I want to take a good month for the time that you put into showing stuff because there’s a lot of us that don’t have many resources and mentors to reach out to so thank you very much
Just wanted to say a quick thanks for this vid, I have found my VT has been slipping a bit lately so tried the xt and it was bloody brilliant. Only issue I had was after an hour in a sappy pine it worked to well and I couldn't move so had to switch back to VT. Great to have a new hitch in my bag of tricks.
Been searching around for a hitch to use with a Captain Hook with 10 mm rope, and after trying all three variations in this video the VT 5-3 was definitely the perfect Goldilocks middle ground for my application. Thanks for the free education.
I was always taught that the VT wrapped over under over (top legs over, under over the bottom leg.) also, 4 wraps is 5 coils, so that would be a 3-3 vt. A wrap means a round turn, or a full 360 turn around the object (rope). When you take a full wrap on a portawrap, you make a full 360 turn around the shank.
Thanks! This is not the first time I’ve appreciated your videos, but I appreciate this one even more I guess. I was taught that to climb on a 3-3 VT with the braids all under (from the top.) That is still my favorite way of climbing but I’m always searching for optimum performance in any given scenario/combination of ropes
Been using the VT for a while. Changed ropes and prusik cord and had to stuff around with it a bit to get it right. I used to tie it like this - with the top end of the hitch cord being braided underneath on the first braid. However, with this new configuration, I've changed it so the top end of the hitch cord is braided over the top on the first braid. Seems to be working and hopefully it continues to. Cheers
Cool great video, I have experimented with the vt and xt and so far my favorite is a 3/3 but when you start making your braid I put the too rope on top of the bottom on the first braid. I find that it still holds just as good but tends soo smooth. Smoother than any other of my variations. Cool beans brothe, take Kare in the tree life!
I thought the hitchhiker was to be used only with the exact hitch configuration they show in the instructions. It's basically five wraps around with double overhand knots through the dog bone. Nothing fancy.
Erik, the Valdotain is the hitch approved by Ropetek for the device. Some of us like to experiment with new ideas at our own risk. It may seem like a waste of time, but sometimes they work, and new products eventually benefit others when they are successful.
@@TimberTrainer I don't think there's any harm in trying an xt with it. If anything it's just going to have a little to much drag on the cord and be a little difficult to release. I'm not against trying out new hitches... low and slow.
I noticed on the XT the top leg is under the other for both the cross and the first braid. Is there anything "wrong" with alternating right after the cross or should the first braid keep under for both?
Hell of a video, Patrick! Couple questions though-seems like you prefer oval ‘biners a good bit. Do you gravitate towards any particular style, or manufacturer? Also, what do you use for your hitch cord?
Great explanation and video! That long VT and associated sit-back have always bugged me. I have found in climbing on the Hitch Hiker 2 (dDRT and SRT) more recently (versus the Hitch Climber pulley DdRT) I try to compress/tighten the hitch as much as possible in the initial tying - knowing it will tighten and lengthen/stretch out. I simply do 6 wraps and then collapse 1 or 2 wraps to form braids. This tends to happen naturally when I hang on it. Of course, the end of the cord coming down from on top is always on top, but it has been working well. I have not tried this hitch tying technique yet on the Hitch Climber pulley.
I just recently got my Hitch Hiker 2 a couple months ago and started playing with the hitch. I would call it a 6/1 VT - 6 wraps up, 1 cross down. It works really nice in this application, I love my HH2! - Patrick
Hi Good video, just one question, when doing the braid on the XT the leg that was on the bottom at the start was also on the bottom on the second braid. is that correct?
On some variations the cord is pushing the main line toward the pulley. On others it's pushing it against the body away from the pulley. Is this something to be concerned about?
I am filming these in an old room in my barn. The house is 1880 so the barn may be even older. I love the construction as well. I look at all the joints in the logs and I'm just blown away at the craftsmanship. They really don't build 'em like they used to! Thanks for watching...
Hey EC, what are the knots you used on the ends of your hitch cord to attach to the carabiner? Also, thank you so much for putting these videos out, as a newb they are such a valuable resource! Particularly the raw footage ones are excellent, because they do not leave anything out. Hopefully you will get to do some more in the future. Thanks again, greetings from Slovakia
The roll n lock is a one-way, progress capture pulley, so it wouldn't work as a slack tender. There are lots of options for slack tending pulleys, the one in the video is a hitchclimber pulley, works slick. I've never been a fan of true blue for climbing, I would stick with a 24-strand rope, I think vortex fits the bill. All the best, - Patrick
Hello, thanks for the interesting info! A question though, if you will: why bother with XT when there is simple asymmetric prusik which feels like same bang for less tradeoff?
prusik doesn't release as easily once loaded, and can loosen and not grip as reliably when constantly "minded" while jugging up a rope. It's great as a backup hitch on a descender, but wouldn't use it in ascent.
as an armature tree climber, just messing around at home at low levels, when I try using a prussic it always just jams on the rope after I have put my weight on it, I must be getting something wrong, I will try again with your video.
