vt hitch setup

[1I'dJak]

thinking of switching over to the vt hitch...some of the guys at work are on about them....I'm wondering about which combinations of rope and prussic cord are the best....I want a secure hitch...had a situation where i slid down my climbing line about 60' till my blakes hit my stopper knot....hated that feeling...i was using a blaze and it was raining out at the time...fellas say use the vt hitch for superior performance...beeline and velocity work well?

 

[D Mc]

1I'd, My current set up with the VT is Velocity and an Ice eye-to-eye tail used in combination with the hitch climber. This is a real nice setup.

Be aware that it takes some getting used to using the VT, but is worth the effort. Unless you use an extension bridge so you can get both hands below the knot you will probably wind up pulling yourself up above the knot and taking up slack when you hit the first branch. I see a lot of guys do this. I don't.

The VT really does require a tending pulley to get the most out of it. I'm no light weight and I use a 2 wrap, 3 braid. It is very reliable but still not binding.

Dave

 

[PTS]

I use a vt with beeline and my climb lines vary....hyvee, spark, fire, phoenix,....haven't really had trouble with any of them.

 

[Slvrmple72]

Thinking of trying the VT. I am going to get Velocity but not sure what to use for the Prussic with this combination. Any suggestions, Ice, Beeline, etc.?Been on the Blake's for years. Is it more self-tending than the Blakes?

 

[clearance]

Does not the Tree Climbers Companion by Jepson caution about the VT? Saying it can fail with fatal consequence if not tied properly?

I don't have that book at hand but many here do, someone look it up and quote what is said please.

Jak, it can be a long way down, I know.

 

[ClimbinArbor]

"the french prusik is an unforgiving knot that has shortcomings with potentially fatal consequences. the primary shortcoming is that it sometimes fails to grab the rope if not tied exactly right. this typically occurs when not enough wraps and braids are taken with the cord. the length, diameter, and pliability of the cord also strongly influence how the hitch will perform. as with all knots, the french prusik must not be integrated into a climbing system until the climber has mastered tying and operating it while on the ground"

 

[clearance]

"the french prusik is an unforgiving knot that has shortcomings with potentially fatal consequences. the primary shortcoming is that it sometimes fails to grab the rope if not tied exactly right. this typically occurs when not enough wraps and braids are taken with the cord. the length, diameter, and pliability of the cord also strongly influence how the hitch will perform. as with all knots, the french prusik must not be integrated into a climbing system until the climber has mastered tying and operating it while on the ground"

Thank you ClimbinArbor.

So Jak, windfirming is a pretty demanding job, as you know I have done it. I fell, well not really fell but came down really fast when my tautline slipped on that red Yale rope, that is pretty hard. The I used the Blakes, but was not shown how to tie it properly and came down real fast again. It was a Blakes on a split tail. After I was shown how to tie it it caused me no problems. In my opinion the Blake with the split tail is the best setup for windfiming.

Now I no longer windfirm and use different and softer ropes so I went back to the good old tautline.



Maybe you could use a softer rope for your split tail, I would use the Blakes still and try to make it work better for you.

 

[ClimbinArbor]

i think our lingo has a state line through it.... windcutting here is using a strong gust to send a limb where you want it..... what is windfirming exactly? is it rappelling?

 

[ClimbinArbor]

Thank you ClimbinArbor.

very welcome one and all. although im not much of a secratary i must say. that took me a minute lol

 

[clearance]

i think our lingo has a state line through it.... windcutting here is using a strong gust to send a limb where you want it..... what is windfirming exactly? is it rappelling?

Windfirming is cutting off branches and often the tops in conifers beside a logging show so that they do not blow down. Reducing the wind sail. Mostly beside creeks and other water.

 

[ClimbinArbor]

ahhhhhhhh gotcha

 

[clearance]

ahhhhhhhh gotcha

Jak windfirms, but he also does standing stem logging, that when climbers strip the tree and blow off a big top at a calculated height. Two terms that come from the mighty westcoast.

 

[D Mc]

Jack, Clearance brings up some really good points. You say your mates are using the VT and like it. Are they in your work crew with the same kind of climbing? What is your typical climbing scenario?

One of the primary reasons for using the VT is its light, adjustability for constant length change in your climbing system. If that is not necessary in your typical day, there might be a better set up.

I really think the VT has gotten a bad rap (oops I guess that was a pun) from climbers trying to tie it too short. It is pretty supple and grippy when tied with the proper amount of braids. Whatever knot you use must be tied right and the set checked constantly, especially in varying conditions.

Dave

 

[ClimbinArbor]

Jak windfirms, but he also does standing stem logging, that when climbers strip the tree and blow off a big top at a calculated height. Two terms that come from the mighty westcoast.

okay so its just blowing a top off lol.

