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Harness advice 1-Jun-2009 At 6:03:34 PM Paul

Message

On 1/06/2009 torque wrote:
>Hi All,
>
>Just a question on harness types.
>
>A friend of mine has a sit-style harness - without a belay loop. In place
>of the belay loop is a HMS style biner (ie: the biner connects the waist
>band and the leg-loop attachment point). I think this is an "Alpine Style"
>harness, or at least this is what the shop assistant told him when he bought
>it. It was cheaper than the default climbing harnesses (with belay loop,
>padded waist band, etc).
>
>When belaying, the belay device is attached directly to the biner (in
>place of the belay loop). When climbing, the rope is tided through the
>leg loop attachment point and the waist band.
>
>My question is - how appropriate is harness for leading and/or belaying
>a climber on lead. My concerns are around loading on the biner when a lead
>fall is taken (while belaying). The biner seems to be more inclined to
>slip around while he is belaying, the result being that the gate is caught
>around the leg-loop attachment points.
>
>Does anyone have any experience with lead belaying/climbing in these type
>of harnesses?
>
>Thanks in advance...

You are talking about a bod or alpine bod style harness. They are designed that way so you can put them on while wearing skis or crampons, there more intended for glacier travel. I bought a black diamond one a few years ago, the instructions said that it was ok for pretty much everything except lead climbing. Having said that I know a number of people who do use them lead climbing. expect the plastic leg buckles to blow in a big fall.