UKC

I'd like to buy one for my grandson's 7th birthday (poor lad!) and at the moment it's a toss-up between a Petzl Ouistiti and DMM Tom Kitten.

Are there any others recommended out there, and does anyone have any recommendations or comments?

I've had both, and the DMM Tom Kitten is much better.

If you're going down that route, then also the Edelrid Fraggle is similar, but I don't think a full-body harness will last him that long.

Mine have been in a sit harness since that age - Edelrid Finn at first and, now, the DMM Tom Kat. Pair with a chest harness, if you have any concerns about them inverting.

Whichever is cheapest and comfortable in the largest size possible so they can grow more with it. They are rated for adult forces and including dynamic falls and the child will grow out of it before wear and tear plays any part.

He's just 7, I would have thought he could use it for a few years. (And by then, who knows, we may have more grandchildren... 🤔

Hopefully, yes. One of our children's harnesses got used for at least 8 years by the two children. Nonetheless, the point about wear stands. The harness will still have lots of life left in it when the children are finished with it.

I agree with LastBoyScout that either of these body harnesses are unlikely to fit for long. Of course it depends on your grandson's specific physique, but unless he's very slight it's likely he'll be perfectly safe in a sit harness, and probably happier/less constricted. 
The DMM Tomcat should last into early teens, fit-wise, and the Petzl Macchu and Edelrid Finn would also be worth a look.

When my big kids were little we had a Rock Empire one, and my 7 year old is now using an Edelrid Fraggle which is also good. The Edelrid came from my mate when his son grew out of it. Basically they get so little hammer that I have no concerns at all at using hand me downs or ones that are past the standard 10 year suggested life span as long as you know they have been carefully stored and so on. My 7 year old still likes the feeling of the full body harness although we have the Finn for him to use next - originally reviewed by his big brother over a decade ago here! :⁠-⁠)  https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/climbing/harnesses/like_father_like_son_ede...

Both the harness the op is interested in have a 30 to 40 kg weight limit although most children will grow out of them is size rather than weight first. So they are hot rated for adult forces!

I've got the decathlon full body harness for my daughter (just away to turn 7). Fits her well and plenty of growing room left (c.6-7" of strapping still).  She's about 125cm if that helps.

Buddy has a normal waist harness plus a separate chest harness (petzl) that he uses and works well to, with idea that chest harness can be ditched once no longer needed without buying a new harness.

Cheers, 

Stu

Worth noting that the Finn has had a couple of updates since then. The current incarnation of it seems to have quite a short rise compared to the older one we have - found that the waist belt was being pulled down on my daughter when we went to buy a newer one. Hence, we have the Tom Kat for her instead.

Oh, sorry, thanks for the correction. I shouldn't have assumed things about those harnesses. Heed Graeme, not me.

I know size and shape are the thing but ...how old is your daughter, as a matter of interest?

My daughter is small for her age and has used a sit-harness since she was eight, with no chest harness nor any fear of it not being safe.

If it was me, I'd a least be taking the lad into a shop to try some out. Although, to be fair, you may be able to achieve a similar level of confidence simply by tying a belt (or rope?) snugly around his waist and then seeing whether it's possible to slide it down past his hips.

She was 9 or 10 when we tried the later Finn. Slighty above average height, but also quite slim build.

Unfortunately he lives 150 miles away, also it was supposed to be a suprise birthday present! (I know some kids may not appreciate that, but his dad agrees he has enough toys and electroni cr*p to last a lifetime. Tough love, I believe it's called 😇)