What's the deal with Wild Country Harnesses?

I currently climb with a Wild Country Vision harness but its getting to be about time for a replacement. I like the wild country brand and was psyched to try the updated Syncro.

Right after the new harnesses came out Wild Country announced a recall - now the new Syncro seems to be totally off the market without any news on when/if it may show up again.

Anybody know anything about when/if/where they might show up again?

I spoke with WC on this - they recalled the Syncro for 2016, said it was a buckle slipping issue I think. The next version should be out in spring 2017.

I have previous version of this harness (green). I really dislike it. the buckles are horrible. I have 3 of the four taped and they still slip! I have to constantly tighten it, especially when I double rack up. It constantly feels like my pants did in middle school :)

In addition, I snapped 3 different gear loops (trad gear in chimney) and sent it in for warranty replacement. I was hoping the replacement would have better buckles... nope. just as bad.

The recall does not cover my version of the harness, even though the buckles and webbing are the same. The previous version to mine has no issues (according to friends that love them).

I will not be buying a harness from wild country from quite some time. Its gonna be the BD Big Gun or MM Cadillac once i get enough cash to justify a big harness purchase again..... :(

Has anyone had any more recent experience with the Syncro harnesses? Ordered it without looking into it very much and a bit concerned after reading some of these comments.

It looks like Wild Country no longer makes the harness, the one I ordered is orange and black.

https://www.backcountry.com/wild-country-syncro-harness

Bump

Ross,

I have climbed in the Syncro quite a bit but I don’t Use it very much anymore if that tells you anything....

It’s not a bad harness. Light weight, outside fabric is fairly durable, and it has plenty of gear loops as well. I still imagine myself using it from time to time. I especially if I have to squeeze up something where the harness profile could matter. Id also consider bring it out for single pitch stuff, or objectives where weight mattered and I knew I’d be standing on ledges and not solely hanging in the harness.
My main issue with the Syncro was it was ultimately really uncomfortable in hanging belays. The waist belt probably has the least amount of padding than any other harness I have looked at besides maybe something from Arc'teryx. And the waist belt profile is differnt than most other harnesses. Syncro waist belt goes higher on the love handles and is narrowest at your spine. My partner and I kept working a route at the time with an unavoidable hanging belay and sometimes we weren’t timely, so I’d be hanging in my harness for an hour plus maybe longer. No harness is going to feel great at that point, but I’d come back from these belays with bruised love handles and my lower back would be killing me. IMO from those experiences I need a harness waist belt with a higher backing at the spine if I’m going to be hanging. My one other small gripe is the inside fabric of the harness isn’t very durable, so if you do lot of body scumming or off-widths it might not be as durable for you. Im a big time body scummer and I’d take the harness off to find the padding on the inside of my leg loops had holes in it and I just hadn’t seen that on other harnesses.
One day after hanging in that thing for another hour I went directly from the climb and purchased a Misty Cadillac, but I still have my Syncro and will use it from time to time.

So by far not the worst harness but not the best either. It works great has caught me when I have fallen and definitely has its place and like I said I still plan on using mine in the right situation.

hope that helps!

Best,

R

Thanks R, I think backcountry may allow me to return it unopened so may try that. I was really looking for a comfortable multi pitch harness and as a 250 pound climber sounds like this harness would be rough to hang in. Also with the comments on durablilty and multiple gear loops breaking I don't think the harness will hold up well for me.

Yeah I’m 195 and it would just cut into my back and waist so bad I felt like It could hurt me at some points. My Misty Cadillac is very comfortable and I haven’t had the same feeling while wearing that harness.

The Syncro looks good and I was going to order one from Verti Call as they're on sale for $120 CDN which is like $85 in real money but am reconsidering after R Sather's post.
Anyone have experience with the Waldo from Metolius? I suppose I should be looking at a Cadillac...

Same issues for me with the syncro fwiw. Super uncomfortable in hanging belays and a broken gear loop mid lead.... 

WC makes great cams, nuts, biners etc. so I don't get why they'd release sub-par harnesses.
I bought their Mission for sport cause it was light and only $40 but it's such a ball crusher that I'm afraid to fall in it. Great for the onsight though. Really spurs me on!

Yeah idk I was disappointed, but it’s not like the harness is going to kill you. It still works and excels in some aspects better than others. It’s a decent harness at that price point. Companies like Misty specialize in just making harnesses though and they make damm good ones. Maybe that has something to do with it. Idk. Not much new or prudent info in this comment. More just opinion.
Good luck in your harness search!