body. If the lead climber falls, the braking hand 

automatically moves down toward the body as a reflex – 

precisely the position in which the belayer can lock the rope 

in the device with just a small amount of force. In other 

words, a reflex movement holds the fall. The Smart Alpine brakes the fall 

dynamically, meaning that a small amount of rope slips through the device – gently 

braking the fall before the rope is finally locked in the device. This lowers the impact 

on the fallen climber and the equipment.

3 Taking in rope when belaying 


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If you need to take in rope after paying it out (for example 

after the lead climber has attached an intermediate belay), 

pull rope with the guide hand leading to the climber. At the 

same time, briefly move the braking hand up and pull the 

brake line through the device. Immediately return the 

braking hand, now loosely encircling the brake line, to the 

basic position underneath the device. If the lead climber 

falls at this moment, you can immediately use the braking 

hand encircling the brake line to brake and then lock the 

rope. 

How can I lock the rope at the request of the lead 

climber? 

The lead climber often clips to an intermediate belay for a 

rest in order to gather strength and prepare for difficult 

sections. The lead climber gives the belayer a climbing 

command (agreed in advance) like "lock" or "take" to 

indicate that he wants the belayer to lock the rope in this position. 

The belayer must react quickly to the command and quickly take in rope once or 

twice as described above. It is then extremely important to immediately move the 

braking hand back down to the basic position underneath the device, where it 

stabilises the brake line and pulls it down – this locks the rope in the Smart Alpine. 

Alternatively the belayer can take a couple of steps backwards to take the slack out 

of the rope, keeping the braking hand in the basic position underneath the device 

throughout. 

You must always keep the braking hand on the brake line even when the lead 

climber is suspended from the locked rope. As mentioned above, the wrong 

combination of carabiner and rope may prevent the Smart Alpine from fully locking 

the rope if you let go with the braking hand. The rope might start passing through the 

device, but since the rope is still heavily braked by the device it will only slip slowly. 

However, if you keep the braking hand on the rope and apply a small amount of 

force, the Smart Alpine will always lock the rope completely.


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4 Lowering the climber when belaying 

When lowering a climber, always grasp the brake line with 

both hands. Place the thumb of the guide hand under the 

nose of the Smart Alpine and pull the device up towards the 

horizontal to cancel the braking effect. Now loosen your grip 

of the brake line and let the rope pass through the Smart 

Alpine in a controlled way. 

How can I control the lowering speed? 

The easiest way to control the lowering speed is to adjust 

the amount of pressure you apply to the brake line. 

With a little practice, you can also control the speed by 

changing the position of the device – the closer to the 

horizontal you raise the device, the faster you lower the 

climber. To slow down again, lower the device – in other 

words move it so it points down more. 

Unless the Smart Alpine is raised to the horizontal, the 

device will almost completely lock the rope. In fact, with the 

right combination of rope and carabiner, the device will lock 

the rope completely. Even so, you must always keep the braking hand on the brake 

line while lowering so you can react quickly and lock the rope if you need to. 

Belaying one or two second climbers from the belay 

anchor 

In alpine climbing, the second climber(s) are often belayed from the belay anchor. In 

a two-man rope team, a half rope, a twin rope or (in alpine sport climbing) a single 

rope can be used. In a three-man rope team however, you must use a half rope 

because both second climbers are each belayed to one strand. 

When the Smart Alpine is used to belay second climbers, it works in self-locking 

mode. This means that the rope is completely locked if the second climber falls, with 

no additional force needed from the belayer. But the braking hand rule applies here 

too: the braking hand must always be left on the brake line. If the second climber 

starts climbing again, the locking function automatically disengages. If a second 

climber falls from an overhang and is left suspended too far away from the wall to 

reach it, there are two ways you can override the locking function of the Smart Alpine 

and lower the second climber back down.


