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musicman1586
Nov 6, 2005, 8:02 AM
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So I have a question seeking people's opinions. I'm in the market for my first harness, as I've been borrowing others thus far, and I've been reading alot of reviews and I was looking at the Black Diamond Bod. However just last week I got a late birthday check from the relatives, and I'm wondering if it's worth it to put the extra money in to get a more expensive harness, like say a Petzl Calidris. I've talked to a number of people who own the Calidris and the general opinion is that they've found that it's more comfortable then their other harnesses. So should a newbie stick to the "lower" end stuff and appreciate the finer things once I get to it, or does it really matter for a harness? Thanks for any and all opinions.
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hosh
Nov 6, 2005, 8:13 AM
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oh, and people are going to whine about "DO A SEARCH, PFFFFT!!! STUPID n00b!!!!!"
what ever.
just get a safetech. super nice harness, really comfortable and has nice features. oh, and it's a pretty safe harness.
hosh.
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musicman1586
Nov 6, 2005, 8:25 AM
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Hm...yeah, I did forget to search first for other harness questions, but oh well, if someone is going to be that critical to take the time to flame me for such a thing, well I'll let 'em do so, but in my opinion I'd rather find a more useful way to spend my time then putting down others.
Yeah, I've also looked at the Safetech, I just mentioned the Calidris because I actually know people who own it. Thanks for the advice though.
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pindrvr75
Nov 6, 2005, 8:37 AM
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I'd be more concerned about fit rather than brand. The waist had better fit over the hipbones or you'll fall out.
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musicman1586
Nov 7, 2005, 4:11 AM
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Yeah, I'm not too concerned with brands, I just put those specific harnesses before because I've seen them around alot, my main question is just if it's worth it to shell out a lil more money for a supposidely more comfortable harness.
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hortisb
Nov 7, 2005, 4:41 AM
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I say yes, a higher end harness is worth it. I've climbed for years with a cheap harness and just recently purchased a nice one. There's a huge difference and was worth the money.
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squierbypetzl
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Nov 7, 2005, 4:49 AM
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IMO.
Calidris is a super top-end class of harness, creme de la climbing creme as it were.
If asked, Iīd tell a newcomer to look into other, cheaper models, like the Corax or Corvus, or even look into another brand altogether (Metolius or Salewa for example). The $ difference between the Calidris and another great harness could buy a belay device and some quikdraws at least, or maybe a good book like Mountaineering:FOTH or How to Rock Climb.
Newcomers to any activity tend to prefer the more advanced gear to the basic, generic stuff that will serve them just as well. What this means is that, though it may be tempting to go with "Tarzan the Apemanīs Harness", a basic model will do just as well for half the price...
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omegaprime
Nov 7, 2005, 5:44 AM
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I'll second what squierbypetzl had to say. When I started, I didn't go with the latest model. Instead, I got an older model, the Aquila, at a lower price. Got some extra cash to buy some other stuff that I needed. For a beginner, find a balance between comfort and price.
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qtm
Nov 7, 2005, 9:21 AM
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I've had a few "cheaper" harnesses, and still use one regularly.
I pay for it when I'm at a hanging belay. It's not *that* uncomfortable, but there are moments when I swear to myself I'm going to get a Cadillac or Shield as soon as I get down from the rock. But I have yet to buy a comfy harness, I just don't do hanging belays all that much. If I did more big walls I'd definitely get one, but for most of my weekend cragging and gym climbing the cheaper harness works just fine.
Spending an extra $40 on a harness that you'll use every time you climb isn't that much money in the long run.
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deltav
Nov 7, 2005, 1:03 PM
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I find that Misty Mountain makes a good line of comfortable harnesses. I don't like the Petzel because of the parachute buckles. As far as the Bod goes, I do a lot of program climbing and still use one for convenience reasons.
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azrockclimber
Nov 7, 2005, 2:33 PM
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the petzl calidris is awesome. It has been the most comfortable harness I ever owned,.....I bought a sama when my last calidris wore through and it is way less comfortable...
go calidris...totally worth it.
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jaboyd510
Nov 7, 2005, 2:46 PM
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Misty Mountain Sonic...schweet middle of the road harness...handmade in USA. Misty has THE most comfortable harnesses mainly due to the construction and bomber materials. AND, they are nice people to deal with. You can call the factory directly and talk to climbers about the most appropriate harness.
Actually...kinda depends on what kinda climbing yer doing...trad? sport? ice?
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neekwan
Nov 7, 2005, 3:01 PM
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Whatever harness you get, I recomend trying it on and puting your weight on it. Some brands (Singing Rock for one example) do not give acurate measurements. Buy the harness that is most comforatable for YOU! Most climb shops have a rope hanging so you can sit in a harness.
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veganboyjosh
Nov 8, 2005, 3:41 PM
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i've got nothing to add as far as general harness fitting/comfort goes, but i've got no complaints about my wild country harness. not sure which model it is, tho.
