San Gabriel Mountains Discussion Forum

Tim · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:13 pm Post subject: Mountaineering Harness

What are you guys using or recommend for a mountaineering harness? It seems like the only option is the BD Alpine Bod? The guy from the Traditional Mountaineering site seems to like it because it's light and packs small. It doesn't have a belay loop but then I guess this allows you to put it on without having to step through it?

Or do you guys just use a Trad harness? I don't know too much about this stuff.

TacoDelRio · Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:30 pm Post subject:

I like the Alpine Bod, as it's super simple, light, packs down small, and doesn't have stuff you don't need. Plus, $40! I use it for all climbing. Works great for alpine, as you're not hanging much, and you only need it for certain pitches for the most part here in the SG's. Not so hot in Sport, as it hurts to fall on, and you can smash your nuts in any fall with this harness, if you're "not careful".

Anywho...

DMM Couloir, BD Blizzard, and the Mammut Alpine Light are out there. All are more expensive.

*DMM COULOIR: http://www.dmmclimbing.com/productsDetails.asp?pid=7&pid2=69
5 loops, lotsa gear. No personal experience. Judging by the DMM gear I've used, it should kick immense ass.

*BD Blizzard: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoo...nd-Blizzard-Harness/BLD0739M.html
More padding. This is a sort of mixed/ice rig, more aimed at sport than mountaineering, not that it can't do that just fine.

*Mammut Alpine Light: http://www.mammut.ch/en/productOv...r_klettergurte_usa/Harnesses.html
Only has two gear loops, which isn't good if you want one harness to do several things. However, it rather helps you get into going light, and carrying less pro and other stuff. That said, 4 loops = superior IMHO, as I can balance my gear, and not have stuff hit my ass while walking on a long traverse, or smack me in the nuts while climbing, etc. No personal experience, though I'd love to try it.

Now, for my BD Alpine Bod, I have a small 6 inch or so (12" sewn) runner that I loop through the crotch belay loop and the swami/belt to use as a normal belay loop. Works fine for me. I'm sure most folks feel more comfortable catching a fall w/o that runner, so a large pear locking biner in normal fashion would do the trick.

*MODS:
-Tape your butt-to-leg adjustment straps once you're adjusted, in any way that makes it impossible for the thin webbing to feed back through the sliders mounted below the belt. If they slide out, you rather humorously hang with one leg up high, or both.
-Fold over and tape the 3/4 inch webbing that leads to the front fastex/side release buckles on the leg loops. I lost a male end of the fastex buckles once, forcing me to knot the webbing in lieu of a buckle.

Oh yeah, one harness I want bigtime is this: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoo...-USA-XLH-95-Climbing-Harness.html
This would be good for folks willing to think out-of-the-comfort-box that so many people reside in. Super light, super simple, convenient and IMHO better than a Swiss Seat, especially for those of us with stuff dangling down there. Laughing

Zach · Joined: 04 Jan 2009 Posts: 237 Location: Ridgecicle

I guess it all comes down to what you're going to be doing. The BD Alpine Bod harness is an excellent harness for roped travel and activities that require less technical climbing. The bod is pretty uncomfortable when it comes to taking a fall or even hanging at a belay. If you're looking to get into some 5th class or ice climbing I'd go with a more traditional harness. Something that will fit over your outerwear and still offer plenty of comfort is better suited. I also found that the bod harness doesn't feel as comfortable when fully loaded with extended draws, cams and carabiners... the trad harnesses with more padding and rigid support/gear loops works better.
_________________
Zach

mattmaxon · Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 5:17 am Post subject: Re: Mountaineering Harness

EnFuego · Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: Mountaineering Harness

[quote="mattmaxon"]

mattmaxon · Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 1:52 pm Post subject: Re: Mountaineering Harness

Tim · Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 5:26 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the info everyone. I mainly just need it for glacier travel. Not sure if I'll be getting into any alpine Class 5, but I sort of want to do some ice climbing and maybe get into sport climbing. So I think I'll go with a BD Momentum SA and just use that for now. Any opinions on that one? If it annoys me too much, I'll keep it for sport climbing and get the Alpine Bod for mountaineering.

TacoDelRio · Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 7:40 pm Post subject:

Tim · Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:44 pm Post subject:

I ended up getting the Alpine Bod for $30 with a discount at Backcountry. They have a great return policy. The DMM Super Couloir looks real nice but crap it would have cost me 50 bucks just to ship it from the UK! Too bad.

Now it just needs to SNOW!!

TacoDelRio · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:20 pm Post subject:

Wanna go with on some stuff this winter? Show you Snack Shack's steeper brother!