Maintain Harness:
The harness is a vital piece of kit. It holds you to a rope and holds a belay device when partnering a climber. During a fall it takes a great deal of stress and shock, particularly at points where parts of the harness webbing and strapping are joined by a buckle. Safety depends on the condition of your harness and its proper use. Treating your harness with a lack of respect can reduce the normally accepted retirement age significantly.
Before a climb:
Whether you are a regular climber or an occasional weekend climber, novice
or pro, it is essential that the harness is given a visual inspection prior
to use. The inspection is for signs of wear on straps or webbing. Make sure
the harness has no signs or abrasion, worn through patches or straps, damaged
or missing buckles and there are no cuts or tears in the fabric, especially
at key areas of the harness – tie in points and belay loop. Any of
the above damage or any feeling of uncertainty that the harness is not in
good condition indicates time to replace. Not being sure about your harness
can affect your confidence on a climb. You need to be sure that a harness
will take a big fall or even just time sat in it if hang dogging a route.
The majority of harnesses are made of Nylon or variants of this material
and can degrade with expose to sunlight, excessive moisture, sweat, oil
and use of the harness.
Before climbing, it is good practice to ensure your partner gives your harness
a check both visually and physically by pulling the webbing back and forth
and left and right and paying attention to buckles etc to see if there is
an unnecessary movement. It is a good routing to have your partner check
your harness when you have tied in, to ensure you have tied into the correct
points of the harness, the knot is good and there is no wear on the webbing
at the point of tying in. Likewise check you partner if he is belaying you
the same way and check the belay loop to make sure there is no wear or loose
stitching which could indicate the belay loop is failing.
N.B. Manufacturers recommendations vary in terms of a lifespan of a harness. Usual indication is between 5 and 10 years with ‘average’ use. However the above factors should be considered when checking your harness and you should change your harness if you suspect damage irrespective of the manufacturers lifespan guide. If you use your harness often on long pitches or have a few non serious falls in the harness check the harness often. Retire your harness after a serious fall, definitely after a fall of factor 2. The webbing may have stretched beyond its elastic limit and have invisible material fatigue, distortion or weakening of buckles.
When you’re climbing
Harnesses have specific methods for tying in (threading the rope through the harness)
and securing the harness around the climber’s waist. Most harnesses
tie in points are the same points the belay loop joins (Figure 1).
The rope follows the path of the red arrows by 1. going through the webbing that connects the leg loops, 2. up and behind the waist band, 3. pulled out from behind the waist band and over the waist band and then tied.
Most buckles need to be doubled-back: the nylon waist belt runs through the buckle and passes back over itself to ensure maximum security. This is show on the How to fit a Metolius 3D Harness. Every time you buy a new harness, read the instructions carefully and follow them. An accident brought about by inadequate harness checking is potentially lethal and stupid on the part of the climber.
After Climbing:
Harnesses should be stored carefully. If your harness is dirty, hand wash it with cool water and a mild soap. Do not use bleaches or machine wash with detergents as this will distort and twist your harness and damage the buckles. To dry your harness, hang it in a cool area and allow to air dry. Do not put in a tumble drier or hang over a radiator. Excessive temperatures can degrade Nylon. Harnesses should not be exposed to caustic solutions, acids, sharp implements, or excessive light.
Remember when cleaning:
| Do | Don't |
| Hand wash in cool water |
Machine Wash |
| Use a mild chemical free soap | Use washing powder or bleaches |
| Rinse thoroughly | Pack away whilst wet |
| Dry thoroughly in the air | Dry in a tumble dryer or over a radiator |
