| Nearly every rock climber who has been climbing just | | | | climbing harnesses meet rigorous safety standards, |
| about more than a few months can tell you a fall | | | | but its always essential to pay attention to your gear |
| story, particularly if he or she has been climbing | | | | and check it for any wears or tears. For instance, if |
| outdoors. While a number of gym climbs are | | | | the nylon webbing of your climbing harness is a little |
| top-roped, which only allows falls of a few feet, | | | | fuzzy from wear thats okay, but if it has been either |
| those climbing sport or trad routes can take some | | | | torn or if there are any other visible damage, then its |
| pretty big falls. I remember my biggest fall was | | | | time to get a new harness. |
| about a twenty-five footer, which eventually ended | | | | There are all sorts of climbing harnesses as they are |
| with my head hanging only five feet or so above a | | | | available in a range of sizes and designs, and its tough |
| set of jagged rocks. And to answer the question; as | | | | to get climbers to agree on what climbing harness is |
| to why didnt I hit the ground? Well I didnt get my | | | | the best. However, theres one thing that all climbers |
| head knocked on the rocks because my belayer got | | | | agree on: for a climbing harness to be safe, |
| a hold of me and because all of my gear worked the | | | | comfortable and effective, it must fit the climber well. |
| way it was supposed to, this includes one of the | | | | Whereas an ill-fitting harness is at best uncomfortable |
| most important pieces of gear, my climbing harness. | | | | and at worst dangerous, and before buying a climbing |
| In short, a climbing harness allows a rope to be safely | | | | harness its imperative to try it out first. If you are |
| and comfortably secured to a climber, thus stopping | | | | lucky, your gear store may allow you to attach |
| the climbers fall before he or she hits the ground. | | | | yourself to a rope and allow you to hang in the |
| The rope passes through one or two webbing loops | | | | harness for awhile to make sure its not only |
| (depending on the harness), and these loops are one | | | | comfortable to walk around in, but also should be |
| of the most important parts of the chain of | | | | comfortable to hang in. Beyond that, you can find |
| protection that stops your fall, including the rope, | | | | stripped-down ice climbing harnesses made to be |
| rock protection, and belay device. These webbing | | | | worn over layers and layers of insulation to bulky, |
| loops also allow you to fasten a belay device to your | | | | padded harnesses which you could sit in all day; no |
| harness, allowing you to belay your climbing partners. | | | | matter what style you go for is completely left up to |
| Every climbing gear manufacturers ensure their | | | | you! |