The
Valdôtain Tress, or VT, is a popular knot among arborists,
but I do not think it is a good ascending knot for cavers or climbers.
The knot is a cross between the Penberthy-Pierson
on top and the French Prusik
below. It consists of four coils followed by two crisscrosses
at the bottom. The resulting knot has a lot of elongation that
leads to considerable lost motion (inefficiency) each time it
is loaded. This is not a particular concern of arborists, but
when using knots on a long free-hanging pit climb, I prefer a
knot with less elongation.
KnotVT.html/080301
©2008, Gary D. Storrick