Fell 30 Feet Out of The Tree Today...

[tree md]

I fell 30' out of the tree today. I'm a little embarrassed about it but thought I would put it out there for debate and maybe figure out what I did wrong.

I got real lucky. I was tied in but my friction hitch failed and did not bite. I was climbing an Ivy covered tree, about 36" DBH and the first crotch is 30' off the ground. I had my groundy tailing my rope and I have instructed him to just let go of the rope if I slip. Told him my friction hitch will catch me. I didn't want him to catch a spike in the face or anything in the event I slipped close to the bottom. I am revising that plan as of today.

Anyway, I am climbing on a VT and have stepped off on it a thousand times. I've accidentally slipped several times and never had it fail before. It has always bit the rope and caught me. I slipped in the Ivy this morning trying to get in the first crotch and went straight to the ground. I tried to catch the line but I caught my bull line which I had already set instead. Luckily I had enough friction between my climbing line and the bull line to slow me enough to not make a hard fall. I didn't even hit hard enough to knock the wind out of me. To tell the truth I was on the ground before I even had a chance to be scared.

It happened so fast that I didn't have time to react. I had always thought that in the event of my friction hitch failing I would always be able to catch my line and keep myself from falling. I see how foolhardy that thinking was. Absolutely no time to react.

I got real lucky and did not get hurt at all but I just can't figure out what caused my hitch to fail. My line wasn't crossed up or anything. I don't know, maybe a piece of Ivy got caught in the hitch or something. Haven't decided if I am going to switch hitches or not. I love climbing on the VT but I have a lot less faith in it now.

 

[outdoorlivin247]

A local guy that fell out of his bucket last week wasn't so lucky....

His groundie turned around to chew his ass thinking he dropped a limb only to find out it was him...

 

[tree md]

Yup, got real lucky. After that I strapped on my ascenders, went up and finished the tree.

 

[ozzy42]

Glad you're ok .
Did you test tug the VT before you clipped in?
That hitch can be finicky as hell.
Try to keep mine set on my climbline.

What rope and i2i are you using?

 

[tree MDS]

I fell 30' out of the tree today. I'm a little embarrassed about it but thought I would put it out there for debate and maybe figure out what I did wrong.

I got real lucky. I was tied in but my friction hitch failed and did not bite. I was climbing an Ivy covered tree, about 36" DBH and the first crotch is 30' off the ground. I had my groundy tailing my rope and I have instructed him to just let go of the rope if I slip. Told him my friction hitch will catch me. I didn't want him to catch a spike in the face or anything in the event I slipped close to the bottom. I am revising that plan as of today.

Anyway, I am climbing on a VT and have stepped off on it a thousand times. I've accidentally slipped several times and never had it fail before. It has always bit the rope and caught me. I slipped in the Ivy this morning trying to get in the first crotch and went straight to the ground. I tried to catch the line but I caught my bull line which I had already set instead. Luckily I had enough friction between my climbing line and the bull line to slow me enough to not make a hard fall. I didn't even hit hard enough to knock the wind out of me. To tell the truth I was on the ground before I even had a chance to be scared.

It happened so fast that I didn't have time to react. I had always thought that in the event of my friction hitch failing I would always be able to catch my line and keep myself from falling. I see how foolhardy that thinking was. Absolutely no time to react.

I got real lucky and did not get hurt at all but I just can't figure out what caused my hitch to fail. My line wasn't crossed up or anything. I don't know, maybe a piece of Ivy got caught in the hitch or something. Haven't decided if I am going to switch hitches or not. I love climbing on the VT but I have a lot less faith in it now.

Not to say I told you so.. but that's both you and Bermi now. I was wondering why nobody else was seeing the potential for danger in that knot all along (if you remember correctly). Not sure if I'm gonna keep using it either..

Glad you are ok md!

 

[tree md]

Glad you're ok .
Did you test tug the VT before you clipped in?
That hitch can be finicky as hell.
Try to keep mine set on my climbline.

