Drt vt triple wrap failed to stop me

[DragonkingFDD]

I was wrekki climbing today  using a drt system 11 mm rope vt system I had 3 wraps and it was pretty close to my pulley , I was just defending from a v in a big leader and I sat back in my harness dressing my vt then calculated my next move to slightly swing whilst switching leg positions goin down this stem and I had one hand on my vt system wraps whilst balancing I begun my next move took some slack off and swung out soon as I got weight bearing the system failed so I manually tried to push the vt wraps up to tend the rope but it just didn't want to go just if hit the carabiner from the other end of the rope . I fell 20 ft today just missing a fence and fell flat on my back I'm 0 injury's I'm over the moon tbh should be in hospital or dead but I'm sure to learn don't trust a vt system with 3 wraps infact just use a prussik or a mechanical device like a zig zag swivel lock Jack as that's too close of a call for me 

 

[DragonkingFDD]

I was on a 13 mm rope and a 11 mm vt rope system with ddm triple hole pully . Big wake up call 

 

[Rich Rule]

13 hours ago, DragonkingFDD said:

I was wrekki climbing today  using a drt system 11 mm rope vt system I had 3 wraps and it was pretty close to my pulley , I was just defending from a v in a big leader and I sat back in my harness dressing my vt then calculated my next move to slightly swing whilst switching leg positions goin down this stem and I had one hand on my vt system wraps whilst balancing I begun my next move took some slack off and swung out soon as I got weight bearing the system failed so I manually tried to push the vt wraps up to tend the rope but it just didn't want to go just if hit the carabiner from the other end of the rope . I fell 20 ft today just missing a fence and fell flat on my back I'm 0 injury's I'm over the moon tbh should be in hospital or dead but I'm sure to learn don't trust a vt system with 3 wraps infact just use a prussik or a mechanical device like a zig zag swivel lock Jack as that's too close of a call for me 

 

Sorry to hear that.  Sounds like a combination of errors that contributed to the accident.

 

Glad you are ok though and didn’t have any serious injuries.

 

The VT is an established knot that has been used for years by thousands of climbers.  Certain things need to be taken into consideration though, as with everything we do.  Therefore I would suggest that the Vt isn’t really a knot for beginners.

 

Things to consider.

 

Rope and hich cord compatibility.  Usually at least 2 mm difference between them, hitch cord being thinner than climb line.  If it is a hard rope then use soft hitch cord and vice versa, soft rope use hard hitch cord.

 

The number of wraps and braids in the VT.  Too many and it will barely move, too few and it may not grab you in the event of a fall.

 

As with all knots, TDS, Tie Dress and Set.  Test it low and slow.

 

If you’re using a hitch climber or similar pulley it is best used with a spliced eye, that way there will be no interference with the wraps at the top of the hitch.  
 

if you end up using a termination knot instead of the hitch it needs to be far enough away from the top of the hitch to allow the hitch to bite.  Therefore, I wouldn’t use a scaffold knot, double fishemans etc as they are pretty bulky.  I don’t often use a VT these days but if I have to in the scenario above I use a bowline tied with a bigger loop than normal to connect to.  That way it doesn’t get in the way of the top braids.

 
Even after all that TDS again.

 

What exactly was the rope combination you used?  I know you said 13 and 11 mm but what brands?  There is a lot of knowledge on here and it might be glaringly obvious not to use that combination.

 

Unfortunately it sounds like you may have had one or two of the above factors that lead to your mishap.

 

As I said, glad your OK and get back to us with some answers.  You never know, it may help someone else in the future.

[AHPP]

Good reference post.

[DragonkingFDD]

Cheers pal I truly am lucky . I'll grab the exact brands of rope I used after work and the settings for how soft they were you might of already knocked the nail on the head tho with it , my main climbing rope is quite hard and the vt rope I used isn't far off the same hardness so theirs one possiblity , I am hugely lucky and it's not put me off it's a huge learning curve for me you can't always be in contact with the tree in 2 places and unfortunately for me my system was flawed should of spotted the signs but dw I kno the signs first hand now , I was sometimes sitting back into it and it would bite no problem once or twice close to my fall I do remember having to push the vt system up with my hand as I got the weight on it and just there is proof of a flawed system anyways, I did remember as my climb went on I felt like my vt system wasn't snitching my rope as fast as it did an hour in it was raining and wet aswel so theirs 2 factors right there that me being a novice failed to spot and address luckily I'm here soaking it all in and not in a wheel chair or dead . Loved every minute of it tho bar the near death experience thinks like this should never happen but they do without the kno how and what to look out for with a bomb proof setup . I'll get back to you on the sizes and stats of my death setup stay safe peeps 

[Rich Rule]

Let us know once you find out.

 

Climb safe.