The "classic" Prussik will block under load and won't unblock for as long as it is under load, even when you try to loose it by pulling down the wraps (you can still loosen it under load when grabbing and pulling the sling that is part of the know though). That separates the VT / XT knots from the Prussik, since they will unblock when you grab the wraps and pull them down even under load.
What brand/type of hitch cord is that Patrick? It looks very supple. More supple than my ROPE Logic Bee Line 10mm x 30" G Spliced Eye & Eye Prusik Cord, Black/Brown which just arrived. I'm going to try the VT tomorrow while working in a Oak tree.
@@TreeMuggs_PatrickM I'll look for it. I did two climbs in a Oak today. The VT wants to creep a little even after the sitback. The Distal seemed to hold better without creeping.
When you showed the VT, you mentioned to always alternate over/under for each "arm" in the braids. Take a look at the XT at 4:23 in the video - it probably doesn't really matter, but it seems the top arm went under for the cross and then under again for the first braid. Would it have been better to have the top arm go over for the first braid instead? Does it make any difference?
I had the same question too as I just watched another video that took the first top braid the other way 1st. I've tried both (in practice and not in the tree) and both ways seem to work equally as good.
was watching a video on climbing arborist that quoted " never climb on just hitch cord due to weight of climber melting cord " I've been climbing on the distel and the xt for awhile now without the fancy doodads rope wrench ext, just a micro for slack tending. should i worry about this claim or just take it easy? obviously on a fast decent friction causes heat, as I've seen you teach these methods and use them yourself is it just common sense or a speed issue thanks in advance tree brother.
climbing srt without a wrench or anything won't burn through the hitch cord, it will just lock up incredibly tight when you descend, and you will be stuck there until you open the hitch up manually... Patrick
@@TreeMuggs_PatrickM thank you for you're response and all the help over the years keeping people safe. Looking forward to seeing more educational demonstrations from you're organization 👌🏻👌🏻👍👍 keep it up
This is an old comment but I've been wondering this as well. I purchased the DMM hitch climber pulley setup from treestuff and it came with 8mm ocean polyester. I've been using a VT hitch with the system and the prusik is melting with the slowest descent. Should I try different cord or a different size? Anybody have experience with this? Thanks, Ozzy
As far as I know, the X stands for "cross" or "crossing" (as in the way that the strands cross over each other after the wraps), and the T stands for "tresse" which is french for "braid"...
You would lean back, pull down on the rope above your hitch, then pull the slack out below your micropulley. Rinse, repeat. It can be exhausting for a big climb. - Patrick
Rich Carlson of canyons and crags and inventor of the 'VT Prusik' (a spliced eye to eye hitch cord product) doesn't actually recommend ascending with the VT. He explains why here: ua-cam.com/video/Z-xjqI1WOY8/v-deo.html (that video is more or less a commercial for his hitch product, but there is a wealth of knowledge given as well in explanation and demonstration of hitches). For ascending he uses a 3 over 1 asymmetric prussik (3:1). (I think that's the Swammish?) Whatever it's called, that's what he uses. And then switches to a VT for descent. Full disclosure I have purchased his VT Prusik hitch cord and ascended a few times with the 3:1 a prussik as he recommends and then also descended with the VT. I felt just as safe as when I climb DRT with a blake's tending a blake's, but there was some added efficientcy. The VT Prusik was long enough to act as a split tail for DRT climbing. To tend the 3:1, I used 550 cord hitched to the up-line with a blake's, and attached under the 3:1 with a quick-link caribiner. Anyone who's used a blake's to tend a blake's on DRT will be familiar with it. The efficientcy came in because I could then disassemble the climbing system and move it to make a switch, and only need to un-tie retie my figure 8 anchor on the line at my bridge. This means i'm not tying and retying two blake's hitches every switch. And the only reason I had to redo my figure 8 was because I climb using a ringed false-crotch. If I was climbing without that I wouldn't even have to retie the fig-8.
The VT is reliable. Those sudden surprise slips are mitigated when the VT is custom to the user. I personally use 5-6 wraps and four braids. And I continue awareness on the VT through out my climb, every climb.