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In a three-man rope team, the two second climbers usually climb at the same time, 

one slightly ahead of the other. If one of them falls, his rope is locked automatically. It 

is still possible to continue belaying the other second climber as normal. If he falls 

too, his rope is also reliably locked. This makes it easy for the two second climbers to 

switch – one of them can rest while suspended on the rope, while the other continues 

climbing until he wants to rest too. The lower climber can then start climbing again, 

belayed from the belay anchor / stance.


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5 Belaying one or two second climbers from the belay anchor / 

stance 

After the lead climber has set up the belay anchor and 

made himself secure, he can start setting up the belay for 

second climbers. This involves clipping a locking 

carabiner to the central point of the belay anchor. Then 

fix the Smart Alpine to the carabiner through the red 

suspension loop and lock the carabiner. 

If possible, the Smart Alpine should hang loose, without touching the rock face. 

Next, thread the rope strands from above all the way through the curved 

opening of the Smart Alpine and clip a locking carabiner through both strands 

outside the curved opening: 

The strands leading to the second climber(s) must be above the strands leading 

to the braking hand. 

Now pull the two strands with the braking hand until there is no slack to the second 

climbers. A climbing command (agreed in advance) like "climb when ready" is given, 

and the second climbers can unclip and start climbing. The belayer constantly takes 

in rope with the braking hand, according to the different paces of the second 

climbers, feeding through one strand and then the other. There should never be any 

slack between the belay anchor and the second climbers.


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What happens if the braking carabiner is clipped inside the curved opening 

rather than outside it? 

There are no immediate safety consequences if the braking carabiner is incorrectly 

clipped through the two rope strands within the curved opening instead of outside the 

Smart Alpine as described above – the rope will still be locked in the device if it is 

placed under load by the second climber. However, it will be much more difficult (or 

even impossible with thicker ropes) to take in the braking rope if the braking 

carabiner is in the wrong position, because when the belayer takes in rope, it is 

locked in the device. As a result, the belayer should quickly notice when taking up the 

initial slack (with the second climbers still secured) that he has set up the belay 

incorrectly. This gives the belayer the opportunity to put things right and clip the 

braking carabiner correctly through both rope strands outside the curved opening. 

What happens if the rope is threaded through the Smart Alpine the wrong way 

around? 

If the rope is threaded through the curved opening of the Smart Alpine the wrong way 

around – i.e. the rope leading to the second climbers is underneath the brake line – 

this is a clear case of incorrect use with dangerous consequences. If the second 

climber(s) fall, the Smart Alpine would not provide any braking effect, and the rope 

would simply pass through the device without braking. For this reason, the belayer 

must ensure that the two rope strands are correctly arranged when setting up 

the belay for second climbers. The images on the device are there to help you 

avoid mistakes like this: 

On both sides of the Smart Alpine there are diagrams 

intended to make the device easier to use correctly. The 

diagrams on the right side (looking from above) show 

how to correctly set up a belay for the lead climber, and 

those on the left side show how to set up a belay for 

second climbers. The diagrams for second climbers 

appear the right way around when the Smart Alpine is 

installed at the belay anchor – with the red loop on top. 

The belayer can see that the rope strands leading to the 

second climbers must be on top (climber symbol). The 

strands leading to the braking hand are underneath 

(braking hand symbol). A carabiner is also shown with 

an arrow, indicating that the braking carabiner must be 

clipped through both rope strands outside the curved 

opening.


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What happens if one or both second climbers fall? 

If one or both second climbers fall, the Smart Alpine automatically locks the relevant 

rope strand – this means the belayer is not required to react or apply any force in 

order to hold the fall. But the braking hand rule applies: the braking hand must be left 

on the brake line. 

If just one of the two second climbers falls, only his rope is locked. The belayer can 

continue to belay the second climber as normal. It is also easy to switch from one 

second climber to the other while taking in the rope, allowing one of them to rest 

while supported by the rope while you continue belaying the other. 

How do I disengage the self-locking feature when belaying second climbers? 

