Petzl Aven Harness size 1 vs 2

[carpet]

hi folks,

Am after getting a Petzl Aven, but I'm struggling a bit on the sizing. My waist fits size 1, but my thighs are more of a size 2. My question therefore is this: is there actually any difference between size 1 and 2 other than the length of tape that you have at your disposal to pull through the buckle? It seems to me from looking at pictures online that I should be able to buy a size 2 and take some length off the waist tape with a hot knife, but is there anything I haven't noticed that would prevent this resulting in a good fit? Ideally I'd go look at a harness in person to find out but I'm not aware of anywhere within easy reach of where I live that stocks them. Thanks in advance for any advice

 

[Steve Clark]

I think it’s fine to do as you suggest. The gear loops are all forward of the waist buckle. Worst case, the two padded sections on the waist would overlap if your waist is really small but you can remove the webbing from the loops and this would work fine.

I wear my size 2 at the absolute maximum waist size(!) with only 8cm of tail on the double backed webbing. It can be adjusted to be about 30cm smaller than this and still work.

 

[carpet]

I think it’s fine to do as you suggest. The gear loops are all forward of the waist buckle. Worst case, the two padded sections on the waist would overlap if your waist is really small but you can remove the webbing from the loops and this would work fine.

I wear my size 2 at the absolute maximum waist size(!) with only 8cm of tail on the double backed webbing. It can be adjusted to be about 30cm smaller than this and still work.

ah thanks - I'm about a 75cm waist so somewhere in the middle of size 1, which by your estimation of 30cm below max size sounds like it should work fine based on Petzl's quoted sizing for a size 2. Thanks a lot!

 

[wellyjen]

hi folks,

Am after getting a Petzl Aven, but I'm struggling a bit on the sizing. My waist fits size 1, but my thighs are more of a size 2. My question therefore is this: is there actually any difference between size 1 and 2 other than the length of tape that you have at your disposal to pull through the buckle? It seems to me from looking at pictures online that I should be able to buy a size 2 and take some length off the waist tape with a hot knife, but is there anything I haven't noticed that would prevent this resulting in a good fit? Ideally I'd go look at a harness in person to find out but I'm not aware of anywhere within easy reach of where I live that stocks them. Thanks in advance for any advice

Not an Aven, but on the Avanti, I'm the same. A size 1 gives a scarily small amount of excess tape out of the buckles on the leg loops, so I wear a size 2 and cut off the excess on the waist loop. Seems to work fine. With the very simple design of the Avanti, aside from waist and leg loop length, the only possible difference there could be between the two sizes is the angle at which the tapes cross where they are stitched. I've no idea if there is one, or not as I haven't directly compared the two. On the Aven, there isn't that hard stitched angle. The only concern I'd have with shortening the waist loop is how that works with the padding on it. That might need some modification, which would invalidate any guarantee.

 

[carpet]

Not an Aven, but on the Avanti, I'm the same. A size 1 gives a scarily small amount of excess tape out of the buckles on the leg loops, so I wear a size 2 and cut off the excess on the waist loop. Seems to work fine. With the very simple design of the Avanti, aside from waist and leg loop length, the only possible difference there could be between the two sizes is the angle at which the tapes cross where they are stitched. I've no idea if there is one, or not as I haven't directly compared the two. On the Aven, there isn't that hard stitched angle. The only concern I'd have with shortening the waist loop is how that works with the padding on it. That might need some modification, which would invalidate any guarantee.

I'm hoping that the padding is the same for the two sizes, as that would make it cheaper to manufacture? Padding aside, I suspect either way that going at any part of the harness with a hot knife would probably invalidate a guarantee, even if it is just a bit of spare webbing trailing from the buckle achieving nothing...

 

[topcat]

I take it you are aware that the new Petzl harness self destruct mid pitch? Ok, slight exaggeration, but the leg loop definately come (very) loose. I've had to sew mine down.
Point being I wouldn't worry about any 'guarantee ' from a company who makes harnesses not fit for purpose and doesn't recall them.

But they are a nice colour! And do work if you do a sewing job on them......

