VT Prussik question

[bcdhgwp]

This post is a question about the VT Prussic available from Canyons & Crags (Rich), not the valdotain tresse. Will the piece of gear hold up to being used as a self-belay for the first person down? Can it regularly be used for this or should it have long-term contact with the rope only in emergency situations?

I ask because I seem to remember reading on here that it was good for that, and descending a tensioned rope in a rescue situation (I could be thinking of something else. It's been awhile), but after using mine a single time the sheath is showing some pretty significant wear/fuzzing. I was using a nylon rope, and both the rope and the VT were wet, but clean.

[tcott]

I use one of these fairly frequently when I'm the first one down a rap. The technora sheath does get fuzzy but it still holds up really well. I have a rope with a technora sheath that does the same thing, gets fuzzy at first but doesn't wear out after that. I wouldn't worry about the wear on it unless you are getting holes in the sheath.

[ewestesen]

Yeah I agree- I've had mine for two seasons now, it was used fairly heavily this summer and is still in decent shape- I'll probably replace it at the end of this year.