UKC

Short version:
Looking to buy a harness. Prefer to go to a real shop and have a sit in a few before I buy as in the past I have had issues getting a good fit. Ideally I am looking for something that will do me equally well for trad and sport but would buy one for each if I had to. Looking online, each shop I have looked at doesn't seem to cover that many manufacturers. Anyone able to recommend a good shop with a wide range?The retail landscape seems to have changed a lot since I last bought gear in the UK. I don't need to get one for at least two or three weeks as I am getting fit bouldering atm and can borrow from mates if needed after that. I am also regularly getting out walking and backpacking so North Wales, the Peak, and possibly Fort Bill or Aviemore, are places I will be over the next month.My experience with the bits of kit I have picked up in city centre shops recently is that a load of stuff they have online they can only order in and don't have on hand other than clothing.


Long version: If anyone has personal recommendations as to current models that would help too. I have a smallish to very bottom end of medium waist despite being around 75kg and I don't really have "much in the way of hips" This has often meant that some harnesses have been uncomfortable if they haven't fit me exactly right.
In the past the ones I have been most happy with have been:

Metolious: I think the model was the then current(circa 2003 and then one I bought in the states in '08 that was almost identical) incarnation of the Safe Tech range but I can't remember the exact names. Really liked them due to the high degree of adjustability esp the leg loop to belay loop yoke length. It appears all their models that have this feature now also have dual belay loops(?) I cannot see any time I would ever need this feature but I have never tried such a set up(I am a great fan of keeping things simple though so this additional loop puts me off a little). I really really liked the gear loops on the ones I had though. The fit and the durability was excellent also. Is that extra belay loop ever or often useful? Or is it just in the way/an opportunity for error.

Petzl Corax circa 2002ish. Loved everything about this harness except the gear loops. The older version had the sloping hard plastic rigid type and I found trad gear bunched up more than it needed to so ended up only using it for clip ups and at the wall. This seems to have be redesigned on the current model. Though it does mention the front two are "rigid" in its description but I don't see the same slope on the pictures I have seen.Also I remember mine as having fixed leg loops so it is maybe a complete redesign.

Wild Country Sky Pilot and similar. I wore out two of these over the space of years and replaced the third with the first metolious. The only issue was I had to then get a small waist and medium leg loops ordered through a friend who worked in a shop. Advancing years have meant I have bloated to a porky 30" waist though so that shouldn't be an issue anymore....The current WC range appear to all have adjustable legs if you want more than three gear loops anyways. The complete range looks like new designs rather than evolutions of the older ones.

In reply to ultrabumbly:

Well, I really rate my DMM Renegade - see http://dmmclimbing.com/products/new-renegade-harness/ although mine is an earlier version. 7 gear loops make it ideal for trad, and as it's adjustable, you ought to be able to get a good fit. I don't know, but I'd be very surprised if Joe Browns and Needlesports didn't have them in stock.

In reply to Mark Kemball:

Thanks for the info. The DMM looks like one to try as I think the widening of the belt around the spine was what allowed the old petzl I had to be quite light and still not chafe me around the belt as much when the rope might pull slightly sideways on the tie in.

In reply to Mark Kemball:

I'd second that recommendation, I've also got an earlier version of the DMM Renegade which is great for trad and is also comfy enough for indoor sessions which involve lots of hanging around on the rope. I see that it got a review on ukc a few years ago: http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=1333


Stephen

In reply to ultrabumbly:

Another Renegade recommendation! I struggle with harnesses and have found the renegate the most flexible in fit and very comfortable. Happy with it for winter climbing, summer climbing and alpine so far. Loads or room for trad gear (even if you are a gear freak!). I've not done much sport in it, but the hanging about I have done it makes be confident it'll be great for that too.

Cheers,

Stu

In reply to steveq:


DMM also sent me the newer version, the Renegade 2, which I reviewed here: http://lightfromthenorth.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/dmm-renegade-harness-review...

In reply to ultrabumbly:

Renegade, so good i have two of them, i like the floating waistbelt allowing me to centre the gear loops easily, and it is comfy.
I have an Arcteryx r300; very nice but the DMM is my go to Harness nearly every time.
in fact i am due a new harness and the choice is easy for me to make, DMM .