A climber needs to consult with an expert when choosing and fitting harnesses for rock climbing. Different harnesses have different uses and features. Learn how to use a harness for rock climbing in this climbing video.
Use a harness
Go with a trusted partner
Adjust the harness accordingly
Josh is an avid climber that resides off the coast in central California. He has managed for a mountaineering sports company for several years and loves the sport.
JOSH HARING: Hi, I am Josh and today I am going to talk to you about harnesses. Harnesses are important. They are like an extension of your body. They go around your body. It is the way that you attach yourself to the rope. When choosing harness, it is important to visit your local specialty retailer. They will ask you a series of questions and help you decide which harness is right for you. Different types of harnesses have different features. Harnesses are used in different types of climbing, so it is important to know which harness you need. There are harnesses for sport climbing, harnesses for what we call big wall climbing and sometimes there are even full body harnesses. We are going to focus today on harnesses for rock climbing. Different features on a harness would be leg loops, the adjustable-rise of the harness, gear loops and your belay loop. Harnesses are extremely safe, but they are only as safe as you make them. Like everything else in climbing, it is important to have a buddy who can properly check your harness. Right now I am going to put this harness on. I will show you a few things that you want to make sure to do every time you put a harness on. The leg loops are the easy part. Some harnesses have adjustable leg loops, which make it easy to slide over different sizes and shapes of legs. When tightening the harness around the waist, it is going to fall just above the iliac crest. When securing the waistband, it is important that you always double back the waistband. It is important in choosing the right size harness so you have at least four inches when you do double back of extra tail. When adjusting the leg loops, you just want to get them tight enough to where they feel secure. They do not need to cut off circulation. These are what is called the adjustable-rise. These ensure that the leg loops do not drift too far down or up the leg. They should be perfectly balanced. Now, clip in. Other standard features in a harness besides the belay loop maybe an anchor loop in the back and then gear loops. Now, these gear loops are really effective for clipping gear. You want to make sure however that you do clip gear to where you can easily remove it off of these loops and easily clip it on the rock. Most harnesses will have anywhere from four to six gear loops. However, these are not weight-bearing, so be careful with the harness. If you can lie back comfortably in the harness without falling backwards or forward, it is probably the harness for you.
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