What rope and i2i are you using?

I keep mine on my climbline as well. I could not set it as I was using both hands and spikes to get up the large Ivy covered spar. That's why I had my groundy tailing my line. Should have just went up on my ascenders in the first place. I was just trying to avoid having to switch out to a spike once I was topside.

I'm using Poison Ivy line and HRC i2i.

 

[jefflovstrom]

Glad you are ok!
Jeff

 

[Muffler Bearing]

I Hope You Picked Up Some Lotto Tickets On Your Way Home!!

I'm Glad Your O.K.

 

[Treetom]

Live to climb another day

Glad you're ok. Took a spill last year after climbing since '81. Gravity pulled me down so fast there was no time to react. I've found that the VT, when not under tension. will lose it'a grip on the rope in a short time. I've switched over to the distel with good results. Thanks for your humility. Rep.

 

[oldirty]

glad to hear you ok larry. that wouldve sucked to lose you to a VT. your story is one of the reason i don't bother with that knot. i used it a couple times but found myself screwing with it more that i felt i should on a hitch.

go with the distal.

stay safe.

 

[tree md]

Well, I've got to admit, I iced down an 18 pack of beer on the way home... Gonna git with my funky lil' cowgirl later...

Some days you just got to celebrate being alive!!!

Livin' on life number 9!

 

[sgreanbeans]

WOW! LALALUUUUCKY! Glad ur ok, I never trusted that one, new kid uses it, ironicclay, bought him a new set up today, gonna get him in here to read this, he was using my split tail with a Blakes, I asked him if he was sure he didnt want to stay with it, he was determined on the VT, see what he will think about it now!

 

[mattfr12]

ya ive read about the VT in alot of knot books and what not and even on sherrills website i think in the description it says not suitable for life support.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Two words from antiquity: Blake's Hitch. I hate VT's, plain and simple. I tried one, a few years back and thought, "You gotta be kidding me. I wouldn't trust my life to this thing in a million years." I know there is snob appeal with the VT, for who knows what reason, but I think/know that it is not a great hitch, or a reliable one, apparently. I have never had one problem, not one, with my Blake's.

 

[Bermie]

Well I know why mine slipped, it got a bit loose, I didn't eyeball it before stepping off. I was able to stop because I just instinctively flicked UP on the VT, which is what it needs if it is ever a bit loose.

Regardless of which hitch you use, I'm sure everyone eyeballs their hitch several times during the day, half the time its subconscious, so the VT is no exception.

I still use my VT, happy with it, but then again, I did not go very far...6' or so and I was working low at that time.

Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater...and also never stop experimenting with cord and hitches...I have a bit of OP coming next week, who knows, a distel may work better...as long as it works with the hitchclimber I don't mind which hitch I use, right now the VT is my choice...still

 

[TrillPhil]

Glad to hear you're okay, and for the story.

I was using another climbers setup earlier this week, he uses a split tail and distel, however I don't know any friction knots but blakes vt and of course taut line... Tied the vt, looked at it and thought, do I trust my life to this. Tied the blake's went up got the job done...

 

[Mikecutstrees]

Glad your ok Md. Thanks for sharing your experience so all can learn. Stay safe.

Mike

 

[trailduster2]

Glad your ok!!! In this line of work life is all we have. dont trust yours with the VT. I will never use it, my knot of choice is the diestal. Not one problem period. When I am hanging out over the power lines, if the knot failing didnt kill me the power lines surely will!

 

[Bermie]

Seriously MD, so glad you are ok...and props to you for posting your incident.
That takes guts, thanks

 

[ddhlakebound]

Scary stuff man, glad you had a nice soft landing. I haven't used the vt enough to develop a dislike of it, but to me it's just got too much play between loading and grab.

The i2i blakes (Michoacán) grabs better (imo), takes up less space, and has less play than the vt. If you're gonna change it up, give it a try.