Self tending setup

[Mark Bolam]

Anyone else got any comments about the Knut? I like the look of that, esp the short legs, but have never tried it.

[bill]

very grippy, ive found it harder too pull slack thro it then a vt.

[Marc]

Anyone else got any comments about the Knut? I like the look of that, esp the short legs, but have never tried it.

 

Everyone is obsessed with the holy grail that is the VT and mythical self-tending. The VT is a great hitch and yes with enough rope beneath you it will self tend itself wich is novel when it works, onyl one tool does this relaibly the lockjack (boo).

I just think we shouldn't get hung up on self tending, there are lots of other good self advancing hitches out there like the Knute.

 

The bueaty of a VT and its variations is it doesn't actual remain set on the line it works like the chinese finger trap principal, so should always be easy to advance or descend.

A knute remains set on the line but one leg wraps round the other leg which buffers the load to the 4 or 3 coils making it always easy to descend on never binding tight and easy to advance as it hasn't bound tight, and as its set on the line it should always grip reliably, unlike a distel where only one leg wraps round the line and the other leg is free to tighten and bind the coils making it harder to advance or descend o.

 

I find with these style of hitches unlike prussiks, blakes or klemheists they lend themselves to a different style of climbing, the ability to footlock the line, tend one handed and climb hand over hand (once you trust yourself to not let go or fall) I tie my knots loose as i always want them to move freely its second nature to me to thumb the coils to make sure it grabs or i can just tell when it won't, it doesn't bother me and i don't fell unsafe or worried about freefal but it does take geting used tol.

 

There are other benefits to these knot especially using a hitchclimber like setting up 3-1 advantage systems, using 2 anchors with one line, aerial rescue possiblities etc etc.

[Marc]

very grippy, ive found it harder too pull slack thro it then a vt.

 

you didn't set it right a knute is like silk, and just as easy to advance as a vt and maybe dare i say it smoother to descend on!!

[coolie]

 

 

From left to right

schwab / distel / michaocan

 

If you like the knute,I do,try the michaocan(very similar).I like it even better.Sorry havent got a better pic.

[Heads up]

Started playing with the Knut and knut TK couple of weeks ago. i like it but haven't perfected it yet and haven't used it for work purposes.

going to be tinkering some more soon.

[bill]

you didn't set it right a knute is like silk, and just as easy to advance as a vt and maybe dare i say it smoother to descend on!!

 

 

probably not, i tried to make it as short as possible to minimize sit back.