Ultralight Harness Shootout - Black Diamond Vision, Petzl Sitta, Choucas ?

Edit: After a few responses these are the ones I'm considering:

Lightweight:
Black Diamond Vision (8oz)
Petzl Sitta (9.5oz)
Edelrid Ace (8.5oz)
Black Diamond Couloir (8.5oz)
Mammut Zephir Altitude (7.5oz)

Ultralight:
Choucas Pro (Unreleased, 4.5oz)
Choucas Addax (Unreleased, 4.9oz)
Petzl Altitude (5.6oz)

Super Ultralight (Not seriously looking at these but I thought I'd include it):
Camp Alp Racing (3.2oz)
Choucas Light (3.1oz)

I plan to use this occasionally in a gym but mostly it will stay in my back while doing general glacier and mountaineering.

Anybody compared these harnesses? The Choucas is full dyneema and comes in both a light and regular version (3oz for the light!!). The BD and Petzl both look more comfortable and are still very light at around 8oz.

Any other options I should be considering?

edit: Looks like Choucas is also coming out with "pro" harness soon as well

No experience with the others, but I will say I have been using the Sitta for over a year now, ice climbing, gym climbing, and multipitch rock. It's an EXCELLENT harness.

Leg loops aren't adjustable which is a bit of a pain for ice/glaciers as you can't put it on after your crampons, but it's so light you won't mind wearing it even if you're not using it.

I love packing it down into the little bag it comes with - super great for carrying it around. EASILY fits inside any helmet when it's packed into this bag (and there's usually room for other stuff as well).

I've taken some big whippers in it without any problems at all. Hanging belays are a Bit uncomfortable, but aren't they always??

It's a really nice harness, I can recommend it without qualification.

Petzl Altitude is great! All dynema, packs super small and you can put it on wearing crampons or skis.

It doesn't interfere with a backpack waist belt. Plus, it has elastics in both leg loops to keep long screws from dangling around like a gong show.

They is my main Alpine/glacier/ski harness

Christopher Sinclair wrote: I plan to use this occasionally in the gym but mostly it will stay in my back while doing general glacier and mountaineering.

Anybody compared these harnesses? The Chaucas is full dyneema and comes in both a light and regular version (3oz for the light!!). The BD and Petzl both look more comfortable and are still very light at around 8oz.

Any other options I should be considering?

edit: Looks like Choucas is also coming out with "pro" harness soon as well

i have the mega-light choucas harness. It is great for general glacier and mountaineering use. It is half the size of my fist when balled up.  I wouldn't use it in the gym. It is not really comparable to the petzl or bd harness, as it is way lighter/less bulky and designed with much different usage in mind. 

mpech wrote:

i have the mega-light choucas harness. It is great for general glacier and mountaineering use. It is half the size of my fist when balled up.  I wouldn't use it in the gym. It is not really comparable to the petzl or bd harness, as it is way lighter/less bulky and designed with much different usage in mind. 

Checkout the video of their new Pro and Adax harnesses !

I have no experience with the harnesses you listed, or this one, but I have heard good things about and am considering the Alpine Flash from CAMP.  May be worth adding to your options.  

Paul L wrote: I have no experience with the harnesses you listed, or this one, but I have heard good things about and am considering the Alpine Flash from CAMP.  May be worth adding to your options.  

Thanks Paul, will check that out as well

One consideration is that the Sitta wears out quickly; for me, about a season of use before the leg loops started to poke out their sharp plastic spokes.

However, it is an excellent harness if weight and functionality is a priority. A drawback: the clipper slots are poorly placed, but usable.

I returned it in warranty when it wore out, and Petzl quickly sent a new one. The service was responsive and fast.

I used to love the SITTA but mine wore very fast too and now I hate rapping in it, very uncomfortable. Combined with the lame rear loops and only two ice clippers, I like the SITTA less and less now 

I think this is a case of two harnesses being better than 1 sport oriented super light harness:

Petzl altitude (or equivalent from other brand) would be a light functional mountaineering harness.  Then just get a cheap harness for the gym.  Unless you really care about your gym project...   nobody uses expensive harnesses in the gym.

Maybe 100 dollars spent for two harnesses that will serve you better vs.  whatever sittas run. 180?  EDIT  :they're 150 I got curious.

https://www.sierra.com/camp-usa-air-cr-evo-climbing-harness~p~165ja/?filterString=s~climbing-harness%2F    decent gym harness or they have other options.  +your superlight glacier harness of choice.  Way better buy.  

greggrylls wrote: I think this is a case of two harnesses being better than 1 sport oriented super light harness:

Petzl altitude (or equivalent from other brand) would be a light functional mountaineering harness.  Then just get a cheap harness for the gym.  Unless you really care about your gym project...   nobody uses expensive harnesses in the gym.

Maybe 100 dollars spent for two harnesses that will serve you better vs.  whatever sittas run. 180?  EDIT  :they're 150 I got curious.

https://www.sierra.com/camp-usa-air-cr-evo-climbing-harness~p~165ja/?filterString=s~climbing-harness%2F    decent gym harness or they have other options.  +your superlight glacier harness of choice.  Way better buy.  

Its not that Im opposed to multiple harnesses ( Definitely will be using a thicker gym harness ) but when Im traveling and roadtripping I would rather just bring one. Its really only going to be the rare gym climb

Has anyone used the Mammut Zephir Altitude?

I love the new (blue) BD Couloir. I also have the older orange one, but the new one is so much better. Matches my Osprey Mutant 38 and 52 packs nicely as well. Since I'm mostly into ice climbing and alpine stuff, the Couloir is perfect.

I tried sport climbing in my BD Couloir (old orange version) and it left bruises under my thighs. For glacier and occasional gym use, I'd use my Arc'teryx ar395. The use cases have kind of conflicting requirements, since at the gym you might be falling/hanging a lot versus glacier walking.