UKC

I'm in need of a replacement harness for my old DMM Renegade Pro.

Call me fussy, but I really like having a harness with a buckle that has to be threaded and doubled back at the waist. Not because I don't trust a pre-threaded auto lock type of buckle, but because I like to be able to undo the waist completely to put the harness on. Why? Because I'm a girl, and I have curves - there is a 12inch difference between my hip and my waist measurement! So a harness that is big enough to pull on over my hips (untucking all my layers in the process), then ends up with loads of webbing 'tail' that needs tucking away once it is snug on my waist.

I'm struggling to find a decent all round harness (winter/trad/alpine) with a thread back buckle at the waist. Other criteria would be:

5 gear loops minimum (the more the better!)
Either a W's fit or a men's with a decent length belay loop (such as on the Renegade)
Adjustable leg loops

Anyone got any suggestions?

In reply to climbingronnie:

You can (well I do anyway!) fully undo the buckles on my Wild Country (syncro I think?) pre-threaded buckles harness so maybe worth trying a few different ones just to see if you can get them undone.

In reply to climbingronnie:

Is the Renegade 2 not available as a 'pro' with threadback buckles?

In reply to climbingronnie:
You're right about the issue.

My girlfriend has a thread back arteryx harness and has to unthread and rethread the webbing. Basically, good luck with the harness but if you like a harness that only comes in a ziplock then this may be a way around the problem.

Edit: Totally with you on the 5th gear loop, I feel having a loop on the back allows me to keep belay stuff well out of the way when climbing.

I was hoping to avoid having to manually un-thread and re-thread the buckles (which lets face it with cold or post-climb knackered fingers is far from ideal!) but I'll accept that might be a last resort option.

Oh and r0x0r.wolfo - I actually prefer 7 gear loops (as on the Renegade), but thought that was a bit greedy and would severely limit any possible recommendations!

In reply to climbingronnie:

I'm in the same boat, Ronnie. I will be using mine for personal and work use and double back buckles are a must for me. My mate has lent me a renegade to try before I commit but his is only ziplock buckles. Someone suggested using a BD bod harness due to their cheapness and ease of putting on. only got 4 gear loops I think though. Worth a look I think.

In reply to climbingronnie:
most auto lock buckles can be de-threaded if you take 5 minutes to actually look at the buckle it's self i know all the camp harnesses can be undone completely it takes a bit of fiddling though it can be done, have you tried the petzl corax it fits a much wider range of people allot better than the standard harness single buckle harness.
Edit
If you can go to a sore and try and de thread the renegade pro (try and be discreet)

In reply to climbingronnie:

I undo my harness completely to remove it. It's a threadlock style, one of the lightweight ones from Wild Country from about 3 years ago. Don't have a problem undoing it each time at all, even with bulky gloves on in winter. I can also do this fine on a new harness too. So perhaps don't rule out threadlock buckles just yet?

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

I've got an old Bod but don't find it very comfy - ok for trolling around on glaciers, but not for leading or belaying. Thanks for the suggestion though!

Looks like I'm gonna need to go try and see which auto lock buckles are easiest to undo completely and re-thread. I can't help but think there's a gap in the market here…or at least an element of something that ain't broke being fixed (with a solution that just isn't as good in my opinion).

In reply to climbingronnie:

Is it possible your bod is the Alpine version? the regular bod is padded around the waist.

In reply to sebflynn:



It's the 'Renegade pro' that has normal/old fashioned/traditional doubled back buckles, and the 'Renegade' that has the speed lock/zip lock ™®© buckles.

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

Mine is the padded version, it's the leg loop layout that isn't comfortable and I find it a right faff to put on too - the buckle is difficult to thread and you have to pass the waist through the belay loop too. That's just my opinion though, they've been around so long somebody must like them!

Looks like I either have to find a Renegade Pro, or go round undoing all the pre-threaded buckles on harnesses instead

In reply to climbingronnie:

Metolius SafeTech

All components are full strength, but it's no heavier than an ordinary harness.

More importantly, it has both adjustable leg loops and an adjustable raise (ie you can change both the size of the leg loops and the distance that they are from the waist belt).

It does have thread back buckles too and enough gear loops (all of which are rated to 12kn)

These are the most comfortable harnesses I've ever worn and accommodate summer cragging and wintert stuff equally well.

In reply to climbingronnie:

7!? Ohhh that is greedy .

In reply to nniff:

You beat me to it. The safetech does meet most of the posters requirements. I certainly liked mind apart from wanting to not have a thread back buckle! Couldn't do it up without taking gloves off.
But only 4 gear loops...

In reply to Ffion Blethyn:


As far as I can see from the DMM web site, they no longer list the Renegade Pro. The Renegade has been replaced by the Renegade 2, and there's no 'pro' version currently shown. Any Renegade Pros that might still be on sale will therefore be old/run-out stock. The main impact of that is that folks who really, really want a DMM harness and also really, really want a doubled-back buckle need to move fairly fast.

Personally, I've never had any problems with the "slide lock" buckle on my DMM Maverick. (Poor choice of name by DMM, though, in the context of this discussion!) Unfortunately they've discontinued that model, in fact they don't seem to do a harness with fixed leg loops at all these days

In reply to Martin W:

I thought as much.

Sadly it seems to be the way the manufacturers are going.. The metolius safe tech comp, and trad are now sold with 'Locking speed-buckle'

http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/safe-tech_comp.html

http://www.metoliusclimbing.com/safe-tech_trad.html

In reply to Martin W:

Hi,

I work for DMM and thought I should let you know that the Renegade Pro is still available. The stock in our WH is the Renegade 2 Pro i.e. the latest version, but with threadback buckles.

Apologies for the omission on the web site - I will get that fixed.

Regards

Simon Marsh

DMM International

In reply to Simon Marsh:

Thanks, Simon!

In reply to Simon Marsh:

Well done Simon for clarifying - and good news for those who like DMM gear but want a threadback buckle on their harness.

Now: when are you going to produce a fixed-leg-loop harness again?