HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR CLIMBING OR MOUNTAINEERING HARNESS?
Choosing your climbing or mountaineering harness means finding the equipment that will provide you with comfort and safety on all your climbs. Here are the different steps to find the perfect harness.
The components of a climbing harness
The climbing harness is divided into 4 parts:
- The waist belt which size you can adjust, depending on the model
- The 2 leg loops attached to the hip by two attachment points at the rear and an attachment point at the front on a belay loop.
- The belay loop, which can be single or double, allows you to attach yourself to the rope
- The mobile belay loop, which connects the 2 classic belay loops, is used to attach all the equipment that puts the climber in contact with the outside, with the exception of the rope
- Equipment carry loops: there are 2, 4 or 6 and more or less rigid to allow you to choose the harness that meets all your needs.
The type of straps/belts, a determining factor for the comfort of the harness
GOOD TO KNOW: OTHER OPTIONS FOR MOUNTAINEERING
For long climbs, you can also choose a climbing harness with a triple strap or "wireframe" technology to limit the impression of shear stress once you will be suspended in the air.
The different harness adjustment systems for mountaineering or climbing
There are three tightening systems for climbing harnesses:
The adjustable harness
It consists of at least 3 adjustment straps, one for the belt and one for each thigh, which allows precise adjustment of the tightening and optimizes support.
The mono-adjustable harness
It is adjustable only at the waist level, which allows greater freedom of movement in the thighs. It also keeps the rope anchor point perfectly centered.
The openable harness
It is adjustable only at the waist but can be opened completely, which allows to gain lightness and greater freedom of movement at the thighs. It is usually used in order not to take off your skis or crampons.
GOOD TO KNOW: AUTOMATIC BUCKLES OR NOT?
Well you won't have much choice! Indeed, the climbing harnesses on sale nowadays are necessarily equipped with automatic buckles. Once the harness is tight, the automatic buckle locks without further effort.
Choose your climbing harness according to your practice
The comfort and ease of use of a harness are key to finding the setting that won't hold you back on your climbs and provide you with perfect comfort. It is therefore important to choose a climbing harness that will match your practice.
Multi-pitch climbing:
The circumference of the leg loops and the waist belt must be wide enough to remain comfortable for several hours. You should also opt for a harness equipped with enough gear loops to allow you to take your carabiners, quickdraws, climbing knife, belayer, climbing stopper and unstucker. Also think about the loops for your ice screws and the back loop for your chalk bag.
Indoor climbing:
The suspension time during indoor sessions is reduced, so you can be less picky about comfort and attachments for your equipment.
Ice climbing:
You will be covered with clothes so don't forget this detail when choosing the size of your harness. You will also need your harness to adjust easily, because you will be operating in extreme conditions.
Cliff climbing:
Sessions can quickly get long, so comfort should not be neglected. You will also need to bring gear with you, but less than when you're on multi-pitch routes.
How do I find out the size of my climbing harness?
A fitting is the essential step in choosing the size of your climbing or mountaineering harness. Once you have put on your harness, check the following points:
- It should fit perfectly on your waist, and the gear loops should be symmetrically distributed. If not, you should consider a smaller or larger harness size depending on the situation. You can also try a harness with 2 adjustment buckles to adjust it and obtain the optimal tightening.
- Then try your harness in suspension. The waist belt will inevitably go up, but it must not go up to the rib cage, otherwise you will not be able to climb comfortably. Likewise, your legs will necessarily be compressed by the support loops and if this can bother you, it should never be painful.
GOOD TO KNOW: MAN OR WOMAN, TO EACH THEIR OWN
It will not have escaped your notice that there are certain anatomical differences between males and females, this is why climbing harnesses have specific designs for each of the two sexes, which can provide a real improvement in "sitting" position.
What certification for a harness?
Like all sports equipment, the harness must meet the strict specifications of a certification, in this case the CE EN 12277 standard. It requires that Type A and C harnesses can withstand a load of 1,500 kilos for several minutes and those of Type B (for children), 1000 kilos. D-type harnesses must also withstand an overturned load of 1000 kilograms. For outdoor sports activities type B and C harnesses are used.
Before climbing, always check the state of your climbing harness. So take the time to sift through each strategic point. The belay loop and the straps surrounding it must not show any signs of wear, the adjustment loops and straps must not have any blocking points and the seams must in no case be unstitched. Also watch for signs of cuts on all fabric parts and cracks on metal or plastic parts. If in doubt, it is imperative to change your climbing harness.
Different adjustment systems, types of straps and number of equipment carry loops: you are now expert in harnesses and ready to find the climbing harness that will offer you the right compromise between lightness and comfort with, always, optimal safety.
THE THREE KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN CHOOSING YOUR CLIMBING OR MOUNTAINEERING HARNESS:
- The climbing harness is above all there to ensure your safety, but, if you are used to climbing for long hours, do not neglect the comfort and the lightness of your equipment
- Depending on your practice, it is necessary to adapt the type of harness
- To choose the size of your harness, try it on with your climbing clothes and whilst hanging.