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David K
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Dec 12, 2018
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The Road, Sometimes Chattan…
· Joined Jan 2017
· Points: 424
The time has come: I've lost too much weight and the harness I got when I started trad climbing doesn't fit any more.
My Arceteryx AR 395 has some issues. First, the plastic covers keep coming off the gear loops. Second, it tends to lose its shape in my bag. Third, the price! So I don't think I'm getting another one of these.
However, the reason I got the AR 395 in the first place is that my old gym harness didn't have enough gear loop space for trad climbing. So I want to make sure that whatever I get has a generous amount of gear loop space.
The obvious choice is the Misty Mountain Cadillac, but I don't really like that the loops are stacked on top of each other. I'd rather have them all at the same height.
I've narrowed down my choices to:
The information on how much gear loop space is on each harness is hard to find online. Which of these has a lot of gear loop space? EDIT: I was looking at other brands and might have found something perfect: It looks like it's basically one big gear loop all the way around? Does anyone have any experience with this harness?
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Grandpa Dave
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Dec 12, 2018
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Aug 2016
· Points: 5
David Kerkeslager wrote: The time has come: I've lost too much weight and the harness I got when I started trad climbing doesn't fit any more.
My Arceteryx AR 395 has some issues. First, the plastic covers keep coming off the gear loops. Second, it tends to lose its shape in my bag. Third, the price! So I don't think I'm getting another one of these.
However, the reason I got the AR 395 in the first place is that my old gym harness didn't have enough gear loop space for trad climbing. So I want to make sure that whatever I get has a generous amount of gear loop space.
The obvious choice is the Misty Mountain Cadillac, but I don't really like that the loops are stacked on top of each other. I'd rather have them all at the same height.
I've narrowed down my choices to:
The information on how much gear loop space is on each harness is hard to find online. Which of these has a lot of gear loop space? My favorite so far is the Metolius "Safe Tech". it has 4 gear loops, and a haul loop that's actually substantial enough that I'd use if necessary. I prefer the loop-back waist belt and leg strap over the "tug and pull" types, but that's just my preference. I hear ya on the price of the Arcteryx price, but I've not tried a more comfortable harness, I really like 'em.
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Ben Pellerin
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Dec 12, 2018
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Spaceship Earth
· Joined Mar 2018
· Points: 0
Go to misty mountain site and you can customize a harness. Add extra belay and gear loops and get sweet colors.
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chris b
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Dec 12, 2018
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woodinville, wa
· Joined Sep 2016
· Points: 11
i'm trying to subdue my opinion that the ar395 is the best harness on the market but i just can't. either way, i could never go back to a padded webbing harness.
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Shane Rosanbalm
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Dec 12, 2018
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Chapel Hill, NC
· Joined Feb 2017
· Points: 321
I just got an Adjama after several years with a Momentum. The Adjama has significantly more gear space than the Momentum (no surprise there). The Adjama loops actually slope downhill slightly, which allows for a small overlap in loops, so there's even more gear space than you'd expect. The only negative I can think of thus far is that only the front two gear loops on the Adjama are molded to stick out. The rear three gear loops are all floppy, making it 5% more difficult to add a piece of gear to them (but no more/less difficult to remove a piece of gear).
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Matt Castelli
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Dec 12, 2018
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Denver
· Joined Feb 2017
· Points: 280
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Matt Westlake
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Dec 12, 2018
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Durham, NC
· Joined Jul 2009
· Points: 662
I had that problem with the Arcteryx harness where it's plastic loop covers started coming undone but I was able to fix it by paying more attention to reassembling them the right way.
And I've never owned a harness that didn't get tangled up from time to time. It can help to try loading it into your pack in a different order though - maybe put the harness in so it sits closer to the top rather than getting crushed by trad gear?
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MP
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Dec 12, 2018
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Sep 2013
· Points: 2
David Kerkeslager wrote: My Arceteryx AR 395 has some issues. First, the plastic covers keep coming off the gear loops. easy problem to solve-- I do one wrap of electrical tape at the plastic connector attachment point. Lasts a couple of years.
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Andrew Rice
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Dec 12, 2018
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Los Angeles, CA
· Joined Jan 2016
· Points: 11
Have you considered a BD Big Gun and just remove the two 2nd level gear loops? I have one and find it overly complicated and fussy with 7 gear loops but really like the harness. Removing the two "extra" gear loops would leave it with two huge side loops on each side plus an enormous rear loop, too. I'm thinking about just cutting those extra loops off it.
I have an A-395a and really like it, too. Never had that problem with the plastic covers.
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Larry S
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Dec 12, 2018
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Easton, PA
· Joined May 2010
· Points: 872
Have you considered the BD Technician? I have 2 of the older version (Aspect), and I like it quite a bit. I used to use a BD Big-Gun (Their Wall harness), and I wanted a harness that carried my rack as well, but wasn't so bulky. I love the rear (5th) gear loop on my harnesses, that's where all the belay stuff goes, and why i got the Aspect... device, locker, nut tool, cordolette, gloves, etc all out of the way in the back. I typically carry 13 cams, 2 biners of nuts, a set of tricams, and 12 alpine draws on the harness, and, while it's croweded, i've no issue with it.
That said, that new Adjama you linked to with the 5th loop on the back looks really nice. The DMM looks alright, but I'd have to try those cascading back gear loops before i was sold on it. If I went with the Misty, I'd want them to put a 5th loop across the back for me.
