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Singing Rock Guru - $40 harness review

Original Post
funkyicemonkey · · Colorado · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 0

I though I would throw up my impressions of this harness after only a few hours of climbing as its currently all over the place on sale for well under $50. Many apologies for the spelling - Im at work and there is no spell check.

Harness photos and info can be found here:
singingrock.com/GoodsDetail…

I picked this harness up from the post office yesterday and have only a few hours of ice with it on.

Build:
My first impressions are very favorable, the stitching is even and has no loose threads or uneven sections. The bar tacking is firm and tight. The eleastic stap retainers are firm and feel very good quality. The materials are all good quality, the gear loups dont snag biners and the fabrics all have a soft feel. The lining has a honeycombe coarse texture that may be rough against your skin - but if you are easily irritated by something like that you should take up chess.

Design:
The waist band is a made from a wide foam, reinforced with a sturdy nylonish form. Between the foam and this nylon form runs a continuous belt of webbing and here is where I may see a problem, as this piece takes your weight it would squeeze through the foam and create a narrow line of contact. I could not really tell as I was bundled up in many layers and it may not be a serious issue, but it seems a bit odd to stiffen the harness behind the structure.

The gear 4 loups are placed further back then I like, making you reach mid hip or back for runners instead of in front of your waist/side - this is a personal thing.

It has two excellent holders for 'biners to sit that allow you to rack ice screws cleanly.

Now for my one serious critisism. The buckles. They have a very scary quick release design, the front of the buckle has a gap that allows you to remove the webbing. Why? Why would you need this? Someone please tell me. Look at the pictures from there website and explain it to me. No matter how much I felt that it passed all the tests, no matter how confident I felt in everything else about this harness, in the back of my mind I kept thinking - what happens if the webbing lifts out of the buckle. Its a one in a zillion chance, but it could happen, maybe.

Fit:
Superb, but these are Euro sizes and I jumped from Medium to Large (33 inch waist).

Weight:
Claimed weight 395g plus/minus 15g. On the shop scale 403g.

Overall:
Really great harness, built in a country that pays fair wages and has excellent european standards of worker safety. Feels great while climbing, forgot I was wearing it at times and then I remembered the buckles and would tighten the harness. I am absolutely positive its not a safety issue outside of my mind. This is my first new harness in 8 years and possibly all harnesses are built this way now, but I prefer a solid buckle.
For the price it is really a fantasic piece of kit: build, material, weight and design are top drawer. I will be keeping it and see if my mind will get over the buckles.

Hmann2 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 30

Have they fixed the problems with these? I remember they were being recalled for awhile.

Alex Whitman · · Chattanooga · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 440

Why isn't there spell check at work? Wouldn't an employer want outgoing documents spelled correctly?

funkyicemonkey · · Colorado · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 0

recall? what recall?

nope, its a shop so no spell check.

DBarton · · CENTENNIAL, CO · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 105

So... Do I owe you $40 or what?

funkyicemonkey · · Colorado · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 0

If you want to give me $40, I will take it.

Linnaeus · · ID · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 0

I also have this harness, got it at REI for $45. It's reasonably comfy, very lightweight, has good gear loops, and I like the dedicated spots for ice screw holders (or just an old hotwire biner, like I've been using). I've used it indoors and outside on ice. It's not super super cushy for hanging around or a bunch of falls, but this is my do-everything trad/ice/gym harness, so I wanted something lightweight for my favorite type of climbing which is trad. It is impressively lightweight for such a full featured harness. The gear loops sit flush when wearing a backpack and don't annoy me.

Personally, I like the quick release buckles. I can put the harness on much easier with my ski boots or ice boots on, because I can (and do) completely open the leg loops.

funkyicemonkey · · Colorado · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 0

I assume that they have not quick released on you unexpectedly? still scary to me.

Richard E. Vaughan · · Fort Lauderdale, FL · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 5

I think what Hmann2 is referring to is the recall of CRUX, NARA and NEMO: singingrock.cz/article.asp?…

GURU is a not included in the recall maybe it's an enhanced version of the three... something like that...

Linnaeus · · ID · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 0

FunkyIceMonkey - nope, no releases on me. I definitely was a bit scared of them when I was about to take my first lead fall at the gym with this harness, but it was super solid. In actuality, I set the buckles and they don't even move, never mind loosen, when I'm climbing.

Like I said above, I really like the harness and plan to climb on it exclusively for the next several years.

funkyicemonkey · · Colorado · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 0

After a good month on the Ice in this harness I felt I needed to update the review.

The harness is doing great, Its softening up and still cozy.
However:
The gear loops sit too far back for my liking, its as if they took the padding from a smaller size and used a larger length of webbing. To be fair its a small complaint and only really obvious when bundled up in lots of clothing. Never the less I prefer my gear closer to my front. It was a mail order purchase and I didnt try it on before buying - so my fault. It may fit you better.

Now the biggie... Those buckles. I use them a lot as quick release. On the leg loups they are great, on the waist its still scary, buy Im getting used to it. Unlike Linnaeus I do have to tighten mine up regularly and I simply dont like this buckle on the waist band. I honestly do not see the point in putting a QR at the most critical place on a harness. Leg loups, Yes. Lifeline, NO. It is purely psycological I know and I have fallen in this harness a few times and I have no reason for my fears - but fears are fears and they effect my climbing.

So in summary - Terrific price, well made, cozy harness, great innovative buckle for the leg loups but I want a non QR buckle for my waist.

roy buan · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 5

Hi. I tried searching for reviews for this harness but very little show up and this thread is the most extensive I've seen.

Just wondering if you guys can update me on how the harness is holding up, specifically comfort (leg loops) and the rock & lock buckle.

I really think the SR Guru has a lot to offer. Just a bit doubtful on the buckles.

Matt Roberts · · Columbus, OH · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 85

I don't have the guru, but I've had a SR Attack for 3 years, and I'm very happy with it.

As far as the QR buckles, look at the picture of the guru here:
Guru
If you look at the strap coming out of the buckle, you will notice that there is an elastic strap about 3" from the buckle to tuck the tail in. With the tail tucked like that, they are very secure.

roy buan · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 5

thank you Matt, that is assuring. On falls or long hangs, does the webbing inside the waist of the Attack have a tendency to squeeze beyond the comfort of the padding?

Just a scenario here from a noob. Do correct me if this is even possible:
> in a lead climb setting draws, for example my position on the wall/rock is that I'm held by my right hand above, torso slightly twisted to left, left leg on a foothold aligned with my right hand, and my right leg flagged to the right.
> Now my left hand reaches back for a draw on my gear loop. As I take that draw up for clipping on a bolt, say by some small chance it or the dogbone snags the waist buckle outward thus releasing it (as it is designed to do) and loosening the waist belt. With enough force, the elastic strap that tucks the tail end in won't be able to stop this. Ok, this is ALSO the expected behavior with speed-adjust buckles from other brands.
> But the difference now is that a loose waist webbing on the SR rock & lock may slip out of the opening as compared to other brands' speed-adjust buckle where the only effect is the loosening of the waist belt.

Yes either rock-&-lock or speed-adjust (other brands) will re-lock once loaded even if waist has been accidentally loosened. But the opening in the rock & lock just increases this scenario's ending in something tragic.

I apologize if my imagination has run wild. I may be overthinking this. Your inputs will continue to give me some peace of mind.

thanks.

roy buan · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 5

^bump

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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