some of us are using an ATC, guide ATC, or Mammut Smart 2.0 (a type of ATC) in conjunction with a friction hitch above such as michochoan or swabisCh. No transition needed…it’s a slow, jerky, but safe rappel. Check out posts from
@Brocky and a few others, and practice practice practice at ground level, then at 8 ft until it’s mastered. Hitches tend to be rope and cord specific, as well as 3, 4, or.5 turns. I’m using a 4 turn mich on sterling 6mm hitch cord, working well for 9 mm CIV rope. My 4 or 5 turn swabisch was very tough to break if stopping my rappel, some guys that use an ATC and hitch integrated spread the load on an autoblock as well, super safe, and the hitches share the load. Next season, i might try to just put a second large carabiner with a Munters hitch on my bridge, and lose the device completeley like @JRB does, but I’m done tweaking my climbing method until i fill the freezer.