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Topic Date User

Are leg loops rated full strength? 21-Apr-2009 At 10:37:51 PM Paul

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On 21/04/2009 Marssan wrote:
>The recent discussion re: abseiling with a backup autoblock/prussic attached
>to a leg
>loop (on the accidents forum) reminded me of a comment my instructor made
>during a
>self rescue course I did a while ago.
>
>As he observed me negotiate a knot on abseil he said I shouldn't have
>my prussic
>attached to a leg loop because they aren't full strength like the waist
>belt.
>
>I have owned many harnesses and taken many falls on all of them and have
>never seen
>any evidence of the leg loops deteriorating or failing. My own experience
>is clearly not
>level 1a evidence but it makes me wonder:
>
>Has anyone ever blown a leg loop?
>What parts of the harness are full strength? Anyone know?
>
>

It would depend on the harness and what standard(s) that they are designed / tested against.
The webbing on the leg loops of some of my harnesses are narrower than the webbing on the waist (half the width on one harness). This might possibly mean that it is half the strength?
The leg loops buckles on most bod style harnesses are not rated. Although they are not primarily load bearing.

But think about it, how much force could you put on the brake end of the rope during an abseil? How much force does your hand apply when abseiling? It isn't that much, even if there is a major shockloading some how most of the force would be held in the abseiling device, like belaying a lead fall.