Jack, Clearance brings up some really good points. You say your mates are using the VT and like it. Are they in your work crew with the same kind of climbing? What is your typical climbing scenario?

One of the primary reasons for using the VT is its light, adjustability for constant length change in your climbing system. If that is not necessary in your typical day, there might be a better set up.

I really think the VT has gotten a bad rap (oops I guess that was a pun) from climbers trying to tie it too short. It is pretty supple and grippy when tied with the proper amount of braids. Whatever knot you use must be tied right and the set checked constantly, especially in varying conditions.

Dave

 

[treemandan]

thinking of switching over to the vt hitch...some of the guys at work are on about them....I'm wondering about which combinations of rope and prussic cord are the best....I want a secure hitch...had a situation where i slid down my climbing line about 60' till my blakes hit my stopper knot....hated that feeling...i was using a blaze and it was raining out at the time...fellas say use the vt hitch for superior performance...beeline and velocity work well?

Yeah , well, whatever you use you have to mind it. Furthest I ever slipped was a few feet. 60 and I might say" I am doing something wrong." Which leads me to this:
HOLY F-ING CRAP DUDE! You OK? 60 feet ? That has to be a record. God willing you are amongst the living and still able to eat solid foods. Good thing the rope was the right length to keep the stopper off the ground. what are the chances?
Anyway you might want to try some bee's wax as routine maintenence on the ends of the rope you tie your friction hitch, whatever it is. I guess it helps with surf boards too, it makes things stick.
VT is very nice but I tend to stick with the taughtline, I just take my time with it and know if I ever start to slip all you have to do is reach for the stopper knot end of the hitch and give it a tug, you will stop.

 

[PTS]

Does not the Tree Climbers Companion by Jepson caution about the VT? Saying it can fail with fatal consequence if not tied properly?

I don't have that book at hand but many here do, someone look it up and quote what is said please.

Jak, it can be a long way down, I know.

I think it is safe to assume that any knot can fail if not tied properly!

 

[tree MDS]

Yeah , well, whatever you use you have to mind it. Furthest I ever slipped was a few feet. 60 and I might say" I am doing something wrong." Which leads me to this:
HOLY F-ING CRAP DUDE! You OK? 60 feet ? That has to be a record. God willing you are amongst the living and still able to eat solid foods. Good thing the rope was the right length to keep the stopper off the ground. what are the chances?
Anyway you might want to try some bee's wax as routine maintenence on the ends of the rope you tie your friction hitch, whatever it is. I guess it helps with surf boards too, it makes things stick.
VT is very nice but I tend to stick with the taughtline, I just take my time with it and know if I ever start to slip all you have to do is reach for the stopper knot end of the hitch and give it a tug, you will stop.

Good post dan.

 

[rbtree]

"the french prusik is an unforgiving knot that has shortcomings with potentially fatal consequences. the primary shortcoming is that it sometimes fails to grab the rope if not tied exactly right. this typically occurs when not enough wraps and braids are taken with the cord. the length, diameter, and pliability of the cord also strongly influence how the hitch will perform. as with all knots, the french prusik must not be integrated into a climbing system until the climber has mastered tying and operating it while on the ground"

Yes, that is true. However, it is the knot of choice for myself and many associates and friending, including many who I've converted over. I've never had a problem with mine, as I'm aware of the need to check it when loading it after its slack, as when climbing up. Make sure it's properly extended isn't hard. Visually checking any friction hitch and gear should be constantly empoyed.

 

[1I'dJak]

thanks for the replies...typical climbing scenario windfirming involves mainly rappelling on your climbing line....climbing involves just spurs and two scare straps... however when rapelling we swing from one tree to another using a grapple,asceneder and 8 mil line (in conjuction with our rappelling line of course)...the angle of swing varies.... sometimes you can pull the grapple line really tight which can relax the friction hitch a bit on your rappelling line... this is the situation i was in when i slipped down my climb line (foreman measure the fall at 55')...a weld on my grapple broke and came free...causing my to swing back down on my climb line...however the hitch didn't catch (it was wet out as well)...basically I want a hitch setup that responds well...grabability...if that is a word...so far i've used taughtline and blakes...

 

[Dadatwins]

I grew up on a tautline and used it for years before finding out about the more advanced knots and hitches. I tried a VT but could not get the wraps correct so now I use a distel with bee line. I feel very comfortable on it. It does take getting use to the different feel of having the hitch close to you as opposed to having the tautline at arms length. With the tautline you grip below the hitch and the distel you grap above it. The other fear to overcome is the narrow profile of the bee-line, it looks like such a small line but it tensile is higher than most 1/2" lines. As the others have said, ANY hitch tied incorrectly can be potentially bad. Be careful.