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Marc801 C
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Dec 12, 2018
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Sandy, Utah
· Joined Feb 2014
· Points: 65
David Kerkeslager wrote:However, the reason I got the AR 395 in the first place is that my old gym harness didn't have enough gear loop space for trad climbing. That's why for trad you don't rack on your harness 'cept for draws and maybe a few of the large cams if you're carrying them. Yeah, it's the rage among the newbies, but I could never stand all that weight on the harness nor the inability to swing stuff around in front of me, like being on a Gunks overhang on the right arm and needing the piece that is at the right rear of the harness.
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mcarizona
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Dec 12, 2018
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Flag
· Joined Feb 2007
· Points: 180
mpech wrote: easy problem to solve-- I do one wrap of electrical tape at the plastic connector attachment point. Lasts a couple of years. Yeah, I love paying 160 bucks for a harness that needs to be fixed with tape. Though I was about to loose the whole rack up there on Granite Mt. edit: sorry to be negative, I meant: Adjama!
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MP
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Dec 12, 2018
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Sep 2013
· Points: 2
mcarizona wrote: Yeah, I love paying 160 bucks for a harness that needs to be fixed with tape. Though I was about to loose the whole rack up there on Granite Mt. edit: sorry to be negative, I meant: Adjama!
BS- the plastic is not structural- it wraps over a piece of webbing.
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Larry S
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Dec 12, 2018
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Easton, PA
· Joined May 2010
· Points: 872
Marc801 C wrote: That's why for trad you don't rack on your harness 'cept for draws and maybe a few of the large cams if you're carrying them. Yeah, it's the rage among the newbies, but I could never stand all that weight on the harness nor the inability to swing stuff around in front of me, like being on a Gunks overhang on the right arm and needing the piece that is at the right rear of the harness. I am the exact opposite. I've tried racking on gear slings many times, and every time I've hated it. For me, the gear is always in the way. It's either in the front and I'm fighting it because i can't see my feet... I move it out of the way, make a move, and than it's back in front and I can't see where i need to put my feet again..., or it's in the front getting snagged on things... then it's hanging way off the back where i can't find the gear. Just constantly swinging the thing around. On the harness, i know with a reasonable degree of certainty where every piece on my harness is and the only occasional issue needing gear on the other side, which isn't so bad as you make it out to be. Marc801 C wrote: ....on the right arm and needing the piece that is at the right rear of the harness. I keep all my pro on the front 2 loops, slings/draws on the back, belay kit on the rear. Worst case, you reach across - left arm to right front loop.
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P Degner
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Dec 12, 2018
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anywhere
· Joined Nov 2015
· Points: 242
I have the women's version of the Adjama (Petzl Luna) and let me tell you, the fifth gear loop is next level. You have front two for cams, back two for nuts and draws, and rear for anchor, grigri, everything else. Plus a haul loop. It cannot be beat for carrying gear!
One small drawback is that the way the loops are angled pushes the gear towards the front, which means that sometimes it gets in front of my legs when I'm climbing. I've gotten used to it though.
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LB Edwards
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Dec 12, 2018
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Austin, TX
· Joined Jan 2017
· Points: 216
My vote is the Adjama. Cut up that old Arcteryx harness and make a gear sling for Epi.
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Paul Morrison
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Dec 12, 2018
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Nov 2006
· Points: 55
I know that this is not the information you asked for, but it might help you decide: my last Petzl harness will indeed be my last Petzl harness because the plastic core inside one of the gear loops snapped, so there's nothing left but fabric. Yes, there are several ways I can think of to "repair" it, but none of them would give me any confidence in the remaining loops.
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David Deville
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Dec 12, 2018
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Fayetteville, AR
· Joined Oct 2013
· Points: 90
Have you actually tried out a stacked loop design? I was skeptical at first, but having owned the MM Cadillac I think it's the way to go. The top loops are big and all you need for normal racking. I use the bottom loops for nuts, "what if" pieces if I dont know the gear on the route, and anything extra for multi - belay device, prusik, etc...
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Jeromy Markee
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Dec 12, 2018
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Leavenworth, WA
· Joined Apr 2016
· Points: 606
David Deville wrote: Have you actually tried out a stacked loop design? I was skeptical at first, but having owned the MM Cadillac I think it's the way to go. The top loops are big and all you need for normal racking. I use the bottom loops for nuts, "what if" pieces if I dont know the gear on the route, and anything extra for multi - belay device, prusik, etc... Second this. If carrying lots of gear, Rack cams on the front loops, hand sized cams and slings on lower loops. Everything else on the rear loops Hardly even notice the height change. Mm caddy is very nice
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John Clark
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Dec 12, 2018
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Sierras
· Joined Mar 2016
· Points: 1,398
The 1" webbing swami you'l find has 360 degrees of gear attachment, the most of any harness.
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David K
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Dec 12, 2018
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The Road, Sometimes Chattan…
· Joined Jan 2017
· Points: 424
David Deville wrote: Have you actually tried out a stacked loop design? I was skeptical at first, but having owned the MM Cadillac I think it's the way to go. The top loops are big and all you need for normal racking. I use the bottom loops for nuts, "what if" pieces if I dont know the gear on the route, and anything extra for multi - belay device, prusik, etc... I'll admit I haven't tried this. I only suspect that I won't like it because the gear is on top of the other gear, and I don't want to have to dig through gear to get to gear. I'm not sure, though--maybe I should see if I can rent one to try before I buy.
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