UKC

Comfortable harness for multipitch climbs?

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 alps_p 10 May 2013
Any recommendations please? thanks
Removed User 10 May 2013
In reply to alps_p:

That's not an easy question to answer. What's good for me might be bad for you. Body shape, size, etc all comes into play when getting a comfortable one. The best I can suggest is get to one of the better outdoor shops that has a lot of different models, and importantly a hard point in the ceiling with a rope that you clip into and hang in it for a while. You'll soon know if you have a comfortable one or not.

Best of luck.
 GrahamD 10 May 2013
In reply to alps_p:

Go and try a few on for fit. Get one with only the features you want and none of the frills you don't. Wider and or more padding isn't necessarily most comfortable - bulk in general isn't good. For me I want 4 gear loops and aan attachment point on the back. Although I do have adjustable leg loops I would rather not.
 Ron Walker 10 May 2013
In reply to alps_p:

You want something comfortable and easily adjustable but also light and packable with good gear loops for mountain routes. My last two harnesses have been Petzl Adjama's which I use for sport, rock, winter and alpine.

Hope this helps

Cheers Ron
 LucaC 10 May 2013
In reply to alps_p: Did a 28 pitch route in an arcteryx r320a last summer, very comfortable for me. I would be more concerned about comfort when moving then comfort when hanging/falling unless you see yourself using it for dogging sport routes/bigwalling/many things without belay ledges.
 martinph78 10 May 2013
In reply to LJC: I've got the Black Diamond Momentum (AL I think), and so has my mate. Both of us find it very comfortable, and I find it to be very hard wearing as well.

Didn't appreciate how comfortable until I had to wear a CAMP harness last week. Horribly uncomfortable!

Removed User 10 May 2013
In reply to Martin1978:
> (In reply to LJC) >
> Didn't appreciate how comfortable until I had to wear a CAMP harness last week. Horribly uncomfortable!

But that CAMP harness might be really comfortable for someone else.
 Dan_S 10 May 2013
In reply to alps_p:
> Any recommendations please? thanks

Find a shop that'll let you have a dangle in the harness for a bit.

As others have said, different folk suit different harnesses, and just because it doesn't have a meters thickness of padding around the waist or legs, doesn't mean it won't be comfortable. I was pleasantly surprised by eldrid harnesses when I last had to buy one, and ended up getting the Jay.
 dutybooty 10 May 2013
In reply to alps_p: Second vote for the arcteryx harnesses.
 Martin Bennett 10 May 2013
In reply to alps_p:

Yes, as others have said - I agree you'll have to bite the bullet and pay Arcteryx price I'm afraid! After 48 years climbing, at least the last 35 of them wearing harnesses, I've tried a few but the Arcteryx R320 (now called the R300) is the best I've had. Arcteryx concept of a wider, thinner belt and no padding is the way to go, it seems to me - body shape no longer matters - it wraps itself close to you whatever your shape.

Not only that but it has the major advantages of light weight (R300 is 300 grams) and space saving compactness
 LucaC 10 May 2013
In reply to alps_p: As the single most important piece of gear, I don't really care how much a harness costs. Got 3 arcteryx ones now for different things (minimal ski harness, trad, and a winter one with ice clipper slots). Ski harness has no padding what so ever (material is probably about 3mm thick, but I spprt climb in it very comfortably - I think it's more down to design and fit rather than padding.
 GridNorth 10 May 2013
In reply to Martin Bennett: I had an R320. It was so comfortable that I had to keep checking that I still had it on but then the elastic components went all funny and the damned thing kept falling down my legs. Still waiting for Arcteryx to repair/replace it. I also have a BD Chaos which is a little more robust but still comfortable. I actually find the added robustness reassuring on long mountaineering routes.
 martinph78 10 May 2013
In reply to Removed User: No doubt. Just like the Arcteryx harness might not be comfortable for some.

I know 4 people who have or have used the BD Momentum and commented how comfortable it is. My point about the CAMP harness is that I didn't realise how I had come to take the comfort of the BD harness for granted.

It's reasonably priced as well.

As said above, it's individual and will come down to trying them on, but so far everyone I have recommended the BD Momentum to has bought it and been pleased.
 Martin Bennett 10 May 2013
In reply to GridNorth:

Give 'em a gee up re replacement. As you know they were most helpful and accommodating when they swapped my R320 for R300 and the prob with the leg elastics hasn't recurred.

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