Erik Rimes it is a tall hitch. Not a fan on SRT, I think its impractical for production tree work, so i don't use a rope wrench. I build my VT tall because I am a heavy person, 5'11" 210lbs. Anything less my hitch will slip.
I want to take a good month for the time that you put into showing stuff because there’s a lot of us that don’t have many resources and mentors to reach out to so thank you very much
I agree. Mentors are hard to come by. Good ones at that.
A
What knot do you use to tie cord to pulley?
@@youmayberight2434 double fisherman's or an anchor bend
@@waynegriswold8953 Thank you
Just wanted to say a quick thanks for this vid, I have found my VT has been slipping a bit lately so tried the xt and it was bloody brilliant. Only issue I had was after an hour in a sappy pine it worked to well and I couldn't move so had to switch back to VT. Great to have a new hitch in my bag of tricks.
Been searching around for a hitch to use with a Captain Hook with 10 mm rope, and after trying all three variations in this video the VT 5-3 was definitely the perfect Goldilocks middle ground for my application. Thanks for the free education.
I was always taught that the VT wrapped over under over (top legs over, under over the bottom leg.) also, 4 wraps is 5 coils, so that would be a 3-3 vt. A wrap means a round turn, or a full 360 turn around the object (rope). When you take a full wrap on a portawrap, you make a full 360 turn around the shank.
This was great info, thanks!
I made a hitch cord with the HRC. I Used the VT with my Rope wrench and Fix tether and it works really well. Thanks Patrick.
Now that’s how you explain how to tie a knot or anything technical very good job thanks
Thanks! This is not the first time I’ve appreciated your videos, but I appreciate this one even more I guess.
I was taught that to climb on a 3-3 VT with the braids all under (from the top.)
That is still my favorite way of climbing but I’m always searching for optimum performance in any given scenario/combination of ropes
Brilliant!
Only recently discovered your content.
Just love it.
Thank you 👊
Well presented. Clear and precise. Thanks
Thank you!
Been using the VT for a while. Changed ropes and prusik cord and had to stuff around with it a bit to get it right. I used to tie it like this - with the top end of the hitch cord being braided underneath on the first braid. However, with this new configuration, I've changed it so the top end of the hitch cord is braided over the top on the first braid. Seems to be working and hopefully it continues to.
Cheers
I gotta agree. try ing out configurations is good practice .
Thankyou. Excellent, succinct and relevant .
I can't wait to try this hitch!
Cool great video, I have experimented with the vt and xt and so far my favorite is a 3/3 but when you start making your braid I put the too rope on top of the bottom on the first braid. I find that it still holds just as good but tends soo smooth. Smoother than any other of my variations. Cool beans brothe, take Kare in the tree life!
Easy to understand and helpful
Excellent instructional video, thank you! Regarding the XT, the first cross (the "X") and the first braid do not appear to alternate? Thanks again.
Thank you for explaining so well!
Never herd of the x-t before I like a lot thanks for the video
Very good explanation. I heard about the XT hitch, and you demonstrated it well. I will try that next time with the Hitch Hiker.
I thought the hitchhiker was to be used only with the exact hitch configuration they show in the instructions. It's basically five wraps around with double overhand knots through the dog bone. Nothing fancy.
Erik, the Valdotain is the hitch approved by Ropetek for the device. Some of us like to experiment with new ideas at our own risk. It may seem like a waste of time, but sometimes they work, and new products eventually benefit others when they are successful.
@@TimberTrainer
I don't think there's any harm in trying an xt with it. If anything it's just going to have a little to much drag on the cord and be a little difficult to release. I'm not against trying out new hitches... low and slow.
Am going to try it. I use the Blake's hitch. Thank you. Great video
Hi Great video ! On the xt that small vertical straight bit of rope before the braids is called a bar !
Thanks, never heard that term before!
- Patrick
EducatedClimber.com : ah ok ! I learned it from Arbor pod ! On the Distel video ! Thanks Steve
Good explanation. I love the VT .
Patrick! Tell me, what length of cord do you use to make a ready-to-use Prusik cord with loops?
most excellent ..
I noticed on the XT the top leg is under the other for both the cross and the first braid. Is there anything "wrong" with alternating right after the cross or should the first braid keep under for both?
Hell of a video, Patrick! Couple questions though-seems like you prefer oval ‘biners a good bit. Do you gravitate towards any particular style, or manufacturer?
Also, what do you use for your hitch cord?