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erclimb
Nov 8, 2005, 4:24 PM
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dude, the "best" depends on the climber...go to your gear shop and try on every harness until you find the one that fits the best...NOTE: make sure the store has a rope that will let you hang in the harness because that's the ONLY way to tell if a harness fits...the safetech sounds like a good choice for a beginner, but if it bites your nuts every time you hang in it, you've wasted your money
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veganboyjosh
Nov 8, 2005, 7:47 PM
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In reply to: but if it bites your nuts every time you hang in it, you've wasted your money
i'd say this is true of just about any climbing harness.
but you could prolly find some other kind of harness that was designed for this on the web somewhere...
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bustloose
Nov 8, 2005, 8:35 PM
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and why, exactly, shouldn't new climbers buy comfortable harnesses?? i don't recall the OP saying he was crazy hard up for cash?? everyone who said 'yeah, my first harness was crap, then i finally got a nice one'... ummm, what's the point??
buy the most comfortable harness that you can afford at the time. you don't have to 'earn' your way into a harness. it's not like buying high performance shoes that you won't be able to appreciate till you're climbing better, it's a freaking harness, you hang in it when you fall, buy a nice one.
for reference... the best harness i have ever come across...
http://www.arcteryx.com/product.aspx?prod=1057
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carrotclimber
Nov 8, 2005, 8:50 PM
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I have the Corax... which is a lot like the Calidris. It is a little less costly though... and I have been happy with it (once I got it adjusted right). I have had mine for a year and am not looking to replace it. Some people don't like the gear loops on those two models, but if you are going to be doing mainly TR and sport, there wouldn't be an issue there. I personally like the stiff gear loops for cleaning/seconding, but can't speak to what it is like for leading trad (just know what others have told me). It is a unisex model as well and is easily adjustable and very comfortable with good padding.
I am glad that I spent the money I did on a harness. I understand other peoples remarks about spend less on it, buy more gear.... but a harness is a personal thing and gear is not as much. If you climb with other people, you can get away with using their gear and rope until you know what you want. Shoes and harness are personal and I would invest my money in those things first. That is just my opinon though.
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carrotclimber
Nov 8, 2005, 8:54 PM
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Oh another comment... if you can... go to a place that has a rope hooked to the ceiling that will let you sit in the harness (while hanging) before buying it. A harness that looks good or feels good standing can feel very different when you are hanging in it. Not sure how common a practice this is at gear stores, but the harness I bought (the Corax) was the 5th one I tried on and the only one that passed my hang test.
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blouderk2
Nov 8, 2005, 9:21 PM
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The Petzl Calidris is great. I own one personally and I think its a great free climbing harness. It is also comfortable to hang in because of the extra back support you get. Its worth the dough for sure.
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notch
Nov 8, 2005, 9:52 PM
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When I first started mountain biking, I bought a $300 bike because that was the level I was at. A year later I bought a $1250 bike.
How much money did I "save" by buying the bike that suited me at the time?
Then I bought a road bike for $600. A year later I bought a $2000 bike.
How much money did I "save" that time?
Now, regardless of what my customers are buying, I recommend that they envision where they want to be in the next few years. They typically buy a slightly higher end model, but are happier and spend less money over the course of a few years.
Try as many harnesses as you can, hang in them for sure, then buy the one you like the best.
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musicman1586
Nov 8, 2005, 10:08 PM
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In reply to: and why, exactly, shouldn't new climbers buy comfortable harnesses?? i don't recall the OP saying he was crazy hard up for cash?? everyone who said 'yeah, my first harness was crap, then i finally got a nice one'... ummm, what's the point?? buy the most comfortable harness that you can afford at the time. you don't have to 'earn' your way into a harness. it's not like buying high performance shoes that you won't be able to appreciate till you're climbing better, it's a freaking harness, you hang in it when you fall, buy a nice one. for reference... the best harness i have ever come across... http://www.arcteryx.com/product.aspx?prod=1057
Yeah, about that point, I'm not trying to pull the whole "newbie wants the nicest gear because it'll make him better" deal, like my shoes are beginner shoes, just some 5.10 spires that I got an alright deal on, because in my opinion you gotta get the basic skills down before you get the stuff that enhances those skills. Most people I've met end up owning at least two harnesses though, so I was just wondering if I should maybe just skip that first one. Another question to everyone though: for those of you who own more then one harness, have any of you retired your old one because it was getting too worn (ie not safe)? Or have you just upgraded for comfort?
Also thanks everyone for your opinions.
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bustloose
Nov 9, 2005, 4:25 PM
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a better harness won't make you better, it'll just make you happier you bought a better harness...
i've bought the vapour every time i needed a new harness, and only ever needed to own one at a time. but then again, i don't climb big walls or ice...
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