 

[JoshW]

How come you’re set on an Aven, spend some time with starless river or in inglesport and find a harness that works for you with the adjustability that works for you 🤷🏼‍♀️

 

[Edwardov]

I take it you are aware that the new Petzl harness self destruct mid pitch? Ok, slight exaggeration, but the leg loop definately come (very) loose. I've had to sew mine down.
Point being I wouldn't worry about any 'guarantee ' from a company who makes harnesses not fit for purpose and doesn't recall them.

But they are a nice colour! And do work if you do a sewing job on them......

Yeah I have seen a leg loop pull through first hand and it is terrifying. Only a matter of time until someone gets seriously injured or even killed in the wrong circumstances.

 

[pwhole]

I use the MTDE Club for fast lightweight trips, which is as 'basic' as the Avanti/Aven, very well-made and strong, and only half the price of the Aven. The leg straps are long, and also don't come undone.

https://starlessriver.com/shop/mtde-club/

I use the MTDE Picos if I'm bolting or otherwise hanging around for a while, as it's vastly more comfortable, if heavier. And even with a bum strap, it's still £20 cheaper than the Aven. I don't understand why the Aven is so expensive, especially if the leg loops come undone in use.

 

[Steve Clark]

As above, get the Picos if it fits. I tried one and it was far more comfortable to hang in and seems to help keep your body vertical. Waist was too small for me, with only a tiny amount of spare webbing so I ended up with the Aven, which is ok but the leg loops dig in more after hanging around for a while.

 

[carpet]

I use the MTDE Club for fast lightweight trips, which is as 'basic' as the Avanti/Aven, very well-made and strong, and only half the price of the Aven. The leg straps are long, and also don't come undone.

https://starlessriver.com/shop/mtde-club/

I use the MTDE Picos if I'm bolting or otherwise hanging around for a while, as it's vastly more comfortable, if heavier. And even with a bum strap, it's still £20 cheaper than the Aven. I don't understand why the Aven is so expensive, especially if the leg loops come undone in use.

for me, the main advantage of the Aven over these is the fact that on fairly casual mine trips without much flat out crawling or squeezing (mostly what I do) I tend to wear a pair of AV Fornocal trousers and often just a tshirt on the top half as I tend to run very hot. Caving harnesses, as we all know, have a remarkable ability to find the gaps in clothing and once webbing is in contact with skin, rubbing begins and all semblance of comfort is lost. I am hoping that the added padding on an Aven will reduce this issue in a way that I don't believe MTDE's offerings will. I don't really need any additional comfort in the legs/bum and I figure that an additional strap across the back will probably be annoying on long walks and scrambles between pitches. As mentioned above, it is possible to sew the leg loops so I'm not too bothered by that, and there are also a few places online where it is apparently possible to get an Aven for the same price as a Picos

 

[cavemanmike]

I’m not sure you can still get hold of them but singing rock digger harness were really good and adjustable

 

[Babyhagrid]

I’m not sure you can still get hold of them but singing rock digger harness were really good and adjustable

Singing Rock Digger Light Caving Harness

Singing Rock Digger Light is a lightweight caving harness designed for a wide range of users. It is entirely adjustable, thanks to its buckles.

www.abaris.co.uk

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Singing-Rock-SingingRock-Strap-Digger/dp/B00WL663MA&ved=2ahUKEwibytnEw9KCAxXC1QIHHXaNAtgQFnoECC0QAQ&usg=AOvVaw02UD0Kscd4c00CMc7AJhf-

 

[paul]

I’m not sure you can still get hold of them but singing rock digger harness were really good and adjustable

I used to find the Singing Rock Digger only adjustable when fairly new, but after a relatively short time the webbing got very stiff and made adjusting them very difficult. I reverted back to Petzl harnesses after a couple of Diggers, which remain flexible and easy to adjust.

 

[Fulk]

I had the same problem as Paul.

 

[carpet]

Have visited my local outdoor shop to try on both sizes of harness - if anyone is wondering the same thing in the future, the size 2 aven does in fact have longer padding, but it is possible to overlap padding to get it down to a 30 ish inch waist