Harness

[ttxela]

Having tried a bit of SRT I'm trying to put together my own kit, I've rejected the idea of buying one of the "all in" kits, mainly because I can't afford it all at once, I've picked up a croll of ebay and got my eye on some other bits and pieces but I'm not sure what harness to get, is there one that most people use?

 

[JB]

Yep. This one:

http://w01-0504.web.dircon.net/acatalog/Main_Menu_Petzl_Super_Avanti_1062.html

...make sure you get the right size. You'll also need some sort of chest strap. I like the Petzl Torse chest strap but that's down to personal preference. Would be worth trying different types before you buy if that's possible. There are loads of threads on here about pros and cons of different types of chest strap.

 

[francis]

Also, many people use the Singing Rock - Digger. I use one, but will be buying a Superavanti next time to save weight.

Francis

 

[Charlie]

The singing rock digger is cheaper, but is really quite a shoddy bit of kit. Singing rock use the buckles from their climbing harnesses on caving harnesses made from thicker webbing, the result is a harness that is very difficult to adjust once it has been underground.
I got so pissed off with my singing rock harness that i replaced it with a petzl superavanti, its miles better.

Also IIRC think caving supplies have the superavanti on special offer at the moment.

Charlie

 

[pisshead]

However, once adjusted to the correct size, the digger is (in my opinion) far more comfortable...but you really can't adjust them.

 

[Duncan]

Singing rock use the buckles from their climbing harnesses on caving harnesses made from thicker webbing, the result is a harness that is very difficult to adjust once it has been underground.

The old style of Petzl Fractio, of which Singing Rock Digger is a pretty faithful copy, was also a swine to adjust once the webbing had absorbed a bit of mud.  They both tend to wear out in the same place (near the D-rings) as well.

On the other hand, the Singing Rock harness is pretty unbeatable in terms of value for money, and is very comfortable.

Duncan

 

[ttxela]

I think I'll probably go for the Petzl one, that is after I've paid to drag the car through it's MOT 

 

[paul]

FWIW, I use a Singing Rock Digger. And I agree with the others as well: comfortable, cheap and not easy to adjust once worn underground a few times.

 

[mak]

I owned a singing rock - got fed up with the lack of easy adjustment - oh and the gear loops were too far round the front - bashed me'self in the nuts a few times hanging my descender off them.

Now gone back to the petzl fractio (http://w01-0504.web.dircon.net/acatalog/Main_Menu_Petzl_Fractio_1064.html)

I prefer the metal rings as it makes it easier to get your D-ring on/off.

 

[ditzy 24//7]

I used to have a old aventi but i found it very akword and uncomfertable i know have a fractio which is much better. The metal rings to clip the d into are better than the fabric loops!

 

[francis]

The metal rings to clip the d into are better than the fabric loops!

Better to clip into, yes. But the whole construction weighs more.

Francis

 

[MSD]

I recently retired a Petzl Super Avanti becausethe webbing had worn out just aove the leg loop adjustment buckles (where two strands of webbing croass each other). The webbing saws against itself slightly here and eventually it wears out. The harness in question was a bit over two years old.

I've bought another Super Avanti because I like the light weight and the comfort is good. I wasn't particularly impressed with its longevity though. I can afford to buy a new harness every couple of years, but if you are not well-off (or a cheapskate) I don't think this harness is your best bet.

Mark

 

[ttxela]

er.... maybe I'll go for the digger then, it is cheaper. Weight isn't really an issue for me, I'm already lugging round my Oldham and my stomach and I'm not really intending doing anything spectacular at this stage.

 

[SamT]

My 2p's worth.

Ive had 2 petzl super avantis in my time and never had any bother with them. first one didnt really wear out, I just needed a spare for dragging the odd newbie out.

the metal clips of the fractio do seem quite nice - however its down sides are its cost, the fact that the mallion sits higher - therefore less efficient prussiking and I know people have said that the extra yellow belt bit is just a pain in the arse and makes for even more untangling when fetching the harness out of the tacklebag (to the extent that they cut it off).

Singing rock digger seems like  a compromise all round. Do you really need to adjust it once its set (i.e. still brand new). I have never once adjusted my harness buckles since I first set them. Seems to suffer the same high D position.

Bar the cost - I cant see much to choose between the two. some say the digger is a bit comfier when on rope. If you doing a lot of SRT in the dales - this may be a factor. In derbyshire - the low profile/snag free/packs up small super avanti is a more popular choise as your always taking the damn things on and off - or crawling with them.

more discussion here...

http://ukcaving.com/board/index.php/topic,4392.0.html

 

[anfieldman]

I have a Petzl Super Avanti but my other half went for the Singing Rock Digger. I love mine but hate hers and for the same reason as everyone else. Bloody hard to adjust.

 

[SamT]

When do you ever adjust a harness though, apart from when you first get it.  :-\

(some people have mentioned undoing all the buckles for cleaning/drying purposes which is a bit beyond the call of duty IMHO). Cue stream of posts about wear and tear and cleaning kit properly which I'll ignore.

 

[MatthiasM]

Price is one question... BUT if you plan later to do SRT in deep shafts (alpine caving) or even rigging, consider a harnes in which you can hang painless even if you don't move, but work anything or just wait. Means, go to or order from a shop where you can try some different harnesses, hanging around for as long as you want. I had an early Petzl superavanti but felt that uncomfortable in alpine caves that I tried some other harnesses and purchased Picos from MTDE (a spanish manufacturer).

 

[paulf]

When do you ever adjust a harness though, apart from when you first get it.  Undecided

Whenever I swap from Wetsuit SRT to Furry Oversuit SRT lot more room in a Wetsuit 
Cheers Paul

 

[Charlie]

maybe i am just a freak  :alien: but i found the superavanti a lot more comfortable than the digger.

With the superavanti having the leg loops tight pulls the back band so it sits snugly around the pelvis, but the crossed belts on the digger mean that the higher of the two always dug into the soft tissue just above the pelvis no matter how i adjusted it.

anyway, try them both on and see what you think.

Charlie

 

[MatthiasM]

Let me add: Try all you can get! If I had spent just 50 Deutsche Mark more when I purchased my first backpack for mountaineering (OK, I was a poor student), I had had 10 years earlier a really comfortable one. Means 5 Deutsche Mark per year saved - for what? OK, I don't know how long your harness would last. I know some hard cavers who really need a new harness every year, because their old one is absolutely worn after one caving season.