If the second climber is still in contact with the rock face and is able to take the load 

off the rope, the self-locking feature can be disengaged easily. As soon as the 

second climber takes the tension off the rope by resuming the climbing position on 

the rock face, the self-locking feature disengages automatically and the belayer can 

continue taking in rope. If the tension during the fall causes the rope to cross over in 

the belay device, it will have to be rearranged so it passes through the device 

correctly. To do this, the belayer pulls up sharply on the rope (which is now 

underneath). 

If the second climber cannot reach the rock face after a fall (e.g. a hanging fall from 

an overhang), there are two ways to override the self-locking feature. The two 

methods are described below. 

6 Disengaging the self-locking feature when belaying second 

climbers: Method 1 

The first way you can override self-locking is to use your 

free guide hand to lift up the Smart Alpine. Place the guide 

hand underneath the bar/handle of the Smart Alpine and 

push it up towards a horizontal position. It is essential to 

keep the braking hand on the brake line. As the Smart 

Alpine approaches the horizontal position, the locking 

mechanism disengages and you can use the braking hand 

to let out rope in a controlled way. 

This method sometimes requires you to use a great deal of 

force. The belayer must be very strong in order to lift up the 

Smart Alpine far enough to disengage the locking 

mechanism – the braking hand rule means that there is only 

one hand free to perform the action. 

How can I control the lowering speed in method 1? 

When the Smart Alpine is raised to the horizontal position 

and the locking mechanism is disengaged, you can control 

the lowering speed with the braking hand. To slow down, reduce the upwards 

pressure on the bar/handle of the Smart Alpine so it moves down towards the original


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vertical position. This causes the braking mechanism to start re-engaging and finally 

lock completely once you remove all upwards pressure on the bar/handle of the 

Smart Alpine. 

7 Disengaging the self-locking feature when belaying second 

climbers: Method 2 

A slightly more elaborate way of disengaging the selflocking 

feature when belaying second climbers involves 

setting up a lifting arrangement. However, the big 

advantage of this method is that it requires much less force, 

so it can be used with any combination of belayer/climber. 

To set up the lifting arrangement, you will need to use 

another anchor or intermediate belay higher up than the 

position where the Smart Alpine is fixed to the belay 

anchor. Clip a locking carabiner to the higher anchor. 

Securely tie a cord to the small hole in the bar/handle of the 


Thread the cord through the carabiner and attach a 

webbing sling to the other end and redirect this through the 

higher carabiner. Put your foot in the webbing sling and press lightly to raise the 

Smart Alpine to the horizontal position via the carabiner arrangement. Make sure you 

follow the braking hand rule and never remove the braking hand from the rope. As 

the Smart Alpine approaches the horizontal position, the self-locking feature is 

disengaged, and you can use the braking hand on the brake line to lower the second 

climber in a controlled way. 

How can I control the lowering speed in method 2? 

As with method 1 you can control the lowering speed simply by grasping the brake 

line. However, with a little practice you can also control the lowering speed by 

changing the pressure applied to the webbing sling. The harder you press down with 

your foot, the closer the Smart Alpine gets to the horizontal position, and the faster 

the second climber is lowered. As you apply less pressure, the Smart Alpine returns 

to its original vertical position, starts to apply a braking force, and finally locks 

completely if you take your foot away.


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Changing from belaying a second climber to belaying a 

lead climber and abseiling / rappelling 

In alpine climbing, the role of lead climber often alternates between team members 

as the climb progresses. In other words, the lead climber reaches the belay anchor, 

from where he belays the second climber(s). When the second climber(s) reach the 

belay anchor, one of them becomes the lead climber and climbs the next pitch. For 

the belayer, this means switching from belaying the second climber to belaying the 

lead climber. When belaying a lead climber it is recommended to only attach the 

Smart Alpine to the climbing harness as described in point 1.


