Cutting Webbing on Harness

Hey everyone, I wear my harness with the waist cinched all the way down which results in this obnoxiously long tail of webbing. Would it be dangerous to cut the webbing down to a more reasonable length, thereby removing the sewn/folded end? What are your thoughts on climbing in a harness without a sewn fold at the end of the waist strap? Thanks!

Your harness has belt loops to tuck the excess strap out of the way. The end is designed not to pull through the buckle. Cutting it and leaving it bare has more risk than leaving it and tucking it away. 

Adam Fleming wrote: Your harness has belt loops to tuck the excess strap out of the way. The end is designed not to pull through the buckle. Cutting it and leaving it bare has more risk than leaving it and tucking it away. 

There is still 8+ inches of webbing flopping around when it is tucked through the belt loops

I double mine back thru the elastic loops. 

Hi hunter, hope all is well at redpoint

I like to extend mine with some shoe laces I've got lying around if my harness is getting kinda small. 

Hunter Murray wrote: Hey everyone, I wear my harness with the waist cinched all the way down which results in this obnoxiously long tail of webbing. Would it be dangerous to cut the webbing down to a more reasonable length, thereby removing the sewn/folded end? What are your thoughts on climbing in a harness without a sewn fold at the end of the waist strap? Thanks!

You need a smaller harness.

NathanB wrote: I double mine back thru the elastic loops. 

Me too. Works like a charm.

I buy my harnesses on the large end to keep the gear loops closer to the front so I often end up with a long tail as well. After cinching tight, I just wrap it around the waist loop a few times to take up the slack. If you use those little keeper loops I find the tail gets in the way of gear being clipped.
If you really want to cut it shorter, sew folds in the end the way it is now.

i would ask the harness manufacturer.  

Everyone here is freaking out over nothing. Cut it, throw an overhand in it, and move on. Better yet, just (*gasp*) stitch it the same way it is now, sewing isn't hard and if you use a good thick nylon thread and roughly the same stitching pattern/quantity you see on there, it'll be perfect. Harnesses don't fail because the webbing loosens in a fall anyway, unless you have a harness that needs to be doubled back and you didn't do it.

I think you and the guy who wants to know if it's okay to store quickdraws clipped together would be a perfect fit.

Harnesses were designed to have the waistbelt slip to reduce the impact of a fall. That's why you have to tighten your harness after every fall...
I dont see a problem shortening it, as I have done to my DMM Renegade. Just don't cut too much off and singe the end.

Robert S wrote: I think you and the guy who wants to know if it's okay to store quickdraws clipped together would be a perfect fit.

This

Thanks guys, I’m gonna retire the harness and stick to bouldering! 

Good choice. 

So if he cuts off the end of the webbing with the stitched ends, how is it any different than one of those older harnesses without the speed buckles (the older style buckles where you have to manually feed the free end of the webbing through the buckle and double-back them)?

0bsidian O wrote: So if he cuts off the end of the webbing with the stitched ends, how is it any different than one of those older harnesses without the speed buckles (the older style buckles where you have to manually feed the free end of the webbing through the buckle and double-back them)?

My speed buckles slip a little over time, my double backed buckles have never slipped, ever. Double backed is way more secure.
 
But my guess is it's because a speed buckle with a stitched end makes it easier to use and since users won't accidentally unthread it they don't rethread it wrong.
In contrast, a double backed buckle with a stitched end would be a huge pain in the ass.

My speed buckles have never slipped ever on any harness I’ve ever owned. I believe that would be fucked. Maybe I’m wrong here, my 2c

The speed buckle on my safetech has creeped a bit on me. 

Ha!
I don't have to worry about that.
I have a Yates big wall harness that has a webbing belt with a buckle
I ditched that and use webbing with a water knot to close my harness.

I've never been a fan of buckles on a harness.