So all you need is a hitch cord, pulley and a carabiner? I’m new to climbing . Great videos I have learned a lot , you are very knowledgeable
Great explanation and video! That long VT and associated sit-back have always bugged me. I have found in climbing on the Hitch Hiker 2 (dDRT and SRT) more recently (versus the Hitch Climber pulley DdRT) I try to compress/tighten the hitch as much as possible in the initial tying - knowing it will tighten and lengthen/stretch out. I simply do 6 wraps and then collapse 1 or 2 wraps to form braids. This tends to happen naturally when I hang on it. Of course, the end of the cord coming down from on top is always on top, but it has been working well. I have not tried this hitch tying technique yet on the Hitch Climber pulley.
I just recently got my Hitch Hiker 2 a couple months ago and started playing with the hitch. I would call it a 6/1 VT - 6 wraps up, 1 cross down. It works really nice in this application, I love my HH2!
- Patrick
Hi Good video, just one question, when doing the braid on the XT the leg that was on the bottom at the start was also on the bottom on the second braid. is that correct?
Nice video thanks.
On my first braid wrap,the top crosses over the bottom to start,is there any difference in the performance of the hitch?
Hey brother I run a distel and this seems like a variation of that is there a reason why you prefer VT over the distel?
I found it slips less if the first braid is top over not under. Then alternate.
Very good vid
On some variations the cord is pushing the main line toward the pulley. On others it's pushing it against the body away from the pulley.
Is this something to be concerned about?
What hitch cord and gage do you use here? Thanks
Im really digging that little shop you have there. Any information on the construction of it? Really love the log structure of the ceiling.
I am filming these in an old room in my barn. The house is 1880 so the barn may be even older. I love the construction as well. I look at all the joints in the logs and I'm just blown away at the craftsmanship. They really don't build 'em like they used to! Thanks for watching...
Hey EC, what are the knots you used on the ends of your hitch cord to attach to the carabiner? Also, thank you so much for putting these videos out, as a newb they are such a valuable resource! Particularly the raw footage ones are excellent, because they do not leave anything out. Hopefully you will get to do some more in the future. Thanks again, greetings from Slovakia
It looks like a poacher's knot also known as a double overhand not or strangle snare.
Fisherman's knot which Patrick calls double fisherman's. I think double is for the two knots used to attached two ropes with two single fishermans.
CT roll n lock instead of a regular slack tending pulley? Samson vortex vs Samson true blue?
The roll n lock is a one-way, progress capture pulley, so it wouldn't work as a slack tender. There are lots of options for slack tending pulleys, the one in the video is a hitchclimber pulley, works slick. I've never been a fan of true blue for climbing, I would stick with a 24-strand rope, I think vortex fits the bill. All the best, - Patrick
Hello, thanks for the interesting info!
A question though, if you will: why bother with XT when there is simple asymmetric prusik which feels like same bang for less tradeoff?
prusik doesn't release as easily once loaded, and can loosen and not grip as reliably when constantly "minded" while jugging up a rope. It's great as a backup hitch on a descender, but wouldn't use it in ascent.
as an armature tree climber, just messing around at home at low levels, when I try using a prussic it always just jams on the rope after I have put my weight on it, I must be getting something wrong, I will try again with your video.
The "classic" Prussik will block under load and won't unblock for as long as it is under load, even when you try to loose it by pulling down the wraps (you can still loosen it under load when grabbing and pulling the sling that is part of the know though). That separates the VT / XT knots from the Prussik, since they will unblock when you grab the wraps and pull them down even under load.
Did you try the French prusik?
What brand/type of hitch cord is that Patrick? It looks very supple. More supple than my ROPE Logic Bee Line 10mm x 30" G Spliced Eye & Eye Prusik Cord, Black/Brown which just arrived. I'm going to try the VT tomorrow while working in a Oak tree.
This is HRC... I like it a lot...
@@TreeMuggs_PatrickM I'll look for it. I did two climbs in a Oak today. The VT wants to creep a little even after the sitback. The Distal seemed to hold better without creeping.
When you showed the VT, you mentioned to always alternate over/under for each "arm" in the braids. Take a look at the XT at 4:23 in the video - it probably doesn't really matter, but it seems the top arm went under for the cross and then under again for the first braid. Would it have been better to have the top arm go over for the first braid instead? Does it make any difference?
Hmmm, I will have to check that out. Doesn't necessarily make as much of a difference as I made it seem in this old video.... - Patrick
yes. I had same question
I had the same question too as I just watched another video that took the first top braid the other way 1st. I've tried both (in practice and not in the tree) and both ways seem to work equally as good.
