Using a caving harness for climbing or via ferrata

[Mike Hopley]

Did the lanyards rip/slide? (just out of curiosity)

Surprisingly, there appeared to be only a very small amount of rope pulled through (it was one of the older "rope through friction plate" devices). I think it was less than 1 cm movement.

That being said, even a small amount of movement could represent a large amount of shock absorption, due to how the devices are calibrated (sliding too easily would make them ineffective).

Despite that, we replaced the lanyards and the harness out of caution. It was a very heavy fall.

 

[andrewmcleod]

I have suspected (but completely without evidence) that the 'worst' falls are the ones that either just fail to deploy the lanyards, or only just deploy the lanyards, since I figure once sliding/tearing starts it will reduce the impact force. In which case that fall would be almost worst-case. Or I could be completely wrong in my speculation.

In either case it sounds like no fun at all...

What's really scary is the stories about how people used to (and apparently in a few places still do) do via ferrata with just a chest harness and lanyards!

 

[Mike Hopley]

What's really scary is the stories about how people used to (and apparently in a few places still do) do via ferrata with just a chest harness and lanyards!

We saw people doing vertical ferrata with dyneema slings larks-footed to carabiners. Quite often the adults would have proper kit, but the kids had the scary homemade stuff.

We saw a family with a terrified ~12 year old girl climbing Torre Toblino, without any helmets (some loose rock there). The mum from that family unclipped my carabiner when I was trying to pass them, leaving me with no attachments, leaning out on a ledge above a ~50m drop. She thought she was being helpful.

The most dangerous thing in the mountains is other people.

 

[mountainpenguin]

Certainly I might bow to the safety ratings if it's actually clear rather than a bit of hand waving over "what its designed for". Inversion might be more of a risk

Observation 3: the amount of bruising around his waist and thighs was unbelievable. The climbing harness spread the load very effectively. It really hurt, but he had no lasting injuries. I doubt a typical caving harness would have spread the load as effectively.

but I felt safe and was with a group many of using caving harnesses last time I did via ferrata.

Have you ever fallen in a BOD harness ?

 

[Mike Hopley]

Have you ever fallen in a BOD harness ?

I don't know what that is, sorry.

 

[Madness]

A BOD harness is a very basic unpadded mountaineering harness made by Black Diamond. It not really designed for falling in. You wouldn't really use one if you thought that you may have to fall in it or even hang in it. As has been said already, you need to choose the right equipment for a particular task.

 

[droid]

Sounds about as much use as a chocolate teapot then, Madness....

 

[Oceanrower]

It's cheap and sells thousands to climbing centres for to prolong kids.

 

[Madness]

Sounds about as much use as a chocolate teapot then, Madness....

It may just have been designed for those with ample natural padding

 

[mikem]

Designed for alpine mountaineers who wear lots more layers & don't need the padding that might get damp & freeze (but now mostly sold for centre use as they are so adjustable & will never see a fall factor)...

 

[andrewmcleod]

I'm not sure I've ever seen a Bod in a climbing centre as they are a little more complicated than is ideal; tends to be the DMM Centre Alpine or equivalent. Might be more common in older climbing centres.

 

[mikem]

Yeah, I meant alpine harnesses generally, rather than that particular model.