VT hitch advise

[woodworkingboy]

I'm currently teaching myself to use the VT hitch, and need some advice. My set up is relatively new Hi Vee rope with the hitch made from new 8mm HRC cord, and using a pulley. What I find is that often the hitch will slip very badly unless I push it up first before loading it. Is this a tendency resulting from the new rope? The HRC is pretty stiff. If kept under slight tension it works great, and slides very easily. The sudden loading is not good.

Also, I read where there is often a cautionary about using the VT, that it is a hitch of some delicacy that requires minding. Can someone explain what exactly the cautionary refers to?

Thanks a lot for the help!

 

[SkwerI]

Either shorten the cord or add more wrap/braids. This is the phase where you have to 'dial it in' for your particular weight and climbing style. Best advice I ever got regarding the VT hitch was from that asshole John Paul Sanborn over on AS. He told me to make my hitch cord as short as possible without it binding. That worked wonderfully for me and once I did that my hitch remained virtually unchanged for the next several years until I quit climbing.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Thanks. I'll try the more wraps/braid today. The cord has spliced eyes. Btw, I used your photo explanation to advise proper tying, a big help with no other teacher's local in my area.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

And during the "dial in" phase, mind your hitch until you are comfortable with it. Fact is, it would be a rare instance I do not check my VT (or other hitches) as I climb. Just habit that has kept my shorts clean a couple of times

 

[woodworkingboy]

Ok. Having watched a climber using it recently, I was really impressed with the function. That is why I am so keen to learn to use it properly. It sure slides nice with the slightest release of the wraps. Along with Brian's suggestion, I see better function coming with a more worked in cord.

 

[PCTREE]

also remember that if you slip before you cinch up the VT and it slides dont expect that it will, Ive read accounts of guys free falling to the ground. One account I remember the dude was using HRC also, I remember because I was using the same cordage. I have since switched to tenex as the softer cordage seems to grab better initially. I think this is why Sherrill started to advise not using it for life support..... Be careful..

 

[woodworkingboy]

Paul, I noticed that right away, when it does slip sometimes, it just keeps on doing so. A slight push up of the hitch will catch it, but I'd sure hate to be gaining velocity downward when having to remember that.

 

[Greenhorn]

Try tenex or maybe ice tail, I think the round stuff is more finicky about grabbing but releases really quickly. Bet you would like tenex.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Have tenex, will try.

 

[pantheraba]

I use tenex and icetail for my knut...I like them better than the stiffer cords.

 

[Husabud]

I had the same problem using the Vt. After a while it works better. I have been using this hitch all summer and really like the way it grabs and releases. Sometimes tight but I just retie and I'm back in business.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Brian's suggestion about adding another wrap looks like it has solved the slipping problem, making for a much more secure hitch. Keeping the wraps under a slight degree of tension, given the length from the carib, seems to work best with the HRC cord. Seems to still slide east enough with the four wraps and two braids.

 

[Peter]

There are many variables with a vt, adding wraps or braids, or shortening the tails, or using softer or smaller diameter cord will generally make it grab more reliably.

The opposite adjustments will make it self tend better.

I like mine to self tend, so it needs setting nearly every time I advance it, the downside being it has dropped me backwards down a trunk once.

If you are new to the vt, start with a hitch that will grab every time, and maybe think about tuning up a little when you are used to it.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Peter, thanks for the advice. Having it grab every time seems good to me at this point. By self tend, do you mean with a micro pulley? So, it bunches up after ascending, then you need to dress it? With the additional wrap and using a pulley, the hitch will grab on it's own without much slip after advancing.

Wondering how you guys are handling the standing part of the climbing line? Attached to a carib on the D ring, or to one through a second hole in the pulley? There seems a few different approaches.

 

[Peter]

Yes self tend with a pulley. Never thought of using a vt without a pulley really, except in rigging.

I use a hitch climber, but before they came out my best results were with everything on one biner. (both legs of vt, pulley, and spliced eye).

 

[woodworkingboy]

Clear, thanks.

 

[canadiantreeman]

Seems to still slide east enough with the four wraps and two braids.

You're tying a 4 wrap 2 braid config? Or 5 and 2 now? I like 4 and 4, its great unless you are sitting heavy in your hitch, then I find the need to grab one of the legs of the cord and loosen the hitch before advancing. In this config, I have never noticed slipping.

Do you alternate the legs of the cord when tying the braids (over/under), or do you keep one leg over/over?

I use 8mm HRC on 11mm Tachyon/lava

 

[RIVERRAT]

I use the same. No need to retie. Just work some slack in your top 3-4 raps to adjust it. Snug the bottom 1/2 hitch part....Quicker than retieing

View attachment 36209


I had the same problem using the Vt. After a while it works better. I have been using this hitch all summer and really like the way it grabs and releases. Sometimes tight but I just retie and I'm back in business.

 

[Husabud]

Good point. I do that a little now but will focus more on that. Thanks.

 

[Old Monkey]

What's that they say, VT stands for very touchy?

 

[Bodean]

Haha""""!@"!!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I like that Darin

 

[woodworkingboy]

You're tying a 4 wrap 2 braid config? Or 5 and 2 now? I like 4 and 4, its great unless you are sitting heavy in your hitch,

I'm not really sure how to count wraps. One wrap is a complete turn? It has one more coil than what Brian shows for the config that he used in the photo here, same number of braids.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

My read on Brians would be a 4 & 2. 4 wraps, 2 braid

 

[woodworkingboy]

What I figured too, Stephen. You don't very often read of people climbing on five wraps, but that is what I currently have going. With four and the HRC, you can watch the rope slip by. A shorter cord would probably fix that.