Hi to educated climber what hitch cord do you use for this cheers Kyle.
I like HRC... - Patrick
What is the hitch cord tied with? Double fishermen’s ?
Kiva Swander Yessir, double fisherman's
was watching a video on climbing arborist that quoted " never climb on just hitch cord due to weight of climber melting cord " I've been climbing on the distel and the xt for awhile now without the fancy doodads rope wrench ext, just a micro for slack tending. should i worry about this claim or just take it easy? obviously on a fast decent friction causes heat, as I've seen you teach these methods and use them yourself is it just common sense or a speed issue thanks in advance tree brother.
climbing srt without a wrench or anything won't burn through the hitch cord, it will just lock up incredibly tight when you descend, and you will be stuck there until you open the hitch up manually... Patrick
@@TreeMuggs_PatrickM thank you for you're response and all the help over the years keeping people safe. Looking forward to seeing more educational demonstrations from you're organization 👌🏻👌🏻👍👍 keep it up
This is an old comment but I've been wondering this as well. I purchased the DMM hitch climber pulley setup from treestuff and it came with 8mm ocean polyester. I've been using a VT hitch with the system and the prusik is melting with the slowest descent. Should I try different cord or a different size? Anybody have experience with this?
Thanks, Ozzy
What do the X and the T stand for in XT?
As far as I know, the X stands for "cross" or "crossing" (as in the way that the strands cross over each other after the wraps), and the T stands for "tresse" which is french for "braid"...
Stupid question: if one is attempting to ascend using the hip-thrust technique, how do you do it with this set up?
You would lean back, pull down on the rope above your hitch, then pull the slack out below your micropulley. Rinse, repeat. It can be exhausting for a big climb. - Patrick
What is the exact name of the hitch used in the XT?
XT prusik
Rich Carlson of canyons and crags and inventor of the 'VT Prusik' (a spliced eye to eye hitch cord product) doesn't actually recommend ascending with the VT. He explains why here: ua-cam.com/video/Z-xjqI1WOY8/v-deo.html (that video is more or less a commercial for his hitch product, but there is a wealth of knowledge given as well in explanation and demonstration of hitches). For ascending he uses a 3 over 1 asymmetric prussik (3:1). (I think that's the Swammish?) Whatever it's called, that's what he uses. And then switches to a VT for descent. Full disclosure I have purchased his VT Prusik hitch cord and ascended a few times with the 3:1 a prussik as he recommends and then also descended with the VT. I felt just as safe as when I climb DRT with a blake's tending a blake's, but there was some added efficientcy. The VT Prusik was long enough to act as a split tail for DRT climbing. To tend the 3:1, I used 550 cord hitched to the up-line with a blake's, and attached under the 3:1 with a quick-link caribiner. Anyone who's used a blake's to tend a blake's on DRT will be familiar with it. The efficientcy came in because I could then disassemble the climbing system and move it to make a switch, and only need to un-tie retie my figure 8 anchor on the line at my bridge. This means i'm not tying and retying two blake's hitches every switch. And the only reason I had to redo my figure 8 was because I climb using a ringed false-crotch. If I was climbing without that I wouldn't even have to retie the fig-8.
The VT is reliable. Those sudden surprise slips are mitigated when the VT is custom to the user. I personally use 5-6 wraps and four braids. And I continue awareness on the VT through out my climb, every climb.
That's a tall hitch. Are you using it with a rope wrench? If it's just dynamic rope then not so much of a problem.
Erik Rimes it is a tall hitch. Not a fan on SRT, I think its impractical for production tree work, so i don't use a rope wrench. I build my VT tall because I am a heavy person, 5'11" 210lbs. Anything less my hitch will slip.
As an experimenting noob on this subject (I have so many questions) do you climb regularly with only a hitch and pulley?
Yes, check out my other video on Climbing System Basics: DdRT and SRT, that will help to visualize it... - Patrick
So far im using the yale veritas eye to eye 10 mm and its working great...vt 3.3
Some show top arm over the bottom arm of the wraps and this shows top arm under bottom arm to start the braids
Costa Savva Both ways work, I just prefer it this way, All the best!
A
If I purchase an eye-to-eye, what length for the VT?
30" is probably fine, but I definitely recommend just buying some bulk cord and tying your own. -Patrick
maybe a stupid question, what knot do you use for the tying your own?
Patriot Arborist 30in
I like the Xt way better
Yes indeed, XT usually works better for me as well... thanks for watching! - Patrick