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8 Switching from belaying a second climber to belaying a lead 

climber 

When the second climber(s) have reached the belay anchor and made themselves 

safe, the belayer can unclip the Smart Alpine from the belay anchor. The rope 

should remain in the device (see figure 8a): 

Now remove the carabiner passing through both rope strands outside the 

device, leaving the rope in exactly the same position (figure 8b):


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Now clip the same carabiner on again, this time through the curved opening of 

the Smart Alpine and therefore automatically also through both rope strands 

(figure 8c): 

If you now clip this carabiner to the belay loop of the climbing harness, the basic 

position (see point 1) is restored (figure 8d and figure 1): 

The lead climber can now be belayed as described in steps 1 to 4 above. 

Can the Smart Alpine be used at the belay anchor to belay the lead climber? 

You are advised against clipping the Smart Alpine directly to the belay anchor to 

belay a lead climber. There are certain requirements needed to allow this to happen 

(anchors in the optimum positions, the Smart Alpine must move freely without 

touching the rock), that in the real world would rarely be met. In addition, when 

belaying is carried out via the belay station, the safety chain loses much of its 

dynamism – meaning that a lead climber can only be held statically if he falls, which 

puts more impact on the climber and the equipment. This is a major drawback


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compared to belaying from your harness, and negates the important dynamic braking 

feature of the Smart Alpine. 

9 Abseiling / Rappelling 

To use the Smart Alpine for abseiling / rappelling, insert 

both rope strands into the device in the same way as 

for the basic position (see figure 1). The carabiner can be 

clipped to a webbing sling to extend the belay loop on the 

climbing harness. 

For extra safety while abseiling / rappelling, use a prusik 

sling: the sling is attached to the rope using a prusik knot, 

and clipped to a leg loop of the climbing harness using a 

carabiner. The protection at the belay anchor can now be 

unclipped. Take hold of the rope around the prusik knot and 

pull it down as you abseil / rappel. With the other hand, 

push the bar/handle of the Smart Alpine upwards, 

which reduces the braking force until the rope starts to pass 

through the device allowing the climber to abseil / rappel 

down. You can control your abseiling / rappelling speed by 

varying the amount of upwards force you apply to the 

Smart Alpine. 

Another abseiling / rappelling method involves using the Smart Alpine in almost 

the same way as a tube-style belay device: 

Feed the rope through the Smart Alpine as shown in this 

diagram: the brake line is arranged so it comes out of the 

curved opening of the Smart Alpine from the rear (and not 

over the bar/handle of the device – the opposite of the first 

abseiling method described above). Clip the carabiner to 

the tie-in loop of the climbing harness so that the bar/handle 

of the Smart Alpine points towards the climber's body. You 

can now abseil / rappel with both hands around the brake 

line. 

Note that when using this method, the braking effect of the 

Smart Alpine is much lower than the first method. As with 

the first method it is essential in this method to use a 

prusik sling for extra safety. You also need to grasp the brake line very hard in 

order to control the abseiling speed. 

Is the prusik sling really necessary, bearing in mind the strong braking effect of 

the Smart Alpine? 

If you are abseiling / rappelling with the Smart Alpine in combination with the right 

carabiner and rope, it is easy to believe that the device is self-locking – so the added 

safety of the prusik sling might seem unnecessary. However, this added safety 

really is essential. The braking effect gradually falls, especially towards the end of 

the rope when the lower rope weight reduces any locking function applied by the


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Smart Alpine. For this reason, and also because the system is so dependent on the 

particular carabiner and rope used, the prusik sling is an indispensable safety 

enhancement. 

For further information about the correct use of the Smart Alpine, please consult the 

manufacturer's information included with every Smart Alpine. Please also visit 

www.mammut.ch/smartalpine, where you can watch a video explaining how to use 

the Smart Alpine. 

Mammut 

Mammut Sports Group AG 

Industriestrasse Birren 

P.O. Box 

5703 Seon 

Switzerland 

E-mail info@mammut.ch 

Internet www.mammut.ch 

©Mammut, Switzerland

Smart Alpine Instructions - Mammut

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