Whether you're a beginner or a skilled climber you will need a good harness. It can make climbing much safer and more comfortable. However, finding the ideal type for your skill level can be a daunting task with so many options available. The following guidelines will walk you through a step-by-step buying process based on which type of climbing you intend to do most often.
Types
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Gone are the days when mountaineers simply tied the rope around their waist. Stay safe to the top and shop for a quality and reliable rock-climbing harness Canada-wide. "What type of climbing am I going to use it for?" is the most critical question to ask yourself before purchasing a harness. While all types of climbing necessitate the use of a harness, some climbing harnesses are better suited to certain styles and, in some cases, are created expressly for that style. On the other hand, some harnesses are designed to be adaptable to all sorts of climbing. Identifying your preferred climbing styles will allow you to quickly filter down the options.
Gym and Sport Climbing
The primary consideration for a sport, gym, or top-roping harness is comfort when hanging and belaying. Sport climbing allows athletes to perform challenging acrobatic movements, therefore falling and hanging are part of the activity. So, hanging comfort is the most significant parameter for these harnesses, while belaying comfort and mobility are also important factors. Sport climbers only need a handful of quickdraws, with less than 20 carabineers hooked to the harness at any given time, hence features such as gear loop size are less relevant.
Traditional Climbing
The most important factor to consider when picking a harness for "trad" and multi-pitch climbing is the size and ergonomics of the gear loops. Unlike sport climbing, trad and multi-pitch climbing frequently necessitates clipping 30-40 carabineers - attached to cams, nuts, slings, and anchor materials - to the harness to meet the demands of longer routes. Hanging comfort, belaying comfort, and mobility are all crucial variables to consider, but many sport or gym climbing harnesses simply do not have enough gear loops to accommodate all of the equipment you'll need to carry while trad or multi-pitch climbing.
Ice and Alpine Climbing
A climbing harness for ice and alpine climbing demands the most consideration and specialisation. In addition to being lightweight, these harnesses must-have gear loops large enough to hold equipment for extended trad multi-pitch climbs. If ice climbing is an option, harnesses must be outfitted with ice screw clipper slots.
Adjustability is another key issue for alpine and ice climbing harnesses, as the cold weather requires extra clothes. Hanging comfort, standing comfort, and mobility are all crucial variables to consider, yet performance in these areas is sometimes sacrificed to reduce weight.
Mountaineering and Big Wall Climbing
Weight, packability, and mobility are the most crucial factors to consider when on the hunt for a mountaineering or technical skiing harness. When compared to alpine climbing routes, gear loops can be kept to a minimum. Hanging comfort and adjustability features are sometimes compromised for weight reduction.
Most climbers will be most satisfied if they get a specialised "big wall" harness. These harnesses are typically ultra-padded with huge waist belts and leg loops, as the amount of time spent hanging in the harness might be measured in days. Make sure you pick one that isn't too loose to begin with because, by the time you reach the top of the wall, you will undoubtedly have lost a few pounds.
Safety Ratings
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When looking for the best rock-climbing harness Canada-wide, check its safety ratings. Look for the CE or UIAA logos on harness tags or packaging. As long as it is safety-rated and you use it appropriately, it is robust enough to withstand the pressures applied to it. Every harness has three critical pieces that exceed safety standards: the waist buckle, the belay loop, and the tie-in points on the waist and leg loops. Waist buckles must be doubled back and have a webbing tail that is at least three inches long.
The only attachment points on a climbing harness that are evaluated for strength are the belay loop and hard tie-in. This implies you must tie in or belay using the two tie-in points or the belay loop. Any other element of a harness is not strength-rated and is not intended to be tied to.
Features
Harnesses typically include basic features such as two leg loops, a waist belt with auto-locking buckles, a belay loop that connects the leg loops to the waist belt, and gear loops along the sides of the waist belt for clipping in gear.
There are several extra features usually found on harnesses, and the varying combinations of these elements tend to indicate what a harness is most suited for. These include adjustable buckles on the leg loops, the number and size of gear loops, and ice clipper slots for attaching ice clippers to hold ice screws or tools.
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