UKC

I've been using a Black Diamond Alpine Bod harness for more years than I'm going to admit but have decided it is time to retire it and get a replacement.

I was going to simply buy a new one, especially as Go Outdoors have them for £25.50 (£30 -15% at the moment), but The new fixed gear loops look like they would get in the way of ice clippers and I'm tempted by something much lighter, like the Blue Ice Choucas but I'm a bit worried that there might be such a thing as too light and would be concerned about its durability.

My general purpose harness is a DMM renegade but I don't fancy using that in winter as it looks like it could absorb a lot of water and putting it on over Crampons or even just big boots looks awkward.

I'd be grateful for advise and other people's experience with these very light-weight harnesses.

Your renegade isn't a bad choice for winter, provided it's an appropriate size to fit over extra clothing, though the padding is extra bulk and weight you don't need. You might just need to put your harness on a bit earlier than you are used to if you struggle getting it on over boots. 

I have similar feelings to harnesses as axes, I'll take a bit of extra weight for durability. The manufacturers stated normal life expectancy of the Blue Ice Choucas is 3 years. It's a specialist bit of kit at home as a ski touring harness or fast and light alpine ascents. It wouldn't be my first choice for a Scottish winter harness but it's not a silly choice if you value light weight and are happy to accept a reduced lifespan and being a bit more prudent with inspecting it before use. 

I have a friend who uses a Renegade in winter, and doesn't have a problem with it wetting out. It takes up a lot of space in a sac though. I use a Petzl Horondus (sp?) which I have bought a size bigger than my Summer one so the gear loops sit in the correct place. I like it a lot. It has fixed leg loops though which I don't mind but some might.

Interested in what people come up with here. My BD guide doesn;t really fit me with winter clothes on, the left side gear loops are too far round the back. I think my old Petzl one with 2 buckles was pretty good, and the leg loops opened up quite far for crampons (not fully open though),

I use a Renegade in winter, no problems with water absorption and the leg loops open out wide enough for big boots. Probably wouldn't want to put it on over crampons but if I'm putting my crampons on I'll stick the harness on first anyway.

I'm not 100% sold on the screw carrier attachments, the positioning is good but they seem a bit flimsy. That said, they're not showing any signs of wear or anything.

Been using blue ice addax for 2+years (150g), it's a chocas without leg loop buckles 

No obvious wear, expect couple more years out of it

Use for everything but the wall

Alpine - perfect, fine for long abseil

Trad - fine, I'm between sizes med/large which means the gear loops could work better, I'd rate as adequate 

Winter - great, you can fit clippers and can step into with crampons on 

Due to the thin sling materials, getting the harness on can be slightly more difficult then more chunky offerings, this it true of of other light harnesses.

You don't know its on

Weights nowt, packs down small - it's great in the mountains 

HTH

Oh my partners have gone out and bought them 

I mourn the loss of double back buckles on harnesses. They made for a much safer harness to put on and take off. Waist and leg loops could be opened easily to enable safer donning of the harness on a slope.

"Idiot proof" captive buckles create more problems than they solve. I am trusted to tie a knot, am I not trusted to fasten a harness?

This doesn't answer your question but maybe a manufacturer will take my comment on board.

< The manufacturers stated normal life expectancy of the Blue Ice Choucas is 3 years >

Can you provide a link for that I can't find anything like that on blue ice website, they have the standard

<in some circumstances you may need to retire after one use otherwise all soft goods must be decommissioned after 10yrs>

I'll second this Hirundos harness as I find it's durable enough, light and not overly bulky when wearing the layers and I can get a couple of wire attached caritools where I want them. I only use the Blue Ice harness when I'm doing things like the Cuillin or bigger alpine stuff with the long walk ins.

No.

Because people have not doubled back their harnesses (or finished their knots), due to being distracted or other reasons, we have the ziplock.

Of course it would be interesting to know how often that has actually happened, probing US accident statistics might be illuminating.

FWIW, I use an Arcteryx mixed climbing harness with zip locks. I just make sure it goes on before my crampons. I do have a BD Bod but I use it less and less.

I've been using a Petzl Aquila the last year which is fantastic except for the fact I'm kinda in between sizes so the loops are offset a fair bit to one side when the belay loop is centred. (although in summer with less layer I tighten it up more so it's pretty central)

I'm not a massive fan of the new Caritool Evo clippers (what's wrong with a normal clipper slot?), but they work fine once fitted properly.

The harness is super comfy, adjustable leg loops, five massive gear loops plus a little one for your ab gear or whatever.

Thanks very much for the replies so far, they are all very much appreciated and give me quite a lot to think about.

I had written off just using my DMM Renegade harness but I'll give it a go over winter boots and clothing to see about the fit. I was surprised that it is only marginally heavier than the BD Bod Alpine, though obviously much heavier than the ski-touring harnesses.

I was also puzzled by the 3 year lifetime for the Choucas and can't find anything supporting that in Petzl's documentation but, if correct, that would rule it out for me.

I'm not going to be using this for hard mixed climbs - no thrutching up snow-dusted granite chimneys for me, just snow and ice gullys and easier ridges, up to IV or so. 

https://weighmyrack.com/sites/default/files/legacy_files/product_resources/...

Edit: whoops, I was reading the wrong manual. It looks like there isn't a lifespan stated for the harness the OP is looking for - https://content.admin.blueice.com/media/images/instruction-manuals/100142-H...

It's becoming more common. I can't remember the exact wording but my mammut harness has a recomended 3 year life span if used more than once a month, and if used daily it's under a year. Not so much of an issue with personal climbing as most of us are capable of looking at a harness and using common sense. It used to be the case at work that if a harness was identifiable, it could be inspected and brought into use provided the inspector was "competent". Then it started being 10 years from manufactur and now it's just mad. If you have 30 full body harnesses to replace every year at £150 a pop it's a major issue. Thankfully there are still harnesses without these daft lifespans written into the manuals but for how long that will last is anyone's guess. Lifespans are being applied to metalwork in some instances as well now, wheras it used to be indefinite.